Nam faicinn thu d' shuidhe uair eile 'n am chuirt-sa Gum bithinn cho storail ri coileach air dunan." The bard continues-" My dear Mackenzie, I took up my pen with a view of inditing you a plain prose letter, when lo! will you-nil you— the muse would insist on my making a commencement in rhyme, hinting that at least the New Year's salutation, with which I intended to begin, ought to take a rhythmical shape," &c., &c. While under the bard's roof I was honoured by a visit from another distinguished Highlander, Principal Grant, of Queen's College University, Kingston, whose parents emigrated from Balnellan, parish of Invernaven, Strathspey, where many of his relatives still reside. His mother was a Munro from Inverness. They went out to Pictou, in Nova Scotia, where the future Principal was born, on the East River, in 1837. He first attended the Pictou Academy, and afterwards the University of Glasgow, where he graduated in Arts, in 1857, with the highest honours in Logic and Mental Philosophy. Having been ordained by the Presbytery of that city, in 1860, he returned to Nova Scotia, where, after two years of successful missionary work in Prince Edward's Island, he was called to St Matthew's Church, Halifax, the oldest Presbyterian congregation in the city. Here he remained until 1877, when he was unanimously elected Principal of Kingston University and Primarius Professor of Divinity. In 1878 the University of Glasgow conferred upon him the honorary degree of D.D. He was not long in his new position when he discovered that new buildings and additional endowments were needed for the University, and in the summer of 1878 he appealed to the friends of the institution throughout the country, with the gratifying result that the large sum of £30,000 poured in upon him, more than nine-tenths of which, he informed me, with pardonable pride, was from his own fellowcountrymen and brother Scots. He was unfortunate enough to have lost his right arm, close to the shoulder, in early life; but this serious drawback seems only to have made him the more determined to push on and distinguish himself. He is a graceful writer, and he has written several contributions for Good Words. In 1872 he made a tour from Halifax to Vancouver Island-from the Atlantic to the Pacific-and wrote an account of the Great Canadian North-West, entitled "From Ocean to Ocean," which has gone through several editions. One of the most distinguished members of the University staff, indeed one of the most distinguished Highlanders in Canada, with whom I spent a most enjoyable hour, was Professor Mackerras, a native of Nairn, where he was born June 15th, 1832, and who, I grieve to say, has since I saw him passed over to the majority. His father became a schoolmaster in Cornwall, Ontario, where the son commenced his education, and the career which has been so brilliant throughout. He has been in failing health for some time back. A few years ago he visited his native land, for which he expressed the warmest affection. His conversation mainly turned upon it; and he talked of his early recollections of Scotland and the vivid impressions made upon his mind during his recent visit to his native laud -where he has still many relatives-with genuine pleasure. I was particularly struck with his quiet gentleness, and extremely delicate appearance, so much so the latter that I expressed my fear on parting with him The neglect of such a man is a b. pitical frends, whom he served PALME ETHEL Iase. tey feserved. A few weeks to make a case even worse than enced in income very much reduced. I fer at Macdonald, the present Premier, in mange ove nere politics and do something for the samemly neglected by his own political VI 120 ate. The deed had been already done. Murau anger in the Civil Service. But Sir John kindly offered wa at nating to a public testimonial "to the Celtic Bard," if started by ka frenda. I feel are the mere suggestion is sufficient. The exFremer, I know, will do his share, and so in part at least make up for having overlooked the claims of the bard when he was in a position to make some public acknowledgment of MacColl's claims as a warm, honest, and admiring supporter of the Hon. Alexander Mackenzie, the representative and able exponent of Canadian Liberalism. And what a gracious and appropriate act it would now be for the Governor-Generalholl no mean votary of the Muse-to raise his own countryman, an Angyleshire man, a brother and more distinguished bard than himself, bo Foot Laureate of Canada. This would, I know, be greatly appreonlod by MacColl, and at the same time some little compensation for past Mock of his claims, I was glad to find that he was preparing a new edition of his poems, which a to michido at least eighty pieces hitherto unpublished, and much Agotick many respects to anything in his previous well-known and Cach." I could devote a whole article to the Bard of Lochsay, and surroundings, with great pleasure to myself; and, I Se ile gatitication to many of my readers; but I hope to rebe about a mother