Chapter I the Bard Maclean
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Bu Dual Dha Sin (That was His Birthright): Gaelic Scholar Alexander Maclean Sinclair (1840-1924) A dissertation presented by Michael David Linkletter to The Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the subject of Celtic Languages and Literatures Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts May 2006 ©2006 – Michael David Linkletter All rights reserved. iii Dissertation Advisor: Barbara Hillers Author: Michael Linkletter Bu Dual Dha Sin (That Was His Birthright): Gaelic Scholar Alexander Maclean Sinclair (1840-1924) Abstract This dissertation is an examination of the life and work of nineteenth-century Gaelic scholar, Rev. Alexander Maclean Sinclair. Maclean Sinclair was a prominent member of the substantial Scottish Gaelic community that flourished in eastern Canada in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He was an acknowledged Gaelic scholar in his time, and published extensively on Gaelic poetry and Highland history. He was a Presbyterian Church minister with Gaelic-speaking congregations in both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and, towards the end of his life, he became a lecturer of Gaelic language and literature and Celtic civilization at St. Francis Xavier and Dalhousie Universities. The dissertation is divided into two parts. The first part looks at the Gaelic influences in Maclean Sinclair’s upbringing and education, and includes a chapter on his maternal grandfather, John Maclean, a well-known Gaelic poet who emigrated from Scotland to Nova Scotia in 1819. Being raised in his grandfather’s household contributed to Maclean Sinclair’s profound identification with his Maclean heritage, and provided a considerable impetus to his later activities in Gaelic publishing. The second part of the dissertation is divided into two chapters devoted to an exploration of Maclean Sinclair’s work. The first chapter discusses the iv development of the field of Celtic Studies in Europe and North America and Maclean Sinclair’s appointment as Celtic lecturer in 1907, and includes a look at contemporary trends and concerns reflected in some of his work. The second chapter looks at Maclean Sinclair’s significance in the world of Gaelic publishing. Maclean Sinclair’s writings and his correspondence with significant individuals among the Gaelic literati of Scotland demonstrate that he was consciously attempting to shape the development of Gaelic literature by contributing a substantial corpus of material to the canon of published works in Scottish Gaelic. For my Mother and Father vi CONTENTS List of Figures ................................................................................................................ viii List of Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... ix Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... x Preface ............................................................................................................................. xix PART I: BIOGRAPHY Chapter I: The Bard Maclean .................................................................................... 2 Previous Scholarship Concerning John Maclean ................................................ 4 John Maclean in Scotland ...................................................................................... 11 John Maclean in Nova Scotia ................................................................................ 28 Baile-Chnoic ........................................................................................................ 33 Glen Bard ............................................................................................................. 40 A Flyting with Dùghall Breac........................................................................... 41 Religion ................................................................................................................ 44 Death .................................................................................................................... 49 The Manuscripts ..................................................................................................... 50 Chapter II: Family and Childhood ........................................................................ 56 Previous Scholarship Concerning Alexander Maclean Sinclair ...................... 59 “Maclean” and “Sinclair” ..................................................................................... 63 John Sinclair ............................................................................................................ 67 Christy Maclean ..................................................................................................... 68 Birth and Baptism .................................................................................................. 73 Charles Maclean ..................................................................................................... 75 “My Mother’s Little House” ................................................................................. 79 Chapter III: Education and Vocation .................................................................... 85 Local Schooling....................................................................................................... 88 John Boyd ............................................................................................................ 92 Norman Macdonald .......................................................................................... 94 Gaelic Education .................................................................................................... 97 Further Education ................................................................................................ 101 Vocation ................................................................................................................. 106 D. B. Blair ........................................................................................................... 107 Ordination ......................................................................................................... 109 Chapter IV: Adult Years......................................................................................... 111 A Trip to Scotland ................................................................................................ 114 Marriage and Family Life ................................................................................... 124 The Gaelic Society of Canada ............................................................................. 141 Retirement and Lectureship ............................................................................... 143 The Honorary Degree .......................................................................................... 147 Death ...................................................................................................................... 149 vii PART II: A MAN OF LETTERS Chapter I: Role in Celtic Studies .......................................................................... 154 The Development of Celtic Studies ................................................................... 157 Anglo-Israelism .................................................................................................... 166 Philological Interests ........................................................................................... 172 Ethnological Interests .......................................................................................... 175 On the Origins of Man ..................................................................................... 178 Imperialism ........................................................................................................... 187 The Establishment of Academic Celtic Studies Programs ............................. 197 Celtic Studies in North America ........................................................................ 201 Celtic Studies in Nova Scotia .......................................................................... 203 A Gaelic Scheme for Pine Hill College ...................................................... 209 Lectureship at Dalhousie and St. Francis Xavier Universities .............. 217 Chapter II: Role in Gaelic Publishing ................................................................. 240 Correspondents in Scotland ............................................................................... 247 Correspondents in Canada ................................................................................. 255 Contribution to Periodicals................................................................................. 258 “Cùil na Gàidhlig,” Pictou News .................................................................... 262 Maclean Sinclair as Publisher ............................................................................. 265 Dàin Spioradail and Clàrsach na Coille ............................................................. 267 The Glenbard Collection ..................................................................................... 277 The Gaelic Bards and Mactalla nan Tùr ............................................................ 281 Maclean Poetry and The Clan Gillean ............................................................. 291 The Iain Lom and Alasdair MacFhionghain Editions ...............................