hand of fellowship, and continued to respect Mac Leod while he lived.

Origin of the name MAC SHIRI.

The Mac Shirries or Mac Siora are a branch or dependent tribe of the clan Mac Kinnon, and are chiefly found in the island of Mull.

The origin of the name by which they have so long been distinguished seems to be this; and it is perhaps as much from a dislike to the appellation, as from pride in their grand patronymic, that they prefer the designation, and are better known as Mac Kinnons.

According to the tradition, a man of extraordinary agility and swiftness of foot, but it would appear, somewhat of a braggart, was on one occasion running with uncommon celerity. On passing some people, he was accosted by a shrewd old man, who affected not to know him, and wished to show off his wit at the racer's expense. "What name are you known by ?" inquired he. "Mac Sior Ruithe, -I am the son, the hard-runner," replied the other, with evident pride. "Nay, rather," quickly returned the old man, "Mac Sior Ruaig,-the son who runs well on a retreat!"

He was ever after known by this appellation, which was also given to his descendants; but the Mac Siories are of course best satisfied with the definition which their swiftfooted ancestor gave of his name.

EPIGRAM.

BY EDWARD WILLIAMS, THE STONEMASON.

“ Yr aderyn a fegir yn Uffern, yn Uffern y myn drige.”

He, born and bred in hell, will fain
A devil still in hell remain.

FLIRTILLA loves the smoky town,
Filth, bustle, pomp, and calls him clown
That sees a charm in Nature's face:
But hear its truth a proverb tell!
"The monkey, born and bred in hell,
Prefers to heav'n his native place."

GAELIC TRIADS.

From a Paper read at a Meeting of the Commun na Gaelic, London.

THE number three, it is well known, has been by all people reckoned a sacred and mysterious number. It is no wonder therefore that we should find that number connected with the wisdom as well as with the superstitions of all the nations of the old world. Thus we find the number of the Muses was three times three; the Graces were three; the Parcæ, or Fatal Sisters, of the Greeks and Romans, as well as the Valkiriae of the northern nations, were three: there are three incarnations of Vishnu; and in the north of Scotland, the third time is lucky, and three magpies betoken a marriage. Among all nations there was, and there is still, much of their oral wisdom delivered in triads.

The Welsh Triads are celebrated; and though we have not hitherto had any collection of Gaelic triads, there are many such still existing in various parts of Caledonia. The following, and many more, I learned in my infancy.

1. Tri raoghainnean deacair, a thug an t Ollamh Baidaineach do'n Ollamh Abrach-Co diubh a b'fhearr leat de thri mnathanBean odhar, bhodhar bhreimneach, na bean leannar, chlannar, choitchiona, na bean stadach bhradach bhreac-luirgneach.

1. Three difficult choices offered by the Badenach Doctor to the Lochaber Doctor-i. e. Which of three women of disagreeable qualities, in case of necessity, he would choose: a sallow illfavoured deaf woman; a tippling, breeding, yet adulterous woman; or a stuttering, thieving, meazle-shinned woman.

Tri Gaothan.

2. Gaoth an aiteamh's Gaoth troimh tholl, s Gaoth nan long ga'n cuir air seol,

Tri Gaothan as fuaire fhuair Fionn,

Reamh fad 'sabha e beo.

2. Three winds: Wind before a thaw, wind blowing through a hole, and the wind of ships under sail, were the three coldest winds that Fionn, i. e. Fingal, felt during his life.

Tri nithean Sleamhuinn

3. Teanga Eisge us Easgunn og

'S leachd-doruis an tighe mhoir

3. Three slippery things: A lampooner's tongue, a young eel, and the threshold-stone of a great man's house.

Tri Donais

4. Troidh Grinn, 'us beul binn,

us cioch chorrach, tri donais nighean an Tuathanaich. 4. Three misfortunes: A neat foot, a sweet voice, and full round breasts, are the three misfortunes of a peasant's daughter. Tri nithean a dh' fhosglas cridhe duine

5. Miodal Flatha, manran mnatha, 's bhi'g ol corma

re latha.

