therefore the complaints of the young Hero on this point, are not less in accordance with the truth of history, than natural to his own situation.

Note 7. p. 16.

churls of former times,

Who first within our mountain land
Set foot, and the dishonour planned

Of all those Powers we yet revere," &c.

This partiality for old superstitions of the Fingallian and Ossianic period, and consequent contempt for the more sober and peace-inspiring doctrines of Christianity, continued down to the very extinction of Clanship after the Rebellion of 1745; and if such a state of feeling could remain so long in vigour even after the Reformation, some idea may be formed of its strength at the period of our story, when silly legends of Saints, and their relics and miracles, were attempted to be thrust upon the Highland mind, in exchange for those of the Druidic deities, and ancient Heroes and Bards. The young, glowing mind of Orchay, naturally preferred that system which was most captivating to his imagination, and in harmony with his martial propensities,-independent even of the self-interested motives, which at the moment so strongly impelled him to declare his choice; and the old denounced mytho

logical Powers, as naturally responded encouragingly to his sentiments, in the hope of through him regaining for a while some portion of their lost ascendancy. The way in which this response was made, by shield-emitted sounds, by aërial voices, and by the involuntary prophetic effusions of the Minstrel, are all in strict harmony with the ancient Celtic creed relative to such revelations. Of this, innumerable beautiful illustrations might be produced; but a wish to avoid all appearance of unnecessarily expanding the volume, forbids it.

Note 8. p. 23.

"Fortune, that oft, in darkest hour,
When Bera threats, and tempests lower."

Bera was the Celtic goddess of Storms, and gave vocal warning of their approach from the tops of the highest mountains. Hence she was said to threaten, when the summits of those mountains were wrapt in gloom, and emitted the wild dreary sounds, which every Highlander's ear can detect so well as the presage of a tempest. Although she inhabited all the higher mountains, her chief residence was on the top of Ben-Cruachan, where she was said to have early guarded a sacred spring, under injunctions to cover it every night before sunset with a stone; but that, being one day early overcome by the fatigues of

hunting, she neglected this duty, by falling into a sleep which lasted three days,-at the end of which, when she awoke, she found the spring had so overflowed as to give birth to Loch-Awe, by gushing down and inundating all the long stretch of bottom, now occupied by that beautiful Lake. There is a poem detailing this, ascribed to Ossian; in which Bera is styled the daughter of Griannan, which signifies the Sun; and as the word Bhe'ir means a thunderbolt, the origin of the whole allegory is easily traced.

Note 9. p. 25.

"And generous juice of Gallic vine."

At that time, there existed the closest relations of amity between France and Scotland, as had been the case for ages previous, and was for long afterwards. This amity, founded on political motives, gave rise to an active reciprocal commerce, through which the wines of France became very abundant and cheap in Scotland, and continued so down to the period of the Union, when the Scotch and English import and export revenue systems, were assimilated. Until that time, Claret was the almost universal drink of

the Scotch nobility and gentry. Native usquebaugh, however, was also well known to them; and, being distilled by themselves, in small quantities, and with proper attention to the niceties of the process and quality of the

malt, really merited the encomiums bestowed on it, and resembled the present large-still publicly-excised poison, only in name.

Note 10. p. 29.

"While from his head, like charger's mane,
Flowed down his back, in masses twain,
His plaited locks; each coiled at end,
Both neck and shoulders to defend.
Forward, and covering all his brow,
The same red plaited masses throw
A fierceness his whole aspect o'er."

Most, if not all, of the Celtic tribes, were in the habit of wearing their hair in this manner, for the purpose of defending their head, neck, and shoulders, instead of helmets, gorgets, &c. Tacitus thus mentions the practice, in his treatise on Germany :

"It is a characteristic of this people (the Suevi) to braid the hair, and tie it up in a knot. In other countries, whether from some relationship with the Suevi, or, as it often happens, from imitation, this custom is practised; rarely, however, and confined to the period of youth. But among the Suevi, even to hoariness, they turn back their bristling locks, and often tie them merely on the top of the head. The Chiefs wear it still more ornamented. When

about to proceed to war, having their hair dressed so as to increase their height and to inspire terror, they ornament themselves, as it were, for the eyes of the enemy."

The old historians frequently mention this peculiarity in the appearance of the Celtic tribes of North Britain; and the hair when thus plaited, and made to fall over the brow or down the neck, was from very early times called a glib. Thus, Gildas, speaking of the ravages committed among the Southern Britons in the early part of the fifth century, thus notices the Scots, who, in concert with the Picts, were the perpetrators of those ravages :

"The Scots bestowed more attention to the covering of their thievish countenances with glibs, than even of the most indecorous parts of their persons with raiment."

The native Irish, who were identical with the native Britons, wore their hair in the same manner, down to so recent a period as that of the Civil Wars. It will reflect considerable light on our subject, to quote the following description of them in this respect, from "Wood's Inquiry concerning the Primitive Inhabitants of Ireland :"

"Besides the hood and cap, the hair of the Irish also formed a considerable covering for the head. Like that of the Germans, Scandinavians, and Belgic Britons, it was generally of a yellow colour, and allowed to grow over the shoulders in flowing ringlets. That which covered the forehead was matted, and denominated glib, which is thus described by Spenser [the Poet, author of the " Fairy Queen"]"In Terconnell (now Donegal) the haire of their head growes so long and curled, that they goe bareheaded and are called glibbs, the women glibbins." In