THE HIGHLANDS AND PRESENT POSITION OF
HIGHLANDERS.

THERE are various reasons why the Highlands and Highlanders should have peculiar claims on the attention of the public. The Highlanders, from the earliest ages, have been a particularly distinguished race. Their remote origin as Celts who emigrated from the far east, and got a holding in this kingdom, has furnished materials for many a dissertation, and casual notice from the pen of the historians. No small interest is attached to the affiliation of languages, as well as to the superstitions and habits, the music and poetry, the condition and character, of this primitive race. It is not intended in this brief article, to furnish a minute narrative of their past and present history, but merely to give a general glance at some of the trials and hardships, which they had all along to endure. It is difficult to trace the gradual substitution of modern society in our mountains and glens, and to compare it with the real circumstances in which the natives were placed in past ages. Many important revolutions have taken place in the history of their social and domestic affairs. These have been materially effected by feudalism, when the feudal chief took the place of the paterfamilias; and when the liberty of the vassal was entirely in his hands. Eventually, however, civil wars, and the increasing power of the crown, gradually weakened the assumed authority of the feudal superior. Feudalism, in consequence, lost by degrees its autocratic influence over the people, until ultimately it died away under the more benign supremacy of a paternal monarchical government. Need it be told how boisterous and bloody were the periods of feudalism, when might was right, and when the resistless law-giver over the length and breadth of the Highlands, was the sharp edge of the Claidh Mor. The Highlanders were, no doubt, rendered obedient and submissive to their feudal lords, by the rivalry which existed among the vassals and adherents of the different chiefs. Each individual clan stood fast and faithful to its federal head, and however severe the discipline, however distressing the hardships to which the vassals might be subjected, there was no dereliction on their part of the duty expected; and there was no failing or flinching in their conduct even in the face of certain disasters and death to themselves. Perhaps no other people would have calmly submitted to such painful endurances, as they had done, or no other people would have proved so faithful and true. These qualities, or characteristics may have arisen from their having been a distinct race, whose virtues were many, and whose vices (if they had any) were intrinsically their own. They were a peculiar people, whose ideas and idiosyncrasies were confined to themselves. They were a separate tribe, who manifested a natural zeal for brave and daring deeds, and who were eminently successful in achieving them. But, to their credit be it said, that the same traits of character cleaved to them, when, in after ages, their services were demanded and given in

defence of their sovereign and country. Possessed of remarkable powers of endurance, their loyalty and fidelity rendered them mighty and valuable allies in fighting their country's battles, and in defending their national liberties and constitution. In this respect, every quarter of the world will bear ample testimony, and every siege and battle-field in which British soldiers were engaged received their eclat chiefly, through the instrumentality of this people's dauntless bravery. What would the consequences have been in the Peninsular War? what in Egypt and India? and what in the Crimea had it not been for our Highland regiments? Yet after all, the very fates seem to have conspired against this brave and hardy race. Years have rolled on years, and centuries over centuries, since the Highlanders have, in some shape or other become the victims of harassing endurances. They have had frequently to pine under the dire afflictions of famine and want. Not many years have elapsed since it was necessary to appeal to the national sympathy for the means of sustaining the lives of thousands in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland; and the appeal was munificently responded to throughout every part of the United Kingdom.

Various causes combined together to bring such unfortunate results to pass. The elements of Nature appeared to have been working together in a manner adverse to the temporal interests of this gallant people. For example, the inclement seasons of 1836-7, and of 1846-7, reduced them to the most abject state of destitution—a state which required a series of years to enable them to rally once more, and to get hold of something like their former position. But the chief cause of this lamentable depression had arisen from an unfortunate policy on the part of many of the Highland proprietors, in contracting the tenements of land held by the great bulk of the population, and in huddling them together in small crofts and patches of land, too limited for their support. The natural tendency of this policy was, either to chain the hapless families down to abject poverty, or to expatriate them, to find more comfortable homes in the distant colonies. The population of the Highlands may be classified into three distinct sections. These are, the owners of the soil, the extensive sheep farmers, and the most numerous of all, the peasantry, or small crofters and cottars. Of the latter class, the crofters hold but very limited tenements, while the cottars, particularly in the Western Isles, have no land at all. How well would it be for the Highlands and Islands if all the landed proprietors were to act on the noble principle of his Grace the Duke of Sutherland! He is using his munificent means, and his mighty energies, to undo on his extensive domains the effects of the imprudent policy adopted by some of his ancestors, and he will eventually enjoy his reward. But not so, alas! with several others.

