John Mackenzie.—The compiler of “The Beauties of Gaelic Poetry” wrote largely in prose, for which he had great natural gifts. He was the author of an admirable “History of Prince Charles,” in which much easy and idiomatic Gaelic will be found. His other works of “The Beauties,” “The English-Gaelic Dictionary,” “The Gaelic Melodist,” etc., are so well-known that no further description of them is necessary. The late Gaelic publishers, Maclachlan & Stewart of Edinburgh, employed Mackenzie on various works for years.
Rev. Duncan MacCallum.—This Arisaig minister has come before us already as the author of Collath, once sent forth as an ancient heroic poem. He is better known as the author of a Gaelic Church History, which is written with fair ability. This has at least [the distinction of] being the first of the kind in the language.
Rev. John Forbes.—The author of the “Double Grammar” (Gaelic and English in parallel columns), second edition (1848), was a very clever and a very learned Highlander. He translated much into Gaelic, in which he wrote with purity and ease. He was very ingenious in coining new terms for conceptions hitherto alien to Gaelic. He and Munro having no access to the works of the ancient writers of the Celtic Missions Churches described by Zeuss became thus needlessly neologists. Forbes’s Lochran, Long Gheal, etc., are well-known to the readers of Gaelic religious literature.
Rev. Archibald Clerk, LL.D.—Dr Clerk’s greatest work is the elaborate edition of Macpherson’s Ossian (1870), with new translations and notes, and Macpherson’s original prose version running at the foot of the pages. All that Celtic culture and accurate knowledge of Gaelic could do for the Gaelic of 1807 Clerk has done; and the splendid work, in two volumes, was published at the expense of the generous Marquis of Bute. But all to no avail; for I find, just as write, that even Professor Mackinnon at last has given up the old faith in Ossian. Dr Clerk’s prose writings were numerous as editor and contributor in connection with periodical literature. He, in conjunction with Dr MacLauchlan, undertook the revision of the Gaelic Bible, but with results rather unsatisfactory.
Rev. Thomas MacLauchlan, LL.D.—A very difficult task was taken in hand by MacLauchlan when he undertook the transcription and modernisation of the MS. and Gaelic of the Dean of Lismore’s Book. This work he also translated literally into English. He, too, edited Macpherson’s Gaelic Ossian, the small edition in circulation having been issued under his care. Like Dr Clerk he had a hand in and helped various Gaelic enterprises of his time. Among others he had charge of the new edition of Carsuel’s Liturgy. His “Celtic Gleanings” (1857), and “Review of Gaelic Literature” (1872) in Fullarton’s work on the Highlands and Highland Clans, were the first attempts to give us an account of the literature of the Gael. His “Early Scottish Church” was a creditable production, considering the limited materials which were then available for the general historian’s purposes.
Rev. Angus Mackenzie.—Mr Mackenzie, a native of Lewis, has the honour of being the only man who has ever attempted to write a complete history of Scotland in Albin’s ancient tongue. His Eachdraïdh na h-Alba (1867) is written with much ability and in good idiomatic Gaelic. It covers the whole period of Scottish story, and ought to have an extensive circulation among Highlanders. But it is feared that although sold very cheaply it had not the sale it so well deserved.
Rev. Alexander Macgregor.—This excellent and patriotic “Sgiathanach” was among the best story-tellers of his age, ranking probably, as far as that gift is concerned, next to Norman Macleod. Tales and sketches on almost everything Highland were continually pouring from his facile pen for many years. His translation of the Apocrypha, undertaken at Lucien Bonaparte’s request, will remain a fine monument of his knowledge of his native tongue. The Gaelic Society of Inverness and The Celtic Magazine were much indebted to him during the first years of their existence. When he died he was minister of the West (Established) Church of Inverness.
Rev. Alexander Cameron, LL.D.—No one in this generation has contributed so much towards accurate Gaelic scholarship as the late Free Church minister of Brodick. He taught Gaelic with great success for years at Glasgow University to scores of Highland students who, but for his enthusiasm and self-denying labours, would be settling in Highland pastorates with more than enough of Latin and Greek and Hebrew but quite ignorant of Gaelic grammar. The more learned products of Dr Cameron’s pen were published in the Scottish Celtic Review begun in 1880. This periodical was chiefly written by himself and largely filled with philology. Mr MacBain of Inverness is understood to be preparing for the press the materials left behind by Dr Cameron.
Rev. John George MacNeill.—The Free Church minister of Cawdor began writing Gaelic articles while still a student in 1873. He contributed a large proportion of the general contents of two volumes of Bratach na Firinn in which also a telling short story, Tighnacloiche appeared from his pen. An Soisgeul ann an India (1888) is a living, natural and idiomatic translation of Miss Rainy’s admirable volume on the Gospel in India. This is one of the most interesting, books in the language the reader finding here the life and customs of Aryans in the East described in the ancient tongue of Aryans in the extreme West of Europe, the children of Sanscrit and of Celtic being once more brought there into close contact. Mr MacNeill has edited the Free Church Gaelic Quarterly with much spirit and success for some years. The Gaelic preface to the Oranaiche and a biographical sketch and notes to [the second edition] of “Pattison’s Gaelic Bards” are from his pen.