Ossian Collection > Romance of the Highlands

ORIGIN OF THE CELT. n
all sea-rovers. It was under conditions such as these,
that, if the clans were not originally formed then, they
were at least encouraged to grow. Each family or small
community would require a regulus or chief, and the
only recommendation for this, in the infancy of society,
was the dogged will and the strong arm.
The Highlands were well adapted for this system of
patriarchal rule. High mountains, arms of the sea, lochs
and rivers divided the families one from the other, so
that in time each chief became virtually a ruler over a
territory and a number of subjects therein. The
system of clanship remained in force until its final over-
throw by the withdrawal of the power from the chiefs
in 1748.
Great changes have taken place in the Highlands
since then. Through the introduction of the southern
people, emigration and improved communication, the
ancient habits of the Gael have almost entirely dis-
appeared. Their language has, however, lived longer
than many at one time thought possible, though it is
getting to a point when the native will be bilingual.
The race is not yet nearly run, and there are
multitudes of people, both at home and abroad, who
have caught the spirit of the Gael, and they may be
safely entrusted to maintain in their keeping all that was
best of their brave forebears.