Every patriot, whether clerical or lay, must feel an absorbing interest in the real well-being of their native land. This arises from no sentimen tal love of country, but is a feeling founded on genuine Christian principles. It has been well expressed by an eminent Highland divine, when he said-"We do love the mountains, and the lakes, and the woodlands of our native land; and these are associated in our minds by many tender and subduing recollections. But, perhaps, the most subduing of

them all are those which carry our thoughts to other, and to distant climes, where so many of the companions of our youth, and of the friends of our childhood are now located. We gaze upon the land of our birth, as we would on the countenance of a loved and dying parent. The features remain the same; but the cold hand of death is passing over them, and the spirit which animated them is about to depart. All the bold outlines of our country's scenery remain unchanged; but under a relentless mandate the silence of death is fast passing over them. Yes, under a merciless and mercenary policy many a once happy vale has already ceased to be the abode of living men. And thus it is that our thoughts are at this moment almost as vividly directed to the sunny plains of Australia, and to the sombre forests of Canada, as they are to the green glens of Argyle, or the lonely Hebridean Isles!" No sight can be more sad to the eyes of the Highland philanthropist than to traverse those desolated glens and to behold, here and there, the larachs of unce social and happy dwellings, all dilapidated and clad with nettles and foxglove-melancholy mementos of ancient joyful homes!

It is worthy of observation that the imprudent policy which has led to all this is neither of a temporary nature nor of recent origin. It has existed for ages, and has taken a deep, and it is to be feared, a lasting root. Hence it is that the procuring of a remedy, if at all within the range of possibility, is a matter for grave and anxious deliberation. The unfortunate change which has thus been effected in the social condition of the Highlands is the radical evil which has operated against the amelioration or improvement of that condition. The Highlanders have not now within themselves the means, or the instrumentalities whereby they may expect to be raised, but very partially, in the scale of sacred and secular knowledge. Preachers and teachers possessing a thorough acquaintance with the Gaelic language, the mother tongue of the Highlanders, are become "few and far between." This is to be deplored, but not to be wondered at, under the system of management so long practised, particularly under that portion of the system wherein the Gaelic is not only neglected, but, frequently, is utterly despised by the better classes of the community themselves. Many of our Highland families in the present day, whose ancestors were as ignorant of the English language as of Hindostanee or Persian, are actuated by a sort of fashion, or perhaps rather of a false pride, by which they are led to suppose that to know, or to speak, Gaelic is derogatory to their respectability. Hence the younger branches of the household are strictly watched, and warned under the penalty of a smart castigation, against uttering one vocable of the despised tongue! It is not considered genteel to do so, as it contaminates, forsooth, their English accent, and gives a peculiar Celtic twang to the tone of their speech. The same ridiculous principle has frequently been acted on by schoolmasters in the Highlands, who, instead of giving instruction in that language, utterly excluded it from their schools. It was quite a common thing on entering one of these schools to hear a boy address the master, and cry out, "Hector Beaton is speaking Gaelic here." Poor Hector is dragged up to the teacher's desk, and pleading guilty, receives at once a dozen of sharp "pandies" for his crime!

Now, the result of all this is, that without doubt the Gaelic language

is on the decline in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Whether this fact be a matter of regret or otherwise, is not the subject presently under consideration. Yet, it is a fact, that the Gaelic, like those who speak it, has become compressed into bounds far less extensive than in former ages. But, on the other hand, it has not declined to an extent that supersedes the necessity not only of its being preached, but likewise the necessity of giving preaching in that language a predominant place in our Highland parishes. The Gaelic is still dear to the majority of the people in our mountains and glens. It is the language that cheers their hearts-the language that conveys the final blessing of dying parents to their dutiful offspring-the language that raises their souls in devout aspirations to the living God; and the language which alone comes home to their minds with enchanting power!