5. Three things that can extract its secrets from a man's heart: The flattery of a superior, the blandishments of a woman, and drinking curmi for a whole day.

Tri nithean thig gun.

6. Gaol, Iadach, 'us Eaglae.

6. Three things which come unsought are: Love, jealousy, and fear.

DONALD MACMHURICH.

"What aileth thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan,
that thou wast driven back.-PSALM CXIV. 5.

JEHOVAH's ark, when on the banks it stood,
Deep Jordan paus'd, and backward rush'd the flood
In wild amazement, murmuring to its source,
To stand in awe, and stay its rapid course.
For Israel's God goes by-even He, whose frown,
On proud Mizraim hurl'd destruction down.
His mighty arm, the sea beheld and fled,
Asunder foam'd, and bared its delug'd bed;
The foe pursued, and dar'd the sacred tack.
Jehovah glanc'd-the conscious sea roll'd back;
And Egypt's king, his chariots, and his host,
Engulph'd below, were all for ever lost.
Along Philistia ran the wondrous fame,
Fierce Idumea trembled at the name,
Majestic Sinai rock'd beneath his feet,
The earth in dread its awful God to meet;

The startled heavens with lightning-wildness gleam'd;
And flinty rocks their hidden waters stream'd;
The chosen race triumphant take their land,

While Jordan's mighty flood in heaps astonish'd stand.

ERYON GWYLLT WALIA.

SONG.

TRANSLATED BY EDWARD WILLIAMS, THE STONE-MASON.

From the Welsh of MORGAN GRUFFUDD, who flourished about the year 1680.

I, ROUS'D by the lark of the morn,
Arose, and the groves were in tune;
Whilst caroll'd the thrush on her thorn,
I pluck'd the sweet roses of June;
The dew-drops like gems in the vale,
The privet that bloom'd in my way,
With eglantine scenting the gale,

Breath'd health on the summer's new day.

'Twas a voice from some nook of the dell,
"Twas borne by rapt echoes along;
O! I heard the soft melody swell,
"Twas ecstasy chanting her song:
In strain'd emulation confess'd,

The warblers were charm'd in the grove;
And, thrilling, I felt in my breast

The madden'd confusion of love.

My Sylvia, my Phyllis, my fair,

My charmer, say what is thy name?

To thy lonely recess I repair,

With my heart, with my soul, in a flame;
To clasp thee, dear nymph, in my arms,
On pinions of passion I fly;

A martyr to love and thy charms,
I'll gaze on thy beauties and die.

I thus thought her, I cannot tell how,
More bright than the monarch of day;
With bosom far whiter than snow,

Than hawthorns high-blooming in May:
The lily, the sweet blushing rose,
On her cheek were in beauty combin'd;
But still, far superior to those,

I fancy'd the charms of her mind.

• Morgan Gruffudd was one of the most lively poets of his time. He was a regular Bard, for his name appears in a list of thirteen that were assembled in a Gorsedd (Congress) held at Bewper Castle, in Glamorgan, under the patronage of Sir Richard Basset, Bart. in the year 1681.

O! the strange fascination of song,
Led on by the magical sound,
I speedful went panting along

To the place where my songstress I found;
But, struck with a shaming surprise,
That stifled the flame in my breast,
I saw, with fell wrath in her eyes,
The form of a demon confess'd.

In passion's high fervours I burn'd,
A lover wild ranting amain:
But cur'd of my grief I return'd,
Mad fancy, to laugh at thy pain;
With frenzy that reason discards,
Thou canst not a moment be cool;
Thou parent of lovers and bards,
I'm still in thy fetters a fool!

GAELIC PROVERBS.

"Is diù teine fearn ùr:
Is diù 'n duine mi-ruin :
Is diù dibhe fian sean:

Is diù an domhain droch bhean."

The worst fuel for a fire is green alder.

The bane of mankind is malice.

The worst liquor is stale wine.

The worst thing in the world is a bad wife.

“Cha'n 'eil tuile feum aun gliocas au duine bhochd no palien am fasach."

The wisdom of the poor man is as useless as a palace in a wilderness.