ts, and the depositories of popular poetry. Tales and old poems
were known to special reciters. When collected around their evening
fires, a favorite pastime was a recital of traditional tales and poetry.
The most acceptable guest was the one who could rehearse the longest
poem or most interesting tale. Living in the land of Ossian, it was
natural to ask a stranger, "Can you speak of the days of Fingal?" If the
answer was in the affirmative, then the neighbors were summoned, and
poems and old tales would be the order until the hour of midnight. The
reciter threw into the recitation all the powers of his soul and gave
vent to the sentiment. Both sexes always participated in these meetings.

The poetry was not always of the same cast. It varied as greatly as were
the moods of the composer. The sublimity of Ossian had its opposite in
the biting sarcasm and trenchant ridicule of some of the minor poets.

Martin, who travelled in the Western Isles, about 1695, remarks: "They
are a very sagacious people, quick of apprehension, and even the vulgar
exceed all those of their rank and education I ever yet saw in any other
country. They have a great genius for music and mechanics. I have
observed several of their children that before they could speak were
capable to distinguish and make choice of one tune before another upon
a violin; for they appeared always uneasy until the tune which they
fancied best was played, and then they expressed their satisfaction by
the motions of their head and hands. There are several of them who
invent tunes already taking in the South of Scotland and elsewhere. Some
musicians have endeavored to pass for first inventors of them by
changing their name, but this has been impracticable; for whatever
language gives the modern name, the tune still continues to speak its
true original. * * *. Some of both sexes have a quick vein of poetry,
and in their language--which is very emphatic--they compose rhyme and
verse, both which powerfully affect the fancy. And in my judgment (which
is not singular in this matter) with as great force as that of any
ancient or modern poet I ever read. They have generally very retentive
memories; they see things at a great distance. The unhappiness of their
education, and their want of converse with foreign nations, deprives
them of the opportunity to cultivate and beautify their genius, which
seems to have been formed by nature for great attainments."[1]

The piper was an im