1891-92]. COLUM CILLE. 131 
ST: €COLUMBAS ok COLUM CILLE. 
By REv. NEIL MACNIsH, LL.D. 
(Read 28th November, 1591.) 
In his Essay on Gaelic literature, language and music, which is to be 
found in Fullerton’s Scottish Highlands, Dr. MacLauchlan, the talented 
translator and editor of the Dean of Lismore’s Book, thus writes: “It has 
been often said that the Literature of the Celts of Ireland was much 
“more extensive than that of the Celts of Scotland; and that the former 
were in fact a more literary people. Judging by the remains that exist, 
there seems to be considerable ground for such a conclusion. Scotland 
can produce nothing like the MS. collections in Trinity College, Dublin, 
or the Royal Irish Academy, . . . We have our doubts as to Ireland 
having furnished Scotland with its Gaelic population, and we have still 
stronger doubts as to Ireland having been the source of all the Celtic 
Literature which she claims. . . . Tosay that a work is Irish, because 
written in what is called the Irish Dialect, is absurd, There was no such 
thing as an Irish Dialect. The literary dialect said to be Irish, is 
nearly as far apart from the ordinary Gaelic vernacular of Ireland as it 
is from that of Scotland.” To St. Columba and his successors on the 
Island of Iona, the honour belongs of having during several centuries 
formed a constant link of connection between the Gaels of Ireland 
and the Gaels of Scotland. Than the Island of / or Hy, or Iona or 
Icolumkill, there is no place more famous or dearer to all lovers of 
enlightenment in the earlier centuries of the Christian faith. Iona 
continued for many generations to be the grand centre whence radiated 
to various portions of Great Britain, as well as of the Continent of 
Europe, intellectual and religious light. Dr. Samuel Johnson, who: 
certainly cannot be accused of having or of entertaining any large exu- 
berance of affection for the Scottish Highlands, followed the promptings 
of his more serious and sensible nature, and thus wrote with regard to 
Iona: “We were now treading that illustrious island which was once the 
luminary of the Caledonian regions, whence savage clans and roving 
barbarians derived the benefits of knowledge, and the blessings of 
religion. Far from me and from my friends be such a frigid philosophy 
as may conduct us indifferent and unmoved over any ground which has 
been dignified by wisdom, bravery or virtue. That man is not to be 
envied whose patriotism would not gain force upon the plains of 
