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By Alexander MacPherson, FSA Scot. (1893)
“But lead me, O Malvina! to the sound of my woods; to the roar of my mountain streams. Let the chase be heard on Cona; let me think on the days of other years. And bring me the harp, O maid! that I may touch it, when the light of my soul shall arise. Be thou near, to learn the song; future times shall hear of me! The sons of the feeble hereafter will lift the voice on Cona; and looking up to the rocks, say, ‘Here Ossian dwelt!’ They shall admire the Chiefs of old, the race that are no more! while we ride on our clouds, Malvina! on the wings of the roaring winds. Our voices shall be heard at times in the desert; we shall sing on the breeze of the rock.”-—Ossian.
Originally intended solely for natives of Badenoch, the author ventures to express the hope that the book may prove of more than local interest, as illustrating to some extent the Church and social life prevailing north of the Grampians, and the condition and characteristics of the Highland people in olden times. The portraits of famous personages connected with the district in bygone days, and the other illustrations, will, it is hoped, tend to enhance the interest of some of the “Glimpses” given in the volume. The Appendix, embracing as it does so many historical documents relating to the Clan Chattan, Prince Charlie, and the famous Cluny of the “’45” (some of which are now published for the first time), will, it is believed, prove specially interesting to members of the clan and natives of Badenoch generally. In the Cluny charter chest are preserved a large number of original letters of historical importance, addressed to the Cluny chiefs of the time by Viscount Dundee, the Duke of Gordon, the Earls of Dunfermline, Mar, Marischall, Perth, and Rothes, the Master of Stair, Simon Lord Lovat, and others, from 1689 to 1756 in connection with the various Risings in the Highlands in favour of “the hapless Stuart line,” which, it is hoped, may yet be published in some permanent form.
The author desires gratefully to acknowledge his obligations to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, and to his Grace’s Commissioner, Mr Wedderspoon, for an inspection of the original document at Gordon Castle containing the rental, in 1603, of the lordship of Badenoch, a transcript of which is given in the Appendix; to Cluny Macpherson for access to the Cluny charter-chest and to the Cluny library; to Mr Macpherson of Corrimony, for the use of the MSS. of his grandfather (“Old Biallid”); to the Rev. William Bruce of Glenrinnes, the Clerk of the Synod of Moray, the Rev. James Anderson of Alvie, and the Rev. D. S. Maclennan of Laggan, for access to the old records of the Synod of Moray, the records of the Kirk-session of Alvie, and the records of the Kirk-session of Laggan respectively; and to Mr Brewster Macpherson of Belleville, Professor Blackie, the Rev. Dr Cameron Lees of St Giles, the Rev. Neil Dewar of the Free Church, Kingussie, the Rev. Thomas Sinton of Dores, Mr Fraser-Mackintosh of Drummond, Dr Joseph Anderson of the Society of Antiquaries, Mr David M‘Gibbon, architect, Edinburgh, Mr William Mackay, solicitor, Inverness, Mr Alexander MacBain of Rainings School, Inverness, Mr Hew Morrison of the Public Library, Edinburgh, Mr Roderick Maclennan of the Public School, Kingussie, Mr Donald Campbell, merchant, Kingussie, and his brother, Mr Paul Campbell, for valuable aid and suggestions in the preparation of the work.
The cordial acknowledgments of the author are also due to the large and influential number of suscribers whose hearty encouragement led to the publication of the volume. He specially desires to record his warmest obligations in this respect to Mr W. J. McPherson of Rochester, New York, one of the most devoted and patriotic members of the clan now living, through whose unwearied efforts upwards of fifty Macpherson subscribers were secured in America and Canada. So many Macphersons have not, it is believed, been brought together, so to speak, since the clan with their distinguished chief, and the famous green banner at their head, so devotedly followed Prince Charlie in his gallant but ill-fated attempt to regain the crown of his ancestors.
The author may be permitted to add that any profits to be derived from the sale of the work are intended to be devoted to a fund for keeping in good order and repair the venerable churchyard of St Columba in Kingussie, where the mortal remains of so many generations of Macphersons so peacefully rest with their kindred dust.
A. M.
Kingussie, August 1893.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glimpses/index.htm
Alastair
“But lead me, O Malvina! to the sound of my woods; to the roar of my mountain streams. Let the chase be heard on Cona; let me think on the days of other years. And bring me the harp, O maid! that I may touch it, when the light of my soul shall arise. Be thou near, to learn the song; future times shall hear of me! The sons of the feeble hereafter will lift the voice on Cona; and looking up to the rocks, say, ‘Here Ossian dwelt!’ They shall admire the Chiefs of old, the race that are no more! while we ride on our clouds, Malvina! on the wings of the roaring winds. Our voices shall be heard at times in the desert; we shall sing on the breeze of the rock.”-—Ossian.
