Blair Collection > Celtic gleanings, or, Notices of the history and literature of the Scottish Gael

80 LECTURE HI.
LECTURE III
ANCIENT ECCLESIASTICAL LITERATURE OF THE HIGHLANDS-
MEDICAL MSS.— THE BETHUNES AND M 'LEANS— OSSIANIC
POETRY, ITS GENUINENESS, ERA, AND COUNTRY.
The subject which now presents itself to us is
that of the " Ancient Literature of the Scottish
Highlands." The announcement of this subject
may strike some with surprise. They may be
disposed to ask, " Is there such a thing ?" An
author writing a few years ago upon " The State
of Knowledge in the Highlands/' remarks that
there were two enfeebling causes among the
Celtic races — their disunion and their hatred of
letters. If it was intended here to draw a com-
parison between the Celtic and Saxon races,
surely so far as union or disunion was concerned
there was nothing could be said disadvantageous
to the Celt. There was but one kingdom in
Scotland when there were no fewer than seven
in Saxon England. As to their hatred for
letters, such a statement is just another instance