It is true that the Gaelic has given way in the Highlands, and that to an extent which renders it a difficult problem to maintain it where it is as yet required. It has given way among the higher and more fashionable classes of society, as already alluded to, while it exists in full power among the lower classes; and in spite of all innovations and changes is likely to do so, for at least a century to come. Then the question is, are these lower classes, which constitute the great bulk of our Highland population, to be left uneducated in that language alone through which moral and religious instruction can possibly be conveyed to them? Can such be permitted by our churches, as well as by such influential parties as have the welfare of a brave and loyal people at heart? Can it be permitted in a highly privileged nation, and beyond the middle of the nineteenth century, that a distinct race of people, numbering hundreds of thousands, should remain unable to read the Word of God in their own language, and should be denied the privilege of listening to a purely preached gospel in that language? The remedy is not easily provided, as the means for obtaining it have been allowed, in a great measure, to pass away. By means of the recent Government School Act, teachers are virtually precluded from imparting a knowledge of the Gaelic in public schools. Although not actually forbidden to do it, more than they are to teach Dutch or German, yet they are not paid for it, and no provision is made for such teaching. It is, therefore, unreasonable to suppose that teachers will devote their time and attention to what is not demanded of them, and to what forms no part of their code of instruction. Besides, in most of our public schools, teachers are already appointed, and the great majority of that useful class of men have no knowledge of Gaelic themselves, and cannot, in consequence, impart that knowledge to their pupils. Hence it arises that three important classes of our Highland community are left in ignorance of a language which, notwithstanding its tendency to decay, is still a language which comes home with a mighty power, and with a pleasing charm to the hearts of our Highland population. The three classes alluded to are, the preachers, the teachers, and the families of our Gaelic parishes. The preachers of the gospel in our Highland districts have but little encouragement, and still less the means for qualifying themselves for their sacred office, and for expounding to the people in their native tongue the marvellous scheme of redemption, Possessed only perhaps of a meagre provincial knowledge of Gaelic, orally

acquired in whatever district may have been their birthplace, they go blundering and stammering through their uncouth addresses, regardless of the idiom, grammar, and beautiful structure of the language, and thereby eliciting the smiles of the heedless, as well as the sorrow of the pious and devout. The second class to which reference has been made, consists of the teachers, most of whom are not Gaelic-speaking men, and such as are, may justly be put into the same catalogue with the preachers as parties who did not themselves receive regular instruction in the Celtic tongue, and who, accordingly, are not sufficiently qualified to teach it to others. In regard, however, to these two classes, there are many honourable exceptions, as in each may be found men possessed of a profound and critical knowledge of this beautiful and ancient tongue. The third class consists of the families of our Gaelic parishes. To them their mother tongue is precious, and although they may speak it, and that fluently, yet they are unable to read it, having never been instructed. The Word of God is in consequence, to many parents and children in the Highlands, a sealed book, as they never received an opportunity of perusing it, in the language which is to them the most congenial of all, to enlighten their minds, and to impress their conscience. The teaching of Gaelic alone is not advocated, as such a course would not be either prudent nor profitable where the English language is gaining ground; but the teaching of Gaelic and English together, and at the same time, is both reasonable and proper. Let the one language explain the other, and thus the reciprocal progress made in both would eventually confer on the pupils, of all classes, a correct knowledge of both languages. On the other hand, that knowledge would be no burden, but a benefit. It would be no bar in the way of improvement, but the very opposite. It would expand the faculties of the mind, and verify the old adage, that "two languages are easily carried about."

Under existing circumstances, therefore, the most availing, and perhaps the only effectual remedy for the deficiencies complained of, particularly as to Highland ministers and teachers would be, what is now looming in the distance, and yet is not very distant, the endowment of a Celtic Chair in one of our universities. Such a provision for Celtic literature is made on the Continent, and now at Oxford. In the same way provision is made in Cambridge for instruction in the Welsh language, while the same is made in Maynooth for the Irish; and why is good old Scotland with its Highlands and Islands in this manner utterly neglected? We have, however, one Celtic philanthropist, one genuine admirer of Celtic lore! Yes, we Highlanders feel proud of having such an earnest devoted champion as Professor Blackie! He is the great defender and fosterer of our mountain tongue, and has all but succeeded, by his indefatigable labours, in conferring upon it the honour of an academical position in Scotland. Although himself of Saxon blood, yet the Celts are dear to him, as a race of peculiar origin, and the teeming beauties of their primitive language are the joy of his heart. Who knows better than he the Celtic fundamental particles on which the classic languages of ancient Greece and Rome were reared, and who can trace with such enthusiastic precision the close kindred relationship that subsists between these languages, as does our energetic and learned friend? It is to be hoped that the worthy gentle