form at no very distant day. Meanwhile Rece Gtention to the noble and true description given of himara by his talented daughter, Mary J. MacColl, in ce to her volume of sweet poemlets recently published, woven to the daughter of such a father. Since the lover from the dear old bard reached me, which bethe introduction to which I have no little pleasure to "Kingston, 12th January 1880. (New Year's Day, O.S.). innich, mo bheannachd gu brach ort! adh thag mo thaigh-sa gle straiceil; wacha cha'n diugh and fo m' churam hua mhath ur dhuit? , mar is dligheach, rlaich o d' shinasir Nam faicinn thu d' shuidhe uair eile 'n am chuirt-sa Gum bithinn cho storail ri coileach air dunan." The bard continues-"My dear Mackenzie, I took up my pen with a view of inditing you a plain prose letter, when lo! will you-nil youthe muse would insist on my making a commencement in rhyme, hinting that at least the New Year's salutation, with which I intended to begin, ought to take a rhythmical shape," &c., &c. While under the bard's roof I was honoured by a visit from another distinguished Highlander, Principal Grant, of Queen's College University, Kingston, whose parents emigrated from Balnellan, parish of Invernaven, Strathspey, where many of his relatives still reside. His mother was a Munro from Inverness, They went out to Pictou, in Nova Scotia, where the future Principal was born, on the East River, in 1837. He first attended the Pictou Academy, and afterwards the University of Glasgow, where he graduated in Arts, in 1857, with the highest honours in Logic and Mental Philosophy. Having been ordained by the Presbytery of that city, in 1860, he returned to Nova Scotia, where, after two years of successful missionary work in Prince Edward's Island, he was called to St Matthew's Church, Halifax, the oldest Presbyterian congregation in the city. Here he remained until 1877, when he was unanimously elected Principal of Kingston University and Primarius Professor of Divinity. In 1878 the University of Glasgow conferred upon him the honorary degree of D.D. He was not long in his new position when he discovered that new buildings and additional endowments were needed for the University, and in the summer of 1878 he appealed to the friends of the institution throughout the country, with the gratifying result that the large sum of £30,000 poured in upon him, more than nine-tenths of which, he informed me, with pardonable pride, was from his own fellowcountrymen and brother Scots. He was unfortunate enough to have lost his right arm, close to the shoulder, in early life; but this serious drawback seems only to have made him the more determined to push on and distinguish himself. He is a graceful writer, and he has written several contributions for Good Words. In 1872 he made a tour from Halifax to Vancouver Island-from the Atlantic to the Pacific-and wrote an account of the Great Canadian North-West, entitled "From Ocean to Ocean," which has gone through several editions. One of the most distinguished members of the University staff, indeed one of the most distinguished Highlanders in Canada, with whom I spent a most enjoyable hour, was Professor Mackerras, a native of Nairn, where he was born June 15th, 1832, and who, I grieve to say, has since I saw him passed over to the majority. His father became a schoolmaster in Cornwall, Ontario, where the son commenced his education, and the career which has been so brilliant throughout. He has been in failing health for some time back. A few years ago he visited his native land, for which he expressed the warmest affection. His conversation mainly turned upon it; and he talked of his early recollections of Scotland and the vivid impressions made upon his mind during his recent visit to his native land -where he has still many relatives-with genuine pleasure. I was paricularly struck with his quiet gentleness, and extremely delicate appearnce, so much so the latter that I expressed my fear on parting with him to the bard that he would not live out the winter, a prediction which, alas! proved only too true. The Press of Canada is loud and unanimous in his praises. The Kingston Whig says that he was "a literary genius. He had a highly cultivated intellect, a polish of manner, and a winning disposition which made him a favourite in his chosen walk of life. He was possessed of tastes of rare refinement, and voice and pen were both advantageously employed by him in labours of a most important character. His mind was always active, and no one was more cheerfully disposed than he to contribute to the entertainment and elevation of his fellow men. He was a speaker whose thoughts were always delightfully expressed, and whose diction was rendered interesting and fascinating by the elocution of which he was such a master." The Rev. Dr Jenkins, of St Paul's Church, Montreal, preaching the Sunday after his death, paid him the following tribute: "I cannot close these services without a passing reference to the loss which the Presbyterian Church in Canada has lately sustained in