Annotation:Laird of Macfarlane's (The)

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LAIRD OF MACFARLANE'S, THE. Scottish, Strathspey. C Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AAB. Dr. Samuel Johnson, in his account of his Scottish travels (A Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland), mentions that on Mull many people are named Maclean. He remarks:

Where races are thus numerous, and thus combined, none but the Chief of a clan is addressed by his name. The Laird of Dunvegan is called MacLeod, but other gentlemen of the same family are denominated by the places where they reside, as Raasa, or Talisker. The distinction of the meaner people is made by their Christian names. In consequence of this practice, the late Laird of Macfarlane, an eminent genealogist, considered himself as disrespectfully treated, if the common addition was applied to him. Mr. Macfarlane, said he, may with equal propriety be said to many; but I, and I only, am Macfarlane.

The Laird, renowned as a great antiquary, died in 1767.

Source for notated version:

Printed sources: Gow (Second Collection of Niel Gow's Reels), 1788; p. 21 (3rd ed.)

Recorded sources:

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