"At length methought one lucky aim And thence my soul forebodes our fame, p. 52. On which Miss Brooke remarks in a note, "Righ thire na bhfear ngorm.-Literally, 'The king of the country of the Moors.' This seems a strange passage, and I must confess myself unable to conjecture whence it could have taken rise, or what connection there could have been between the Irish and the Moors." From its being wanting in all the editions that have been received by the Committee, there is reason to regard it as an interpolation: and it is highly probable, that it was made in the ninth century, when the Moorish Mussulmans of Africa, after expelling the Goths from the fairest and richest portion of Spain, and reducing the refugee king of Austria to the base condition of furnishing a yearly tribute of a hundred beautiful damsels, proceeded to invade and possess themselves of Sicily (A. D. 828.); whence they sailed to the mouth of the Tiber, and appeared before the gates of Rome (846), where they struck dread and horror into the numerous pilgrims who resorted thither from all the Christian kingdoms of the west. (Volt. Univ. Hist. v. 1. c. 18. Ed. 1777.) III. MOIRE BORB. Miss Brooke's Moire borb, resembling, in many particulars, Macpherson's Maid of Craca, (Fingal, book 3.) differs very little from Kennedy's copy, or from those received from other collectors. Vid. particularly the dean of Lismore's MS. (Report, p. 95-99), where will be found a general coincidence with Miss Brooke and Kenmedy, and a closer resemblance to Macpherson than is com monly the case; though in this, as in other instances where such an opportunity of comparison occurs, the simplicity and distinctness of narrative in the original ancient poem will be easily contrasted with the general and more ornamented expression of Macpherson's translation. In the dean of Lismore's MS. a different reading explains one passage which puzzled Miss Brooke. Her original is, σε Inghian righ fo tuinn," "Daughter of the king under waves ;” which she says, "she did not translate literally, as it was difficult to know what turn to give it." But in the dean of Lismore's MS. and in Kennedy's copy, it stands, "Inghean righ tir fo thuinn," "Daughter of the king of the wave-surrounded land;" of which the meaning is sufficiently obvious. Miss Brooke, p. 124. The catastrophe of the poem in Miss Brooke, different from that of the similar story in Macpherson, where the lady is killed by a shaft from the bow of her pursuer, and Fingal himself revenges her death, by slaying the ferocious Borbar, (as Macpherson calls Moire borb) is nearly the same as in Kennedy's edition: it includes the fall of Moire borb, killed by Gaul after a severe conflict; the placing of a gold ring on each of his fingers after his death; the Maid of Cracă sojourning a year with Fingal; and Gaul remaining six months, getting his wounds cured, under the care of that generous and hospitable king. This last circumstance of Gaul's cure is not in Kennedy, but is found in some other editions of the poem, in the Committee's possession. Fingal's celebrity as a physician is indeed a favourite topic in many of the ancient tales and poems; to his magical cup in particular, are ascribed many wonderful medicinal virtues. i No. xxii. THE DEATH OF CARRIL, A GAELIC POEM, From the Collection of Mr. Duncan Kennedy, with hi Argument prefixed. ARGUMENT-literally copied from Kennedy's MS. THE manner by which the death of this famous hero was brought about is very tragical, whose story is related traditionally as follows:-Gaul being the most experienced warrior of all the bands of Fingal, and the only one living of the royal race of Clan Moirne, of whom he held command under the famous flag and special advice of Fingal, and who upon all occasions and at all solemnities was honoured and regarded above any man of either clan. Gaul having always' occupied the next seat to Fingal, and enjoyed the best and most delicious messes, especially a roast or colop, (called mir-mora) over and above the wont ratio of all the grand bands, created him in his declining years ill will and aversion by the ambitious sons of Fingal, in particular Carril. This mirmora, or rather mircorra, was a favourite mess of Fingal and Gaul, which was but a choice colop chopped and mixed with marrow and herb seeds: it is described thus, Mirmora nan laothan saille, Mar struth meal air barach gheugan; This mirmora and every other reward conferred upon Gaul was claimed by Carril, finding himself the bravest and most accomplished champion among the sons of Fingal, seeing Gaul aged and unfit for distant services, disputed his birth by dint of arms. The invincible Gaul and inveterate Carril entered the lists, and engaged each other in wrestling, whereby they could not decide the cause upon that day, being both equally overcome. The day following they met. well clad in armour, furnished with sword and lance (against the persuasion of Fingal), whereby they shewed much courage and bravery, and Gaul gave the decisive stroke to Carril, who has been lamented by Fingal for many days. Gaul fled and hid himself in a cave, full of grief and sorrow, not choosing to rely upon the friendship of Fingal till his days of mourning elapsed. The poem opens at their engagement, and ends by Fingal and the bards lament over Carril's corpse. BAS CHAIRILL. 1. ANN tigh-teambra nan crnite ciuil, . 2. Dh'eirich gu spairneachd na Shuinn, 'S an Fhiann gu cianail fui' sprochd. 3. Clachan agus talmhinn trom, A' cliarachd re fad an la, Gun fhios cia dhiu b'fhearr sa ghníomh. 4. Air madainn an dara mhaireach, Agus Goll nan eruai' lann geura. 5. Dh'iathadh, dh'imiridh, agus thairneadh, Iad gu nāisinnice sa chumasg; Gu cuidreach, cudramach, gabhaidh, Bu chian le cach gair am buillean. 6. Bu mhinig teine d'an armaibh, 7. Thuit Cairill caoin, calma, ceanail, Z |