Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 8, No.5 (February, 1900)

84
THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
II. — Alexander, the Gaelic Bard.
JHCTlHE second son of the minister of Ard-
Jv^* namurchan was Alexander, the Gaelic
"=^ Bard, whose fame has in a measure
eclipsed that of his father. He is styled on his
father, for he is invariably known to the Gaelic
student as " Alasdair, mac Mhaiyhstir Alasdair."
Although famous as a bard in his day and
generation, yet the earlier facts of his life have
not been chronicled. He is supposed to have
been born at Dalilea, where his father was
tacksman, somewhere about 1700, the exact
year being unknown. He seems to have given
early indications of intellectual ability, and
while his father was anxious that he should
follow his own sacred calling, the ClanRanald
of the day offered to assist with his education if
he would devote himself to the study of law.
How the matter was decided it is impossible to
say, but it is evident that this vigorous young
Highlander found his way to Glasgow
University, where he became a fair classical
scholar. While still a student he fell in love
with, and married, Jane Macdonald, of Dalness,
Lochetive, — " S'ltie hheag nam hrbijan huidhe"
as she was locally designated. This imprudent
step, along with the death of his father,
rendered it necessary for him to abandon his
studies, and he retired to his native parish,
Ardnamurchan, probably about 1726, and here
we find him in 1729 in the capacity of teacher
and cateohist, in the joint employment of the
m MAIGHSTIH -i AIiRSDfllH'S i \mM, -m^
By FIONN.
/CONTINUED FROM PAGE 65.
Royal Bounty Committee and the Society for
Pro|)agating Christian Knowledge.
The parish of Ardnamurchan is 45 miles in
length, by 39 in breadth. Owing to its extent,
"Mac Mhaighsiir Alasdair" had to go with his
school from place to place within the bounds of
the parish. From 1729 to 1738 he taught at
Eilean Fhionain ; from 1738 to March, 1739,
at Kilchoan ; and from March, 1739, to
Whitsunday, 1745, at Coir'-a'-Mhuilinn, at the
base of Ben Shianta. His salary in the dual
capacity of catechist and teacher was far from
encouraging. From 1729 to 1732 it was £16
a year, and from 1732 to 1738, £18 a year. In
1738 it was reduced to £15, in 1739 to £14,
and in 1744 to £12.* Small as we may
consider the Bard's salary as teacher and
catechist, it would appear the Society for the
Propagation of Christian Knowledge thought it
more than ample, as may be learned from the
following extract minute.
"4th May, 1742. — A report from the school
at Coryvulin, in Ardnamurchan, is found
agreeable to formula, but considering the small-
ness of the school, and the largeness of the
schoolmaster's salary, resolved that enquiry be
made about his conduct."
What the result of the proposed " enquiry "
was, we cannot say ; but it would appear from
subsequent minutes as if the Society were
determined to starve out the teacher: —
"2nd Aug., 1744. — Salary reduced to £9 for
Royal Bounty and £3 for S.P.C.K., which is
£2 of diminution to him, because the funds can
bear no more."
About the year 1740, the Society for
Propagating Christian Knowledge desired to
publish a Gaelic Vocabulary for the use of their
schools, and the Presbytery of Mull recommended
Macdonald as a competent man to compile such
a work. This work he undertook and success-
fully executed. It was the first attempt of the
kind in the language, and was published in
1741.
We have been unable to ascertain what
remuneration, if any, was allowed to the
compiler for his Vocabulary, but it is clear from
the Presbytery records that Macdonald was in
very straitened circumstances at this time —
being ob^ged to do "high thinking on plain
living." We have heard of "cultivating
* For these and other interesting facts we are indebted to a
Paper by Mr. Wni. Maeliay, Inverness, entitled " Presbyterial
Notices of ' Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair,' &o. ," to be found in vol. XL
of the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness.