Hew Morrison Collection > Orain Ghàëlach le Uilleam Rŏs

lie discovered a strong propensity to learning, in which he
made such rapid advances as to attract the notice and
esteem of his master ; and the pupil's sense of his obliga-
tions was always acknowledged with gi-atitude and respect.
This teacher, we are informed, declared, that on comparing
young Ross with the many pupils placed under his care,
he did not remember one who excelled him as a general
scholar, even at that early period of life.
After remaining for some years at FoiTes, his parents
removed to the parish of Gairloch, where the father of
our Bard became a pedlar, and travelled through.
Lewis, and the other western Isles — and, though William
was then young and of a delicate constitution, he accom-
panied his father in his travels through the country,
more with the view of discovering and making himself
acquainted with the different dialects of the Gaelic lan-
guage, than from any pecuniary consideration — the desire
of becoming perfectly familiar with his native tongue,
thus strongly occupying his mind even at this early period
of life. And he has often aftei-wards been heard to say,
that he found the most pure and genuine dialect of the
language among the inhabitants of the west side of the
Island of Lewis.
In tins manner he passed some years, and aftenvards
travelled through several parts of the Highlands of Perth-
shire, Breadalbane, and Argyleshire, &c., seeing and ob-
serving all around him with the eye and discernment of