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Lays of the Highlands and Islands

By John Stuart Blackie
Blackie, John Stuart (1809-1895)

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TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE BARONESS BURDETT COUTTS.
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IONA.
  
THE VOYAGE OF COLUMBA.
  
THE DEATH OF COLUMBA.
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SONNETS.
 I. 
I.THE TOURISTS.
 II. 
II.THE ROYAL SAINT.
 III. 
III.THE LORD'S DAY IN IONA.
 IV. 
IV.MOONLIGHT.
 V. 
V.THE BOULDER.
 VI. 
VI.THE DISAPPOINTED TOURIST.
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MULL.
  
A PSALM OF BEN MORE.
  
THE DUKE'S RETREAT.
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SONNETS.
 I. 
I.BEN TEALLADH.
 II. 
II.LOCH BAA.
 III. 
III.LOCH BAA: AGAIN.
 IV. 
IV.FAREWELL TO LOCH BAA.
 V. 
V.BEN GREIG.
 VI. 
VI.MULL WEATHER.
  
THE RUINED CLACHAN.
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SKYE.
  
BLAVEN.
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ORKNEY.
  
THE OLD MAN OF HOY.
  
THE DEATH OF HACO.
  
STENNIS. I.
  
STENNIS. II.
  
MAESHOW.
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SHETLAND
  
BURRA FIORD.
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ARGYLLSHIRE.
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GLENCOE.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
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SONNETS.
 I. 
IKING'S HOUSE INN.
 II. 
IIMOONLIGHT AT KING'S HOUSE.
 III. 
IIITO AN OLD LEAFLESS TREE ON THE MOOR, NEAR KING'S HOUSE.
 IV. 
IVTHE BUCHAILL ETIVE.
  
SONG OF BEN CRUACHAN.
  
THE ASCENT OF CRUACHAN.
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SONNETS.
 I. 
ION THE MONUMENT TO NELSON AT TAYNUILT.
 II. 
IIBEN CRUACHAN IN A DARK EVENING.
 III. 
IIIJOHN BRIGHT AT TAYNUILT.
 IV. 
IV.JOHN BRIGHT AT TAYNUILT.
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OBAN.
  
HUMOURS OF HIGHLAND WEATHER.
  
A SEPTEMBER BLAST IN OBAN.
  
THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER IN OBAN.
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INVERNESS-SHIRE.
  
THE LAY OF THE BRAVE CAMERON.
  
FASSFEARN.
  
GLENFINNAN.
  
THE MONUMENT OF PRINCE CHARLES EDWARD, AT GLENFINNAN, LOCH SHIEL.
  
KINLOCH LEVEN.
  
KINLOCH MOIDART.
  
KINLOCH MOIDART.
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DUMBARTONSHIRE.
  
EDENDARACH.
  
ROB ROY'S CAVE.
  
ARDLUI: THE PULPIT ROCK.
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ROSS-SHIRE.
  
A PSALM OF LOCH DUICH.
  
TAIN: THE CHAPEL OF SAINT DUTHACH.
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SUTHERLANDSHIRE.
  
BONNIE STRATHNAVER.
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CAITHNESS.
  
JOHN O'GROAT'S HOUSE.
  
WICK: THE HERRING FISHERY.
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PERTHSHIRE.
  
LOCH RANNOCH.
  
LOCH RANNOCH MOOR.
  
AT LOCH ERICHT.
  
A SONG OF BEN LEDI.
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ABERDEENSHIRE.
  
BRAEMAR:
  
BEN MUICDHUI.
  
THE HIGHLANDER'S LAMENT.
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ARRAN.
  
GLEN ROSA.
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GENERAL.
  
BONNIE BLACKWATER.
  
HIGHLAND INNS.
  
THE HIGHLAND MINISTER.
  
THE HIGHLAND MANSE.
  
THE LADY WHO LOVES THE HIGHLANDS.
  
THE BOULDER.
  
SOLITUDE.
  
THE SONG OF THE HIGHLAND RIVER.

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154

WICK: THE HERRING FISHERY.

O life, O death, O countless multitude
Of things that are, and things that were before,
Of things that die to build up finer food
For things that live on their disruptured store!
From this grey town a thousand-masted fleet,
Helmed by strong men who tread the earth with pride,
Rides forth in full-sailed pomp, to gather meat
From glancing lives that fret the peopled tide.
Thus Nature from her prostrate ruin rears
Her vanquished head, still victor in the strife,
And through progressive deaths in stately tiers
Mounts to the stage which bears the noblest life,
Where vilest loss transformed to splendid gain
Shines glorious; and no force is spent in vain.
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