His reputation is high among his countrymen, and you must not expect me to depreciate it.' [The Highland poet almost always was an improvisatore.

Captain Burt met one of them at Lovat's table.] 'But the song, Miss Mac-Ivor, seemed to awaken all those warriors, both young and old.' 'The song is little more than a catalogue of names of the 'Highland clans under their distinctive peculiarities, and an exhortation to them to remember and to emulate the actions of their forefathers.' 'And am I wrong in conjecturing, however extraordinary the guess appears, that there was some allusion to me in the verses which he recited ?' 'You have a quick observation, Captain Waverley, which in this instance has not deceived you.

The Gaelic language, being uncommonly vocalic, is well adapted for sudden and extemporaneous poetry; and a bard seldom fails to augment the effects of a premeditated song, by throwing in any stanzas which may be suggested by the circumstances attending the recitation.' 'I would give my best horse to know what the Highland bard could find to say of such an unworthy Southron as myself.' 'It shall not even cost you a lock of his mane .-- Una, MAVOURNEEN! (She spoke a few words to one of the young girls in attendance, who instantly curtsied, and tripped out of the room.)--I have sent Una to learn from the bard the expressions he used, and you shall command my skill as dragoman.' Una returned in a few minutes, and repeated to her mistress a few lines in Gaelic.

Flora seemed to think for a moment, and then, slightly colouring, she turned to Waverley--'It is impossible to gratify your curiosity, Captain Waverley, without exposing my own presumption.

If you will give me a few moments for consideration, I will endeavour to engraft the meaning of these lines upon a rude English translation, which I have attempted, of a part of the original.