Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

40 THE CELTIC MAGAZINE.
Some of your Excellency's illustrioua predecessors took a leading part in promoting
the Union between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland ; a union whioh has proved
highly beneficial to both countries ; for it restored peace, and settled for ever, as be-
tween them, the strife of swords and the carnage of battles. But, much as your prede-
cessora did to accomplish that Union, it was in reality only fully completed when the
solemnities of marriage of your Excellency and the Princess Louise were completed at
Windsor Castle in March 1871. Then the Union was completed with all the necessary
essentials on earth and ratified in Heaven !
Your Excellency's countrymen, the Scottish Highlanders, scattered throughout this
great Dominion, one and all, hail with feelings of unmingled joy your Excellency's
arrival an,ong them, and in the true sincerity of warm Highland hearts greet your Ex-
cellency and your beloved Consort the Princess Louise, with many thousand Highland
welcomes, and in event of their services being ever required, their fidelity and martial
ardour is the same as of old ; and right loyally they would stand as a wall of fire around
their Governor-General and his Royal partner.
I look upon your Excellency's appointment of Governor-General of the Dominion of
Canada as a token of great good. It will unite more firmly than ever, the union of those
scattered provinces, and cement, as it were, in more happy union, all classes from ocean to
ocean, in loyalty and devoted attachment to Her Majesty the Queen, to your Excellency,
and to the Princess, as wuU as to the British throne and to British institutions.
I sincerely trust that your Excellency's stay in Canada will not be limited to any
set term of years, hut that it will be a very prolonged stay ; and that when you do visit
the " old country " it will be only tor a visit ; just to look once more on Scottish scenes,
to admire again t!ie magnificent scenery of Argyle and the Isles, to have a quiet look at
the majestic Bencruachan and other heath-clad mountains, to wander by the beautiful
and placid Loch Awe, to see the hills of Morven, Cowal, and Mull, made immortal by
Ossian and the bards ; and generally like ■ cutland's renowned bard, make leisurely pil-
griuiages through dear old Caledonia— gaze on her beautiful mountains, sit onthe fields
of her many battles, wander on the banks of her many lakes and meandering rivers, and
muse by her old castles, stately towers, and venerable ruins ; once the abode of her
honoured statesmen, heroes, and bards.
May God bless your Excellency and your beloved Consort, the Princess Louise ;
may He make your stay in Canada a blessing to the people, a satisfaction to Her Ma-
jesty, and a source of very great pleasure to yourselves, is the sincere wish of your Ex-
cellency's devoted old Highland countryman, who has the honour to be your Excel-
lency's very obedient humble servant. An la chi 's nach fhaic,
(Signed) Donald Ross.
Celtic Cottage, Dartmouth, N.S., December 1878.
His Excellency replied as follows : —
Government House, Ottowa, December 13, 1878.
Sir,— I am desired by his Excellency, the Governor-General, to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of welcome, dated Dartmouth, December 1878, and to convey to
you his hearty thanks for the warm welcome and the many kind expressions which it
contains, — I have the honour to bo, Sir, your obedient servant,
(Signed) F. DE Winton, Major,
Governor-General's Secretary.
Donald Ross, Esq., Celtic Cottage, Dartmouth, N.S.
NEW GAELIC PUBLICATIONS.— We have received the fifth and >
last part of "An t-Oranaiche," by Archibald Sinclair, Glasgow. We
have only time at present to say that the work is well printed, carefully
got up, and exceedingly cheap. Thanks are due to Mr Sinclair for
supplying such a good collection of Gaelic songs.
We are glad to understand that Mrs Mary Mackellar has a volume of
her poems in the press, to be published soon by Messrs Maclauchlan &
Stewart, Edinburgh. Mrs MackeUar's volume will be hailed with pleasure i
by all lovers of genuine Gaelic poetry.