Blair Collection > Collection of Gaelic proverbs and familiar phrases

occasion required, by illustrations out of tlie rich stores
of Gaelic Folk-lore, Poetry, and Tradition, which both
these gentlemen are ever ready generously to communi-
cate to those interested in them. Mr. Archibald Sin-
clair, Glasgow, gave me a valuable collection made by
his worthy father, a great part of which had been got
from Mr. Carmichael. He also lent me a copy of the
second edition of Macintosh, which had belonged to the
late Mr. Ewen MacLean, a good Gaelic scholar, who
had contemplated a new edition, to be dedicated to his
friend James Munro. I am indebted to it for several
emendations, and two or three very good additional pro-
verbs. To the Eev. J. W. MacTntyre, Kilmodan, I am in-
debted for a copy of a good collection dated so long ago
as 1769 by a certain Ewen MacDiarmid, which came into
the possession of Mr. John Shaw, Kinloch Eannoch.
From the Eev, M. MacPhail, Kilmartin, I received an
excellent collection, made by himself in his native
island, Lewis. To my dear old friend, the Eev. A.
MacGregor, Inverness, I am indebted for several inte-
resting illustrations, and some good sayings, recovered
from memory, out of a large collection made by him
long ago in the Isle of Skye, the MS. of which had
unfortunately been lost.
To the late Donald C MacPherson, of the Advocates'
Library, a special tribute is due. He was a Lochaber
man, steeped in Gaelic lore and sentiment, a scholar,
chiefly self-taught, and a genius. He supplied me with
a considerable number of proverbs found among the
Gaelic MSS. of the Library, besides many fresh addi-
tions and illustrations from his own remarkable