PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 77 



The exercises are carefully graded, and the selections for reading, towards the en.l, 

 are from the standard works of some of the best writers of Gaelic prose and poetry." 

 Though exception may be taken to portions of Reid's Grammar, it has to be 

 admitted that it is very concise and simple, so that the ordinary student can easily 

 obtain a sufficient knowledge of the language, whereby he can be enabled to appre- 

 ciate its peculiar beauties, and to derive enjoyment from its treasures in prose and 

 verse. 



"Elementary Gaelic Grammnr or the elements of Gaelic L-rammar, ba^ed on the 

 work of the Rev. Alexander Stewart, D.D., by H. Cameron Gillies." Such is the 

 name of an able and instructive Gaelic Grammar, which was published a few months 

 ago. Dr. Gillies resides in London, England, and is engaged in the practice of 

 medicine. He has for several years devoted much attention to Gaelic. He has 

 a keen critical faculty, insomuch that he finds particular pleasure in prosecuting his 

 studies in the somewhat abstruse domain of Celtic philology. The present position 

 of Gaelic, favourable in a satisfactory degree as it is in London, the metropolis of 

 the world — owes very much to the fine enthn^iiasm, the diligent learning and the 

 unfailing earnestness of Dr. Gillies. According to his own averment, Dr. Gillies 

 has based his grammar on the work of Dr. Alexander Stewart. It has always to 

 be conceded that Stewart's Grammar, so far as it goes, is the best Gaelic Grammar 

 which has ev;er been written. Dr. Stewart was minister of Moulin, in Perthshire, 

 when he wrote his grammar, involving as it does— for the field of Gaelic grammar 

 was at that time largely, if not entirely, fallow ground— great acumen and pains 

 and reflection. The splendid Irish scholar, O'Donovan, found abundant reason in 

 the honesty of his heart — able grammarian as he himself was — to bestow warm 

 praise on the ability, industry and acumen of Dr. Stewart. It was Dr. Stewart who 

 corrected the proof-sheets of what is known as " Sinclair's edition of Ossian," 

 which was published in 1807. In the preface to his Grammar, Dr. Gillies thus writes : 

 '* The purpose of this Grammar is to afiford assistance to such as may desire a 

 living and intelligent acquaintance with the Gaelic language of Scotland. I 

 endeavoured to have special regard to the phonetic basis of the language, and have 

 always appealed to it whenever it was necessary to do so. As Gaelic Grammars 

 are continually making their appearance, it cannot be denied that Gaelic still pos- 

 sesses the pulsations of a healthy and vigorous existence. If a language is dying, 

 and, like the withered leaves of autumn, is showing unmistakaJjle siyns of decay 

 and death, no man can have the courage and energy which the writing of the 

 grammar of such a language involves. A decrepit language, an enfeebled and 

 helpless language, a language which is on the brink of the grave, and which is 

 suffering the loss of all its former friends, can by no reasonable possibility induce 

 any man — unless he is enthusiastic to an unwonted degree — to consume the mid- 

 night oil in preparing a grammar which, as he), honestly thinks, is able to meet 

 the requirements of his own time, and to impart even a moderate amount of life 

 and strength to the language which he loves as the language of his ancestors, and, 

 therefore, of those who are dearest and greatest in his imagination and memory.' 



The inhabitants of the Isle of Man are conspicuous for their zeal in collecting 

 the literary remains that can be found in their island, whether they assume the 

 form o/f poetry, or folk-lore, or historical narratives, or carols and ballads. Since 

 the Manx Society was established in 1858, very much has been done to rescue 

 from oblivion many of the literary links that connect the Isle of Man of to-day 

 with the Isle of Man of the days that have gone. At an expenditure of endless 

 energy and trouble, Mr. A. W. Mnnre. M.A.. Crnnkbourne. Donelas. has conferred 

 great benefits on the literature of his native island. Through his indefatigable 

 exertions much that will prove to be very valuable in the lore of Mnnxme-i h-is 

 been; recovered and published. In addition to other .publications with which he 

 had to do he published in 1891, " The Carvalyn Gailchagh," or Manx carols. •' Manx 



