Blair Collection > Celtic magazine > Volume 5

THE EEV. ALEX. STEWART. 391
the sea, over which he must cross in all sorts of -weather, that his de-
servedly wide and high reputation rests as a contributor to letters. They
bear internal evidence that the author is a man of wide and varied read-
ing, tolerant mind, keen sympathy with the life around him, from the
man to the " marine ascidian," and one Avho can not only observe well,
but place the result of his observations before the public with most
perspicuity.
He must be considered a Highlander to the backbone, too much en-
3d with the endless wonders and beauties of his own land ever to
novelty or excitement beyond it; for we understand he travels
seldom, and never far, his life having been entirely spent within the
bounds of that Scotland he loves so well, and to which he is so attentive.
But the currents of thought from the outside ever are borne in upon him
on the wings of a voluminous correspondence from many points of the
compass, for the " Hermitage " by the beautiful Loch Leven is a harbour
of refuge for literary and scientific celebrities from many quarters, who
are charmed to call him their friend. As an indication of the varied
character of his intellectual sympathies and studies, it may be mentioned
that Mr Stewart was elected in 1876 a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
of Scotland ; while he is likewise a Fellow of the Royal Physical Society
of Edinbiu'gh ; of the Geological and ]N"ational History Societies of Glas-
gow ; Honorary Bard of the Celtic Society of St Andrews ; and a
corresponding member of several learned Continental Societies. He is
noted as an admirable conversationalist. He was married in 1852 to Miss
Morrison of Sallachan House, Ardgour, eldest daughter of the late Captain
Morrison, R.'N., and has a family of one son and two daughters.
Altogether, he has lived an active, wholesome, useful life, and we may
slightly alter the words of the poet and say —
He liveth best who loveth best
All thing's both great and small.
THE LATE MR D. C. MACPHERS0:N'.
It is our painful duty this month to record the death, at Edinburgh, of
a real good Higlilander, Mr Donald C. Macpherson, of the Advocates'
Library. The deceased was a native of Bohuntin, Lochaber, and was well
known to every one in any way connected with Celtic literature. Birth
and early training in a district where the Gaelic is spoken with great ful-
ness and purity, fitted him for using his native language with a power
and richness which but few in our, or in any day, could wield. A first-
class education gave a definiteness and exactness to his consideration of
the structure and history of the language, and enabled him to bring to
bear upon his study of it all the light that ancient and classical sources
could afford. Added to this personal equipment was the position he held
as one of the Librarians to the Library of the Faculty of Advocates, and
of which he did not fail to avail himself for the elucidation of everything
connected with his favourite pursuit, and the augmentation of his large
and interesting store of the literature and lore of his native Highlands.