B8 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



February, 1867, in the 78th year of his age, but still lives in the well 

 gotten up volume of Gaelic po'etry which he gave to his countrymen. 

 The popular songs of the people, however, must be their love 

 songs, and in this branch of the subject the Kelto-Oanadian had a rich 

 treasury. As the French-Canadian inherited the folk-song of Old 

 France, so the Gael 'of Canada did the songs of the Scottish Highlands. 

 Love songs live long. To-day can be heard songs crooned in Nova 

 Scotia or in Ontario, whose origin is lost in the mists of time, or of 

 authors who lived many generations ago in Scotland. Such a song, for 

 instance, is " Fear a Bhata,^' " The Boatman," one of the finest of our 

 Gaelic love songs: 



Translated : — 



" 'My friends oft tell me that I must sever 

 All thougM of thee from my heart for ever; 

 Their words are idle — my passion's swelling, 

 Untamied as ocean, can brook no quelling. 



My heart is weary with ceaseless wailing, 

 Like wounded swan iwhen her strength is failing. 

 Her notes of amguish the lake awaken. 

 By all her comrades at last forsaken. 



Another example would be : " Ho ro mo nighean donn bhoidheach,'* 

 sung by a chorus of children in Toronto not later than last June. The 

 translation of a verse will show the intensity of the sentiment pervad- 

 ing it : 



Translated: — 



" O maid whoise face is fairest, 

 The beauty that thou bearest, 

 Thy witching smile the rarest. 



Are ever with me. 



" Though far from thee I'm ranging 

 My love is not estranging, 

 My heart is still unchanging 



And aye true to thee. 



" Thy smile is brightest, purest. 

 Best, kindliest, demurest, 

 With which thou still alluresit 



My heart's love to thee." 



But the settlers them'selveis and their descendants to the present 

 time composed love songs which obtained popular recognition, many 

 of which have seen the light of tihe day on pages of books or periodicals, 

 but many, very many, still remain to be collected aind preserved as 

 interesting specimens of the Gaelic muse in Canada. 



Somie of the better known Gaelic poets of Canada are: Dr. James 

 Macgregor, Rev. D. B. Blair, Rev. A. MacLean Sinclair, Evan MacColl, 



