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

LECTURE IV. 165
a language, naturally rich and vigorous, to the
purposes of poetical composition.
In bringingthese Lectures to a close, there are
one or two points which are worthy of some
notice in connection with the history and litera-
ture of our Highlands. And first of all, it is
eminently desirable that a somewhat new sys-
tem should be adopted in studying this subject.
The author does not feel himself warranted in
becoming a censor, nor does he intend to assume
the character ; but he believes that most intel-
ligent Highlanders will agree with him when
he says, that much of what has been written on
this subject has been more a matter of specu-
lation than research, and perhaps that specula-
tion, considering how little was offered to sup-
port it, was of a somewhat too boastful character.
Little is gained for a cause by maintaining over-
high pretensions on its behalf ; and the cause of
Highland literature has suffered somewhat from
this. Perhaps it may have been provoked by
the loudness and groundlessness of the asser-
tions on the other side. If the writer might
be allowed to make a suggestion, it is, that Cel-
tic scholars should deal chiefly with research.
The antiquities of the country present an
ample field ; and there are few districts where
something may not be gleaned. Facts con-