Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

LiTEEATtJEE, 365
mere merit of tlie songs, though these by themselves are by no means in-
sufficient to justify us in congratulating Mr Gillies on his labour of love
in so correctly editing, and so patriotically placing within reach of his
brother Highlanders in such a cheap and handy form, these musical
warblings of the modem bard of Morven. And, first, we congratidate the
Association, whose name appears on the title-page, for being the first of
our recently organised Celtic Societies which has done anything of a prac-
tical nature for the encouragement and support of Celtic literature.
Among modern Societies cannot be reckoned the Gaelic Society of Lon-
don, which a few years ago celebrated its centenary, and which recently
issued a collection of Higliland songs with music. In its more recent
annals the Highland Society, wealthy as it is, cannot be congratulated in
the share it has taken in the encouragement of anything connected with the
interest of Highlanders, or, for that matter, in justifying the original causes
of its existence. The Celtic Society of Glasgow, possessing large funds,
has for all practical purposes, drawn itself into a shell of inactivity and
do-nothingness. The Gaelic Society of Inverness publishes its Transac-
tions for the use of its own members ; but we are not aware of anything
else it has ever done to encourage others in carrying out one of the cliief
objects for which it professes to exist as a Society. We are not aware of
anything it has ever done to support any Celtic or Gaelic authors, even
to the extent of subscribing for copies of their works. It is only recently
that the Society subscribed even for the Higlilaiider newspaper and the
Celtic Magazine. And now that we are quite independent of any aid
they can give ourselves, we feel imperatively called upon to draw the
attention of aU our Celtic Societies to their neglect as such of those
who are doing, single-handed, and in spite of many difficulties, substantial
service in the Celtic fields while most of the Societies' labours end in
visionary orations.
It would be interesting to know how many Societies subscribed for a
copy of Dr Masson's proposed re-issue of " Dr Smith's Gaelic Prophets,"
or what effort they have put forth to obtain subscribers among their
members ; for it is a positive disgrace to Highlanders that the publication
of this valuable work had to be given up for want of the necessary num-
ber of subscribers to secure Dr Masson against certain loss. What are
the Celtic Societies doing for the forthcoming History of the Clan Chat-
tan, by Mr Mackintosh Shaw 1 What are they doing in favour of that
magnificent work now being prepared for the press by Mr Macintyre
North 1 Positively nothing, we are informed, though the various societies
have been appealed to. What have they done as societies to support Mr
Archibald Sinclair in the compilation and sale of his splendid volume of
Gaelic poetry — the '* Oranaiche "? AYhat have they done to encourage
Mary IMackellar with her recently published volume of English and Gae-
lic poems ? Have they done anything even to circulate and make known
that excellent and, to Highlanders, invaluable work of the great Celtic
Apostle, Professor Blackie's " Language and Literature of the Scottish
Highlands," and last but not least, Dr WaddeU's powerful and erudite
work on our great Celtic bard, " Ossian and the Clyde "? In short, have
our Celtic and Highland Societies done anything to support those engaged
in the Celtic literary field ? And, if not, can the reason be explained,
atid is the same apathy to continue 1 Not a single society subscribed to