the death of the late Rev. John Hugh Mackerras, one of the Clerks of the General Assembly, and Professor of Classics in the University of Queen's College. To some of you he was personally known; to most of you he was known by reputation. A man of rare natural endowments, he was also a man of large culture. Learned was he and eloquent, an accomplished scholar, an able and persuasive preacher; while his legal acumen and attainments in the ecclesiastical sphere has perhaps never been surpassed. Certainly they have never been equalled. These are endowments that have loomed before the public eye, but they were insignificant compared with his qualities as a man and his excellence as a Christian. Singularly gentle by nature, he became by Divine grace the humble, simple-hearted Christian sitting at the feet of Jesus; and while learning from his words, drinking largely into his spirit. To those who knew him in private life, his grace and gentleness, his transparent honesty and truthfulness, his reverent spirit, his godly walk, were felt to give a charm and a brilliancy to his character which even his more public qualities failed to impart. His was indeed the path of the just. His religious character grew in Christian principle as he passed on in life and deepened within his great nature. On and on he went, walking in the light of Heaven while yet with us on earth. Such men rarely appear in the firmament of the Church. When they pass beyond to another sphere, a blank is left, which it takes generations to fill up. We shall never again hear his eloquent voice, never again shall we have the privilege of being guided by his wise counsels." Such are a few specimens of the Celt which one meets in Canada. The member for the city in the Dominion Parliament I found to be a successful Caithness Highlander, Alexander Gunn, who defeated even the great Sir John A. Macdonald himself, at the last general election, though the latter represented the city uninterruptedly for thirty-five years. Learning that we were in the city, he was good enough to invite MacColl, myself, and the Highlander to meet a few of the leading Celts of the place, around his hospitable table; among whom were a successful Macrae, from Strathpeffer, who served his apprenticeship to the grocery business with John Chisholm, Inverness; a Mr Fraser, from Dingwall, and several others whose names I did not carry away with me. The Highlander was in his kilt; but Mrs Gunn, to my great gratification, placed him completely in the shade, by unexpectedly introducing her two handsome boys, both dressed in superb Highland costumes, with strappings, armour, and ornaments complete. I feel more indebted to her for this compliment than for the substantial fare which she was good enough to provide for our entertainment. While in Kingston snow fell to the depth of three or four inches, and I there saw sleighing for the first time in my life. I could say much more about this city and its kind and hospitable people; but this article has already reached such an inordinate length that I must pull up. In the next I shall introduce the reader to the Highlanders of Toronto, Woodville, and Beaverton. A. M. A MACKINTOSH RAID INTO ABERDEENSHIRE IN 1382. 0 THE unearthing of old documents and the publication thereof by such bodies as the Spalding Club, have from time to time brought many curious facts within our reach, shed light on obscure and little understood points, and also enabled us occasionally to settle many difficult questions. We trust we shall soon see more of this good work, and that such as devote themselves to it may receive more encouragement. In perusing lately the Register of the Bishoprick of Aberdeen, we were astonished to find that the Mackintoshes all the way from the wilds of Badenoch and the Monalia, or perhaps from the low-lying lands of Petty, or not at all unlikely from the Braes of Lochaber, did about the year 1382, make more than one descent into the parish of Birse in Aberdeen, under the leadership of a certain Farquhar Mackintosh. What brought them so far, and into so totally different a district, it is now impossible to say. Surely not the mere love of the foray, and certainly they do not appear to have had any claims upon the lands they seem to have so grievously and persistently vexed. The family historians are silent on the point, and all the information we can gather regarding the subject is contained in two documents, entitled, first-a precept of King Robert regarding Farquhar Mackintosh, dated under the secret seal at Methven, on the 7th day of June 1382, and second, though incorrectly so styled, a charter of the Earl of Carrick regarding the lands of Birse, dated at Perth, the 8th of June 1382, and both preserved for us in the Register above referred to. From the first of these we learn that Robert, by the grace of God, King of Scots, greets his beloved son, Alexander the Senescal, lord of Badenoch, and informs him that Adam, by the grace of God, Bishop of Aberdeen, came lately into the Royal presence, earnestly en |