ed, but
remembering that he had left on the table a bottle not quite empty, he
returned and took it with him. The poet, viewing this as an act of
extreme meanness, addressed the bridegroom as follows:--

CAINEADH AN DOMHNULLAICH.

'S toigh leam Domhnullach neo-chosdail
O nach coltach e ri cach.
'N uair bhios iadsan ag iarraidh fortain
Bidh esan 'n a phrop aig fear cais
Ma bha do mhathair 'n a mnaoi choir
Cha do ghleidh i 'n leabaidh phosda glan,
Cha 'n 'eil cuid agad do Chloinn Domhnuill,
'S Rothach no Rosach am fear.
'N uair a bhuail thu aig an uinneig
Cha b' ann a bhuinnigeadh cliu,
Dh' iarraidh na druaip bha 's a' bhotul,
Mallachd fir focail a' d' ghiur.

We give a free translation of the above into English, far inferior,
however, to the Gaelic original:--

MACDONALD SATIRISED.

I like to see a niggard man,
One of the great Macdonald clan;
When others are in quest of gain
This man the needy will sustain.
Your mother, if an honest dame,
Has not retained her wedlock fame;
No part is Mac from top to toe,
You're either Rose or else Munro.
When to the house you turned your face,
Let it be told to your disgrace,
'Twas for the dregs you had forgot,
The Poet's curse be in your throat.

The bridegroom, as we may well believe, smarted under the chastisement
administered to him. He took an early opportunity of putting himself in
the poet's way. Seeing Mr Macpherson riding past his place one day, he
went to meet him with a bottle and glass, and importunately begged of
him that he would have the goodness to say something now in his favour.
Mr Macpherson complied with the request. Sitting on horseback, and
taking the glass in his hand, he pronounced the ensuing eulogy on the
bridegroom:--

MOLADH AN DOMHNULLAICH.

Bha na baird riamh breugach, bosdail,
Beular sinn, gorach, gun seadh,
Lasgair gasd e Chloinn Domhnuill,
Mac Ailein Mhoir as a Mhagh.
Chuir e botul neo-ghortach a' m' dhorn,
A chur iotadh mo sgornain air chul,
'S bard gun tur a bh' air a' chordadh
Nach do sheinn gu mor a chliu.
Ach tha 'n seors' ud uile cho caillteach,
Cho mi-thaingeil, 's cho beag ciall,
'S ma thig a' chuach idir o 'n ceann,
Nach fiach e taing na fhuair iad riamh.

The above may be thus translated:--

MACDONALD EULOGISED.

The bards, as we have ever seen,
Liar