Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 1, 1893

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
TO CORRESPONDENTS.
Ill Communications, on literary <mtl business
matters, sliould i»- addressed t„ the Editor, Tltr. JOBS
i/ir/« II, /; Dundas Street, Kingston, Glasgow.
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TERMS OP SUBSCRIPTION.— The CELTIC
MONTHLY will &< sent, post free, to any part of the
■■!/, I'u'it, I. States, and all
country. \ in tk< Pot al Union— for one year, 3s.
The Celtic Monthly.
DECEMBER, 1892.
TO OUR READERS.
As our space is already so fully occupied, we
shall content ourselves with a few brief remarks
to our readers. It is a great satisfaction to ns
to 1"' able to state that our Magazine is now an
assured success. The circulation of last number
exceeded our highest expectations, and we feel
assured that with the excellent literary matter
which we have always at our command, and a
judicious variety of contributions, no limit can
be put upon the extent of the circulation. That
the Celtic Monthly has hit the taste of our
readers is amply borne out by the large number
of encouraging letters which we have received
from readers both at home and abroad, all of
whom expressed themselves as delighted with
the contents of the magazine. On our part, we
shall promise to do our utmost to make the
future numbers still more interesting, and we
trust that our leaders will do their part, by re-
lommending the magazine to their friends, and
in this way render us the best possible assist-
ance. We regret that we have been again com-
pelled to hold over several most valuable articles,
including the " Ladies' Page," which reached us
too late for this issue, and several other contri-
butions which were set up ready for insertion.
The Chin Campbell hold their annual social
gathering in January, and. appropriate for the
occasion, we intend presenting our readers with
portraits of Mr. Malcolm Campbell, president
i if the society, and Mr. John Campbell, the
genial poel of Ledaig, who is also bard to the
clan. Other illustrations will appear in the
same number ; and we expeel to publish a com
plete Highland story from the pen of Miss
Hannah I!. Mackenzie, the popular novelist.
W it h t bis i ue we presenl ■ nailers with
a really excellent portrait of Mr. John Mackay,
of Hereford, one of the noblest of Sutherland's
sons. What he has done privately for the
benefil of his native county onlj a fevi know ;
bni his ready assistance to all patriotic High-
land objects has endeared him in the hearts of
all true Highlanders. He is an enthusiastic
member of the Clan Mackay, and perhaps the
most typical of the clan now living. We trust
that he may be long spared to benefit his coun-
trymen by his wise counsel and noble example.
Our advertising pages will be found particu-
larly interesting reading this month. We would
recommend those of our readers who are in
search of Highland books to consult the various
lists, which contain many valuable works.
" Old and Rare Scottish Tartans."— Mr.
George P. Johnston, of Edinburgh, is just about
to publish what promises to be perhaps the
most valuable and interesting work yet pub-
lished on the subject of our Scottish tartans.
Several books have been produced of late deal-
ing with the tartans, that of Messrs. W. & A.
K. Johnston, being especially a remarkably
cheap and handsome volume — a perfect marvel
at the money — but this splendid work opens up
quite a new field of its own, and does not com-
pete with other books of a similar nature. It
may be briefly described as a supplement to all
other works on the subject, presenting as it does,
not the well-known patterns, but specimens
obtained from private sources, all of which are
of undoubted antiquity. The mode of illustra-
tion is in itself a novelty, and the silk specimens
cannot fail to give a correct duplicate of the
ancient patterns which they are intended to
represent. The editor, Mr. Donald William
Stewart, in his introduction, discusses at length
the question of the antiquity of the tartans, and
examines the claims made for their use as clan
distinctions. Books of this nature are urgently
required. Such a valuable work is deserv-
ing of every support, and we very heartily
recommend it to those of our readers who are
interested in all that pertains to their northern
land ; and certainly our picturesque tartans
have ever been considered a distinctive feature
of the Highlands. Eull particulars will be
found in another part of the magazine.
Ci.an MacKat Gathkbing. — The annual social
• ill g of tins clan, which is to take place in the
Queen's Rooms, on Tuesday evening, 20th December.
promises to be the most successful which this flourish-
ing society has yet held. Mr. William Mackay, chief
magistrate of Thurso, occupies the chair. Lord Reay,
the chief of the clan, who has just accepted office as
chairman of the Royal Commission on Deer Forests in
the Highlands, and was recently appointed Lord-
Lieutenant of Roxburghshire, is also to be present,
and will be supported by prominent clansmen and
kinsmen fnun all parts of the United Kingdom. The
programme arranged is a specially attractive one. and
we trust that as many as possible of our readers will
attend. Tickets (Is, 6d. each) can be had from the
Editor, Celtic Mouth!;/, 17 Dundas Street, Kingston,
Glasgow.