Dedicated to the Memory of
EWEN MACPHERSON OF CLUNY MACPHERSON, CHIEF OF CLAN CHATTAN, C.B.
“THE GENUINE TYPE OF THE OLD SCOTTISH CHIEF: THE CHIEF WHO LOVED HIS PEOPLE AND SPOKE THE LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE, AND LIVED ON HIS PROPERTY, AND DELIGHTED IN OLD TRADITIONS, IN OLD SERVANTS, IN OLD SERVICES, AND OLD KINDLY USAGES OF ALL KINDS.”EWEN MACPHERSON OF CLUNY MACPHERSON, CHIEF OF CLAN CHATTAN, C.B.
PREFATORY NOTE
PORTIONS of the following papers have from time to time within the last few years appeared in various magazines, and are now, with considerable additions, presented to the public in a collected form. The volume makes no claim to learned or original research, and professes, as its title indicates, to be little more than a compilation or omnium gatherum of old folk-lore, and odds and ends gleaned from reliable sources, connected chiefly with the lordship of Badenoch in the central Highlands, that wide and extensive district so appropriately described by the late Principal Shairp of St Andrews as “the grand old country of the Chattan Clan.”Originally intended solely for natives of Badenoch, the author ventures to express the hope that the book may prove of more than local interest, as illustrating to some extent the Church and social life prevailing north of the Grampians, and the condition and characteristics of the Highland people in olden times. The portraits of famous personages connected with the district in bygone days, and the other illustrations, will, it is hoped, tend to enhance the interest of some of the “Glimpses” given in the volume. The Appendix, embracing as it does so many historical documents relating to the Clan Chattan, Prince Charlie, and the famous Cluny of the “’45” (some of which are now published for the first time), will, it is believed, prove specially interesting to members of the clan and natives of Badenoch generally. In the Cluny charter chest are preserved a large number of original letters of historical importance, addressed to the Cluny chiefs of the time by Viscount Dundee, the Duke of Gordon, the Earls of Dunfermline, Mar, Marischall, Perth, and Rothes, the Master of Stair, Simon Lord Lovat, and others, from 1689 to 1756 in connection with the various Risings in the Highlands in favour of “the hapless Stuart line,” which, it is hoped, may yet be published in some permanent form.
The author desires gratefully to acknowledge his obligations to the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, and to his Grace’s Commissioner, Mr Wedderspoon, for an inspection of the original document at Gordon Castle containing the rental, in 1603, of the lordship of Badenoch, a transcript of which is given in the Appendix; to Cluny Macpherson for access to the Cluny charter-chest and to the Cluny library; to Mr Macpherson of Corrimony, for the use of the MSS. of his grandfather (“Old Biallid”); to the Rev. William Bruce of Glenrinnes, the Clerk of the Synod of Moray, the Rev. James Anderson of Alvie, and the Rev. D. S. Maclennan of Laggan, for access to the old records of the Synod of Moray, the records of the Kirk-session of Alvie, and the records of the Kirk-session of Laggan respectively; and to Mr Brewster Macpherson of Belleville, Professor Blackie, the Rev. Dr Cameron Lees of St Giles, the Rev. Neil Dewar of the Free Church, Kingussie, the Rev. Thomas Sinton of Dores, Mr Fraser-Mackintosh of Drummond, Dr Joseph Anderson of the Society of Antiquaries, Mr David M‘Gibbon, architect, Edinburgh, Mr William Mackay, solicitor, Inverness, Mr Alexander MacBain of Rainings School, Inverness, Mr Hew Morrison of the Public Library, Edinburgh, Mr Roderick Maclennan of the Public School, Kingussie, Mr Donald Campbell, merchant, Kingussie, and his brother, Mr Paul Campbell, for valuable aid and suggestions in the preparation of the work.
The cordial acknowledgments of the author are also due to the large and influential number of suscribers whose hearty encouragement led to the publication of the volume. He specially desires to record his warmest obligations in this respect to Mr W. J. McPherson of Rochester, New York, one of the most devoted and patriotic members of the clan now living, through whose unwearied efforts upwards of fifty Macpherson subscribers were secured in America and Canada. So many Macphersons have not, it is believed, been brought together, so to speak, since the clan with their distinguished chief, and the famous green banner at their head, so devotedly followed Prince Charlie in his gallant but ill-fated attempt to regain the crown of his ancestors.
The author may be permitted to add that any profits to be derived from the sale of the work are intended to be devoted to a fund for keeping in good order and repair the venerable churchyard of St Columba in Kingussie, where the mortal remains of so many generations of Macphersons so peacefully rest with their kindred dust.
A. M.
Kingussie, August 1893.
You can read this book at http://www.electricscotland.com/history/glimpses/index.htm
Alastair