804 



poets, and enable the Gaelic scholar to decide which of the two 

 poems is the most genuine, and of greatest antiquity. 



Rann 1. 



" A Eolcha Albain uile, 

 ^ A shluagh feta, folt-buidhe, 

 Cia ceud ghabhail an eol duihh, 

 Ro ghabhustar Alban-bhruigh." 



" Albanus do gbabh ria n shlogh, 

 Mac sein oirdhairc Isiocoin, 

 Brathair do Britus gan brath, 

 O raitir Alba eathrach." 



3. 



" Ro ionnarb a bhrathair Bras 

 Briotus tar muir, n locht nambnas, 

 Ro ghabh Briotus Albain ain. 

 Go roinn Fiaghnach Fothudain." 



The versification of this poem is of that class of the Dan direach, 

 called deibhidhe, in each line of which there are seven syllables, the 

 first line of each Leathran or half-stanza requiring point, and the 

 second double point. In each of these stanzas we find complete 

 sense ; and also all that is required in Gaelic poetry. We have a 

 regular number of syllables in each quartan, and the number of 

 quartans required in each stanza. We have also concord, correspon- 

 dence, point and double point, and ?mi"on or agreement. In the first 

 quartan there is a concord between the words Eolcha and Albain, 

 both beginning with vowels ; in the second there is a concord be- 



