| In 1780 appeared a volume of Ossian's Poems,
translated and edited by the Rev. John Smith of Kilbrandon, afterwards the Rev. Dr Smith
of Campbeltown. The volume is entitled "Gaelic Antiquities &c," containing
among other things, "A Collection of Ancient Poems, translated from the Gaelic of
Ullin, Ossian, &c." Dr Smith was an admirable Gaelic scholar, as was evidenced by
his translation of a portion of the Scriptures into that language, and his metrical
version of the Gaelic Psalms. The work before us is a work highly creditable to Dr Smith's
talents and industry, and although he complains of the reception which his efforts on
behalf of Gaelic literature met with, it is still prized by Gaelic scholars. In the year 1787 appeared the Gaelic version of the same poems in an
octavo volume, entitled, "Sean dana le Oisian, Orran, Ulann, &c." It is a
pity that the two versions did not appear simultaneously, as there have not been wanting
those who have charged Dr Smith, as was done in the case of Macpherson, with composing
himself much of the poetry which he gives as Ossian's. The same has been said of another
collector of the name of Kennedy, who collected a large number of poems which now lie in
the MS. in the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh; but it is a curious fact that some of the
pieces which Kennedy is said to have acknowledged having composed, can be shown to be
ancient.
Dr Smith's collection begins with the poem called "Dan
an Deirg," the Song of Dargo, or the Red Man. It is a famous song in
the Highlands, as is indicated by the proverbial saying "gach dàn gu dàn an
Deirg," Every song yields to the song of Dargo. It was sung to a simple,
touching air, which is still known. This poem is given by Dr Smith in two sections,
entitled severally, "A'cheud chuid," and "An dara cuid." The song is
given by the M'Callums , but it is most perplexing that not one word of their version
agrees with Dr Smith's. Their version is manifestly of the ancient form and rhythm, with
the usual summary at the head of it given by Gaelic reciters ere beginning one of their
songs. None of this is found in Dr Smith's version, which is cast very much in the mould
of Macpherson's Gaelic Ossian. Mr J.A Campbell, in his Popular Tales of the Highlands
gives a few lines of the lament of the wife of Dargo for her husband, but they do not
correspond in one line with the version of Dr Smith. The same may be said of Dr Smith's
Diarmad", which is entirely different from all the existing versions of the same
poem. The versions of the Dean of Lismore and of Gillies are identical, and so are to a
large extent other existing versions taken down from oral recitation, but Dr Smith's
differs largely from them in locality, matter and rhythm. It removes the story of the
death of this Fingalian hero from Glenshee to Sliabh Ghaodhail, in Kintyre. At the same
time, it is quite possible that different poems existed bearing the same name; and Dr
Smith's poems are compositions of decided excellence. They add much to the stores of the
Gaelic scholar, and the English translation is done with a skill little inferior to that
of Macpherson himself. |
