FOOTNOTES

Ochan! loisg thu mi, chràidh thu mi,Led’ bhrochan teth, tana, gu’n stà;Ach fhad’s bhios uisg’ ann an Liobhain,Cha chriochnaich do pheanas gu bràth.A’ Chaillich gu’n mhodh, is gu’n nair’S tu chiurr mi gu goirt, is gu searbh,Ach thig mi le armachd gu’n dàil,Is cuiream gu bàs thu gu dearbh!

Ochan! loisg thu mi, chràidh thu mi,

Led’ bhrochan teth, tana, gu’n stà;

Ach fhad’s bhios uisg’ ann an Liobhain,

Cha chriochnaich do pheanas gu bràth.

A’ Chaillich gu’n mhodh, is gu’n nair

’S tu chiurr mi gu goirt, is gu searbh,

Ach thig mi le armachd gu’n dàil,

Is cuiream gu bàs thu gu dearbh!

We ought to learn one lesson from this subject—gratitude to the Great Ruler, because we live in more favourable circumstances, and under the light and liberty of a preached Gospel. The press and the pulpit have now opened the eyes of men; the schoolmaster is abroad; and many superstitions by which past ages have been deluded have greatly vanished before the pure light of evangelic truth. In many quarters of the world they have disappeared before the lustre of that revelation which has brought the truth of immortality to light, and which impresses the imagination of man with truer notions and simpler imagery. We cannot but admire the dauntless courage of Paul when he boldly faced the Epicurean and stoic philosophers—when “he stood in the midst of Mars’ Hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious”. There he met a people, the most distinguished for the wisdom of their political constitution, for the brilliancy of their achievements, for the extent and variety of their learning, and for the refinement of their manners; yet apeople who, amid all their glory and renown, were ignorant of the true God, and lived the blind and deluded victims of the grossest idolatry and superstition.

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FOOTNOTES[1]In corroboration of the main facts here stated, we quote the following from “Walford’s County Families of the United Kingdom”:—“Fletcher, James, Esq. of Rosehaugh, Ross-shire, son of the late Wm. Jack, Esq., by Isabel, dau. of the late Charles Fletcher, Esq., and brother of J. C. Fletcher, Esq.;b.18—;m.1852, Frederica Mary, dau. of John Stephen, Esq., niece of Sir Alfred Stephen, C.B., Chief Justice of New South Wales, and widow of Alexander Hay, Esq., of the 58th Regt.… He assumed the name of Fletcher in lieu of his patronymic on the death of his mother in 1856.”[2]A place of that name near Beauly.[3]Since the above was in type, we came across the following in Anderson’s History of the Family of Fraser, p. 114:—“Hugh, son of the 10th Lord Lovat, was born on the 28th September, 1666. From a large black spot on his upper lip he was familiarly called, Mac Shimidh Ball-dubh,i.e., black-spotted Simpson or Lovat. Three chieftains were distinguished at this time by similar deformities—(1) Mac Coinnich Glùn-dubh,i.e., black-kneed Mackenzie; (2) Macintoshich Claon,i.e., squint-eyed MacKintosh; (3) Sisealach Càm, crooked or one-eyed Chisholm.”[4]See Nos. XXVI. and XXVII. of theCeltic Magazine, Vol. III., in which this question is discussed at length.[5]For full details of this act, which afterwards proved the cause of such strife and bloodshed, see Mackenzie’s “History of the Clan Mackenzie”.[6]Highlands and Isles of Scotland, p. 111.[7]The late Colonel John Constantine Stanley, son of Lord Stanley of Alderley, who married Susan Mary, eldest daughter of the late Keith William Stewart Mackenzie of Seaforth.[8]Vide Buch. Lib. xiii.[9]For several of these in England and the South of Scotland, seeCeltic Magazine, Vol. III., pp. 52-53.[10]Dr. Buchan, Secretary of the Lancashire Insurance Company at Inverness, a gentleman rarely surpassed in his knowledge of Celtic Legendary Traditions and Folklore, and to whom the writer is much indebted for these remarks on Hallowe’en.[11]Since this was first published, the late Alexander Fraser, Registrar, Inverness, a well-known Northern Antiquarian, wrote four full and most interesting papers, entitled,Northern Folk-lore on Wells and Water; with an Account of some interesting Wells in the neighbourhood of Inverness and the North, which appeared in theCeltic Magazine, Vol. III., pp. 348, 370, 419, and 456.

[1]In corroboration of the main facts here stated, we quote the following from “Walford’s County Families of the United Kingdom”:—“Fletcher, James, Esq. of Rosehaugh, Ross-shire, son of the late Wm. Jack, Esq., by Isabel, dau. of the late Charles Fletcher, Esq., and brother of J. C. Fletcher, Esq.;b.18—;m.1852, Frederica Mary, dau. of John Stephen, Esq., niece of Sir Alfred Stephen, C.B., Chief Justice of New South Wales, and widow of Alexander Hay, Esq., of the 58th Regt.… He assumed the name of Fletcher in lieu of his patronymic on the death of his mother in 1856.”

[2]A place of that name near Beauly.

[3]Since the above was in type, we came across the following in Anderson’s History of the Family of Fraser, p. 114:—“Hugh, son of the 10th Lord Lovat, was born on the 28th September, 1666. From a large black spot on his upper lip he was familiarly called, Mac Shimidh Ball-dubh,i.e., black-spotted Simpson or Lovat. Three chieftains were distinguished at this time by similar deformities—(1) Mac Coinnich Glùn-dubh,i.e., black-kneed Mackenzie; (2) Macintoshich Claon,i.e., squint-eyed MacKintosh; (3) Sisealach Càm, crooked or one-eyed Chisholm.”

[4]See Nos. XXVI. and XXVII. of theCeltic Magazine, Vol. III., in which this question is discussed at length.

[5]For full details of this act, which afterwards proved the cause of such strife and bloodshed, see Mackenzie’s “History of the Clan Mackenzie”.

[6]Highlands and Isles of Scotland, p. 111.

[7]The late Colonel John Constantine Stanley, son of Lord Stanley of Alderley, who married Susan Mary, eldest daughter of the late Keith William Stewart Mackenzie of Seaforth.

[8]Vide Buch. Lib. xiii.

[9]For several of these in England and the South of Scotland, seeCeltic Magazine, Vol. III., pp. 52-53.

[10]Dr. Buchan, Secretary of the Lancashire Insurance Company at Inverness, a gentleman rarely surpassed in his knowledge of Celtic Legendary Traditions and Folklore, and to whom the writer is much indebted for these remarks on Hallowe’en.

[11]Since this was first published, the late Alexander Fraser, Registrar, Inverness, a well-known Northern Antiquarian, wrote four full and most interesting papers, entitled,Northern Folk-lore on Wells and Water; with an Account of some interesting Wells in the neighbourhood of Inverness and the North, which appeared in theCeltic Magazine, Vol. III., pp. 348, 370, 419, and 456.

THE END.

A. KING AND CO., ABERDEEN.

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