The Modern Scottish Minstrel, Volume 5. / The Songs of Scotland of the Past Half Century

JAMES M'GREGOR, D.D.

The Rev. James Macgregor, D.D., Presbyterian minister at Nova Scotia, was born in 1762, in the vicinity of Comrie, Perthshire. He entered on ministerial duty in Nova Scotia shortly after becoming a probationer, and continued in this important sphere of clerical labour to the close of his life. He died at Pictou on the 1st of March 1830, in his 68th year. Dr Macgregor composed excellent sacred verses in Gaelic. His general scholarship and attainments were publicly acknowledged by his receiving the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Glasgow.

LIGHT IN THE HIGHLANDS.[18]

Of learning long a scantling was the portion of the Gael,
Untaught by calculation's art their loss or gain to unveil,
Though well was seen the Saxon's power their interest to betray;
But now, to knowledge thanks, the Gael are letter-wise as they.

Well fare the benefactors who have raised us from the ground,
Even as were raised from brutal dust our countrymen around;
Now ignorance shall furl her wing, and while our hopes aspire,
To all her native darkness she must in despair retire.
Each nook will have its scholar craft, and high in learning's scale
Will mount the inspirations of the language of the Gael.

*****

Yes! now the trusty Highlander aloft shall raise his head,
As large as is his native worth, his wealthy arts shall spread;
Inventions crowd to save him from the poor man's bitter doom,
And well-taught skill, to grace with comfort's ray his humblest home.
No more o'er weakness shall exult the mighty and the proud—
No more in nakedness shall 'plain his lot the wretch aloud.

O, sure are coming nigh our hills the auspices foretold,
When he shall fail to vaunt his power who chain'd our sires of old,
In iron bands who held them fast, but now he droops with fear;
Delusion's age is past, and strife avows the smile, the tear,
That sympathy or fondness ask,—and the sad world is fain
To welcome its return to love and innocence again.

END OF VOL. IV.

EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The present Memoir has been prepared at our request by the veteran William Jerdan, late of the Literary Gazette.

[2] Composed on board the steamship Niagara, on her voyage to New York, in August 1849.

[3] One of the stanzas of this song is the composition of the late Mary Russell Mitford and appears in her tale of Atherton. The other stanza was composed by Mr Bennoch, at the urgent request of his much loved friend.

[4] She would speak to one and to another, and nod and smile to many more, but she could not do it to all; but we could kiss her shadow as it fell, and lay our heads on the pillow again, content.—Soldier's Letter from the Crimea.

[5] "Before she came there was cussin' and swearin', but after that it was as holy as a church."—Ibid.

[6] Here first published.

[7] This song was originally Published in the Scots' Magazine for October 1806. In the "Book of Scottish Song," it has been attributed to Allan Ramsay.

[8] This song has been erroneously assigned to Burns.

[9] This lyric and the following are printed from the author's MSS.

[10] Here printed for the first time.

[11] These verses were composed when the author was suffering from a severe pulmonary complaint which he feared would bring him to an early grave. They were addressed to his sister, a girl of five years, who at this period was his companion in his walks.

[12] To Mr Disseret of Edinburgh we are indebted for the particulars of Mr Maclagan's personal history.

[13] See vol. ii., p. 120.

[14] This song, and the following, have been contributed by Mr Sinclair to the present work.

[15] See Minstrel, Vol. iv. p. 279.

[16] Hen-pecked (Sc.), from donned, silly woman.

[17] Highland garb.

[18] Composed on hearing of the late Principal Baird's successful expedition to the Highlands, for the purpose of establishing the General Assembly's Schools.

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