An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 43, October 1947--December 1948

An Dubhlachd, 1947.
AN GAIDHEAL.
39
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.
Gaelic Studies.
Scottish Gaelic Studies, Vol. VI., Part 1 (September,
1947) (Blackwell, Oxford, 112 pp., 9/-).
Five years have elapsed since the last issue of this excellent
journal, and this new number will be cordially welcomed.
Professor Myles Dillon contributes the text, with translation,
■of “ The Lamentation of Oilill Olum.” Donald T. Mackintosh
writes about “James Macpherson and the Book of the Dean
of Lismore ” (he dealt with the same theme in Transactions of
Inverness Gaelic Society, Vol. XXXVII., p. 347 ff.) and some
■“Notes.” John Lome Campbell, who has already published
valuable work both on early Gaelic vocabularies and on Mac
Mhaighstir Alasdair, contributes two important papers—
“ Some Words from the Vocabulary of Alexander Macdonald ”
and “ The Second Edition of Alexander Macdonald’s Poems.”
Kenneth Jackson writes “ Notes on the Gaelic of Port Hood,
Nova Scotia.” Other contributors are W. M. Alexander,
Margaret E. Dobbs, and Alexander S. Ferguson. The Editor,
Mr. John Macdonald, King’s College, Aberdeen, is to be con¬
gratulated on a fine Number, and not least for the tribute he
pays to the late Professor John Fraser. We hope that the next
Number will not be so long delayed and that all interested in
•Gaelic will support this indispensable journal by becoming
regular subscribers.
After the Forty-five.
The Scottish Historical Review (October, 1947) (Nelson,
6/-) contains a variety of learned and interesting articles. We
refer specially to one on “ Conditions in the Highlands after
the Forty-five ” by John Mason. Mr. Mason has been doing
research among the “ Forfeited Estates Papers ” in the Register
House, Edinburgh, and he concludes that “ by the forfeiture
of the Estates, by their annexation, and by their management
at the hands of Commissioners, economic conditions were
greatly improved, the social state ” (of the Highlands) “ was
advanced.”
On reading this interesting and admittedly well-documented
article, I read again the paper on “The Effect of the 1745
Rising on the Social and Economic Condition of the Highlands,”
•contributed to The Celtic Review, Vol. X (1914), by the late
Rev. Professor Donald MacLean, who knew Highland history
both from Highland and from non-Highland sources. This was
Dr. MacLean’s conclusion : “ If the Commissioners on Forfeited
Estates, instead of pocketing or wasting on themselves £84,936,
and spending £50,000 on the Record Office in Edinburgh,
£25,000 on the Leith Harbour, £50,000 on the Forth and
■Clyde Canal, and £1000 on a jail at Inverness, had suggested
to the legislature to place upon the land the men who loved
their land, and fought and bled for it, with fixity of tenure or
as peasant proprietors, and with these moneys secured stock
and agricultural implements for them, how much misery might
have been averted, and how many generations of Highland
sons and daughters would have risen up in our now desolate
straths and glens and called them blessed !”
It would seem that there are still some—“ historians ”
•even—who regard the Forty-five as the dividing-line between
“ a past of alleged unmitigated barbarity and ignorance and a
new and glowingly glorious dispensation.” The fact is, as Dr.
MacLean wrote over thirty years ago, the Forty-five ushered
in “ one of the saddest and soul-harrowing chapters in our
•chequered Highland history.” If the history of the Highlands
is ever to be competently and fairly written, more than the data
provided by factors and State Commissioners will have to be
•drawn on.
Something for Christmas.
Croft and Ceilidh, or Corra Chagailte, by Colin Mac¬
donald (Moray Press, 144 pp., 7/6), is another fascinating book
by the author of “ Echoes of the Glen ” and “ Highland
•Journey.” Mr. Macdonald knows the Highlands and the
Highland crofter as few do, and here he writes with authority
about crofting life and relates with real humour many a fireside
tale.
An Iona Anthology, edited by F. Marian McNeill (Eneas
MacKay, Stirling, 114 pp., 5/-). This fascinating little volume
by a well-known Scottish writer consists of numerous selections
in prose and verse relating to Iona, its history and topography.
