Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 2, 1894

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
161
COLONEL CHARLES STEWART,
TIGH 'N DUIN.
The name of Colonel Charles Stewart, Tigh'n
Duin, is a household word in the Highlands,
especially in the district of Killin, where the
greater part of his life was spent He was
a direct descendant of the famous Donald
Stewart of Invernahyle, who fought with dis-
tinction at the battle of Pinkie, in 1547, and
whose sword and dagger, of Andrea Feraria
fame, he was proud of having in liis possession,
as well as many other interesting relics of the
Appin Stewarts.
Colonel Stewart was born at Glenlyon House,
Fortingall, and was the youngest son of Donald
Stewart of Glencripesdale, who was a large
landed proprietor, and was a celebrated breeder
of blackfaced sheep and Highland cattle. He
was educated at the University of Edinburgh,
and was originally intended for the legal pro-
fession, but his health and other circumstances
caused him to abandon tlie idea and live in the
country. Being a man of great intellectual
ability, of wide knowledge of the Highlands,
and of large-hearted sympathies, his influence
became widely felt all over Perthshire, where
he was universally esteemed and beloved. He
threw himself heart and soul into everthing
pertaining to the welfare of the Highlands and
Highlanders. He was a J. P. for the county of
Perth, a director of the Killin Railway, and at
all the agricultural and social gatherings he
always occupied a foremost place. By his
lamented deatli the extensive district of Bread-
albane has lost a valuable friend and counsellor.
Col. Stewart was warmly attached to tlie
Breadalbane family, and was a welcome fiiend
and visitor at Taymouth. By the nobility and
agriculturists alike his advice was held in high
esteem.
He was thoi'oughly conversant with the Gaelic
language, its folk-lore and music, its archieology
and monuments, and the dearest object of his
life was to help to conserve the grand old Celtic
race, its history and literature. As a keen anti-
ijuarian Colonel Stewart stands in the foremost
rank of investigators, and contributed many im-
portant papers to the "Proceedings of the
Society of Antiquaries," of which he was a
Fellow.
As chief of the Perth Gaelic Society many
will remember his stirring and eloquent ad-
dresses at the meetings at Perth, where he and
his celelirated " Killin Gaelic Choir," of which
he was the voluntary conductor, were deservedly
popular. He was an accomplished musician.
Highland Uiu.sic lieing one of his hobbies, ami
often spoke of tiie " mesmeric eflect " of Gaelic
music, which, he said, when played with the
real " dirl," stirred liis patriotism when nothing
else could. His " Killin Collection of Gaelic
Songs" is well known, and the interest and
value of the book is enhanced by the historical
and critical notes he affixed to each song. Col.
Stewart was a warm supporter of the Church of
Scotland, and his " History of the Celtic
Church " shed a new light on its early ecclesias-
tical history, and was acknowledged to be a
monument of patient research.
Owing to enforced absence in the South, on
account of his health, liis stately form has been
missed for some time from its accustomed place
— nevertheless, love of country, the distinguish-
ing mark of the true Gael, remained undimmed
to the last. Up to the day of his deatli he was
busily engaged with Celtic literary work. He
was an earnest student and translator of the
Ossianic poems, and has left many valuable
manuscripts, which will be published in course
of time. He was also the author of a cele-
brated work, "The Gaelic Kingdom in Scot-
land." Most of his published Celtic literary
work during the past year was written specially
for the Celtic Monthly, in the success of which
he took the keenest interest. The paper on
" Co valla," which we hope to conclude next
month, was perhaps the last contribution he
made to Celtic literature.
One of his favourite subjects was the religion
of the ancient Gaels, and their belief in the
immortality of the spirit, and this same belief
was the mainspring of his own spiritual being.
During his short illness of an hour and a half's
duration he was calm and conscious, and able
to tell of the happiness and repose he felt in
resting entirely upon his Saviour.
He passed peacefully away, in the full assur-
ance that death is no break, but only a transi-
tion from the growing life of faith and love here
to the full fruition yonder. Colonel Stewart
was laid to rest in Killin Churchyard on the
11th of April by a large gathering of sorrowing
friends, and the funeral, which was a representa-
tive one, was the largest that has taken place in
that district for many years. He leaves a widow
and two children.
We have great pleasure in presenting our
readers with an excellent plate-portrait of this
distinguished Highlander, from a photograph
taken four years ago. It is very appropriate
that a likeness of his little daughter — Miss
Minnie Grace Annan Stewart, commonly known
as "Gracie" — should appear beside him, as a
strong and unusuallv deep attachment existed
between fatlirr and .-liild.