28 THE BANK ACCOUNTANT. 



evidently thought for himself. At supper the conversa- 

 tion again became poetical. He quoted some words of 

 exquisite beauty and expressiveness in the Gaelic Psalms, 

 which no English ones could render. He described the 

 Gaelic word for " wind " in the line, " For over it the 

 wind doth pass," as expressing to the imagination a 

 breath so faint as to be almost dying, and yet sufficient 

 in its extreme feebleness to destroy the still feebler thing 

 over which it is passing. Again, in the same psalm, in 

 the lines, 



" Such pity as a father hath 

 Unto his children dear," 



he said there was something inexpressibly tender and 

 delicate ; they convey the idea of a parent yearning 

 to fondle what he so tenderly loves, and yet in his 

 solicitude almost afraid lest he injure it by the touch. 

 Oh what burning thoughts must have passed through 

 the brain of Ossian ! That a people with such genius, 

 and with such a language, should be deemed incapable 

 of producing such a poet ! That those who have felt but 

 for a moment the spirit of Northern poesy could doubt 

 ever after that Ossian sung ! Yes, annihilate the re- 

 mains of Highland feeling and language and manners, 

 and then tell us that the question is decided, but not 

 till then. I am so exasperated at you that I would fain 

 give you a pinch. 5 



Hugh replies in a tone of quiet and kindly badin- 

 age. He will maintain against all comers that the 

 poems of Ossian illustrate the genius of the Highlanders, 

 particularly that of the gifted clan Mac Pherson. To 

 match the Alness Highlander he brings out a specimen 

 Celt of his own. 



' Edinburgh. 



' Dear me, what a red-hot Highlander you are ! You 



