230 NETHER LOCHABER. 



easily understand that, sung in proper time and place, and with 

 proper feeling, such a song is calculated to have a good effect, and 

 convey a healthy lesson in its own indirect way, when a sermon or 

 moral exhortation, however well meant, would be altogether out of 

 the question. There is much sound sense in Mackworth Praed's 

 Chaunt of the Brazen Head, the first verse of which is this 



" I think, whatever mortals crave 



With impotent endeavour, 

 A wreath a rank a throne a grave 



The world goes round for ever ; 

 I think that life is not too long, 



And, therefore, I determine, 

 That many people read a song. 



Who will not read a sermon" 



At a bridal, baptism, or other merry-making, such a song as the 

 above is calculated to do more good than the most laboured, well- 

 meant, and goody-goody sermon that ever was preached. As we 

 rode away from yonder cottage door, the woman resuming her 

 task, and chanting a gay and lively air in accompaniment, we were 

 reminded of a verse quite apropos to the occasion : 



" Verse sweetens toil, however rude the sound : 



All at her work the village maiden sings ; 

 Nor while she turns the giddy wheel around, 

 Revolves the sad vicissitude of things." 



And we also thought of the simple and beautiful epitaph on the 

 tomb of a nameless Eoman matron : 



" Domum mansit, lanam fecit," 



which old Eobertson of Strowan has so admirably rendered into 

 our Scottish Doric : 



She kecpit weel the house, and birlt at the wheel! 



A discovery of considerable archaeological interest has recently 

 been made by some people employed in trenching the moss of 



