Matheson Collection > Reliquiae Celticae > Poetry, history and philology

Dr Cameron left among his papers. This again is followed by an
Index to the etymologies given by Dr Cameron in the Gael (1872-
1874) and in his own Scottish Celtic Bevieio. As both these works
are either in the possession or within easy reach of Gaelic scholars
and students, we thought it best to lighten our volume by not
reproducing them ; in fact, we were compelled to do so. In any
case, all Dr Cameron's work in the way of an etymological
dictionary of the Gaelic language is here brought together actually
or by reference. Much of the work in the Glossary, like all that
of the Gael, is twenty years old, and within these years philology
has travelled fast and far. When Dr Cameron commenced his
Gael articles, Celtic scholars were still disputing as to the existence
of initial or intervocalic p in Celtic, and the revolution of Brug-
mann and the New School is ten years later. Indeed, Dr Cameron
did little philological work during the last three or four years of
his life, and he keenly disputed some of the views of the younger
men. We have endeavoured to bring the etymologies, where
necessary, up to date both in the Glossary and the Index.
It remains for us, at the end of our task, to thank those kind
friends who have helped us either by word or deed. To the Press
of the country — daily, weekly, and periodical — we owe our best
thanks for their unanimous praise of our first volume ; and as this
is, in our opinion, by far the best volume of the two, especially in
the importance of the hitherto unpublished texts it now presents,
we venture to hope for it a no less kindly treatment. By the
death of Sir William Mackinnon, we have lost the encouragement
of the best friend of our undertaking, and the appearance of these
volumes at all must be added as another " stone to his cairn."
Mr John Whyte, Edinburgh, and Mr Alexander Macdonald,
Railway Audit Office, Inverness, have given valuable assistance in
the proof-reading of the Fernaig and Turner MSS.
Inverness, 2nd April, 1894.