St. Columba and other famous people connected with it, legends
and dreams associated with the island, impressions and tributes
by visitors, etc. The sources drawn on range from ancient
tunes and Adamnan to Neil M. Gunn and Hugh MacDiarmid.
Miss McNeill packs an amazing quantity of useful information
into a four-page introduction. This will make an excellent
Christmas gift for anyone upon whom Iona has cast its spell
or even for those who are yet strangers to the holy isle.
A Bowl o’ Brose, by John Morrison (Celtic Art Society,
Glasgow, 56 pp., 5/-), with illustrations by Sheila Neill, contains
some eighty recipes of “ national dishes from Scotland.” Here
(pace Mr. Strachey) we may read about, if we cannot sample,
Powsowdie and Cock-a-leekie, Cullen Skink and Partan Bree,
Rizzared Haddies and Free Kirk Pudding, Gruel and Cranach.
By the way, “ Crappit Heid ” seems to be a civilised form of
“ Ceann Cnopaig ! ” (Lewis readers will find my address on
the front page of An Oaidheal!). This book will also help
with the Christmas Gift problem.
And Some Others.
Scottish Affairs, by George Blake (Bureau of Current
Affairs, No. 34,16 pp., 7d.) is the pamphlet about which there
has been some fuss, the War Office having banned its use in
Army discussion groups. But why ? It seems rather an
innocuous document, with nothing new and nothing very
exciting in it except the author’s remarkable feat in compressing
so much information into such limited space. But it does raise
some pointed questions, and, once you begin asking questions
and arguing, there’s no saying where it will all end.
“ Theirs not to reason why.
Theirs but to do and die . . .”
A Pocket Guide to Scottish Culture, by Maurice
Lindsay (Wm. Maclellan, 52 pp., 1/6) provides a reliable brief
sketch of Scottish literature, drama, art (in its various branches)
music, historic buildings, art galleries, museums, etc. Gaelic
literature and Celtic art are given a fair amount of attention
and on the whole are as well treated as is possible within the
small space permitted by so brief a booklet. Mr. Lindsay, who
knows all the corners of the wide field, has done his work
exceptionally well.
Scottish Hill Tracks : Northern Scotland, by D. G.
Moir (Albyn Press, 64 pp., 2/6), lists 171 hill tracks, old highways,
and drove roads in the Highland area and Skye, and gives
detailed routes along with several maps. It is quite exciting
to sit by the fire on a winter’s night and, with the aid of this
booklet, traverse in imagination the routes one knows : how
much better, when winter is gone, to take to the hill-track
again ; or is it ?
Listen and Learn, 3rd Series, by Aindrias 0 Muimh-
neachain (Educational Company of Ireland, 80 pp., 1/6), is the
third in the series of booklets designed, in conjunction with
broadcast lessons over Radio Eireann, to teach the basic
framework of the Irish language. There is great need of some¬
thing similar for Scottish Gaelic.
Art Postcards.
The Celtic Art Society, 96 Maxwell Street, Glasgow, C.I.,
has issued ten very attractive postcards, with the promise of
more to follow.
There are six “ Mclan Postcards ” (large size 6 x 4), being
reproductions from Mclan’s famous prints which were first
published in 1845. These are priced at 7d. each. The six
already issued are MacLeod, MacDonald of Glencoe, Macintosh,
Stewart, Drummond, and Cameron.
In the “ Heraldic Series ” four cards have been issued (large
size 6x4, price 6d. each). They are “ Suaicheantas na h-
Albann ” (The Arms of Scotland), “ Bratach Righ na h-Albann”
(The Banner of the King of Scotland, i.e. the “ Lion Rampant”),
“ Bratach na h-Albann ” (The Banner of Scotland, i.e. the
“ St. Andrew’s Cross ” or Saltire), and “ Alba, Tir nan Gaidh-
eal ” (Gaelic Map of Scotland). There are two or three errors
in the Gaelic inscriptions and in the Gaelic place-names on the
map, but nevertheless the cards are beautifully done, and the
Celtic Art Society is to be congratulated on its enterprise. The
heraldic postcards have been designed by Mr. J. H. Miller, a
member of An Comunn Executive and active in assisting Mr.
George Bain in establishing the College of Celtic Culture. All
the cards carry short descriptive notes. T. M. M.