TRANSACTIONS of the Atk ^Ijxietg of ^Ixkxiim
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~r*^ TRANSACTIONS OF THE atk ^ijxietg of ^ixkxiim. VOLUME I. 6 JMKr/- XS>. r ^ TRANSACTIONS OF THE GAELIC SOCIETY OF INVERNESS. VOL. I.—YEAR 1871-72. 4 +^ TRANSACTIONS W\xt (^mlit ^odctg INVERNESS. VOL. I. — YE^^R- 18'71-9'S Ollann nan (S.xitiljcil ri 6uaillcan a' (ill)cxle. INVERNESS: PRINTED FOR THE SOCIETY BY WILLIAM MACKAY, 14 HIGH STREET. 1872. CONTENTS. Page - IntrcKluctioii - ' . ix Preliminary Meeting .... 1 Incorporation of Society .... 5 Inaugural Lecture, by tlie Eev. A. D. ]Mackeuzie 5 Lament for Lord Clyde, by Angus Macdonald 22 Local Topograph}', by Alexander Mackenzie - 23 The Clan System, by John Murdoch 31 The Legends of Glen-Urquhart, by William Mackay 43 The Forty-Five, by Charles Mackay 54 Survey of the Celtic Langxiages, by the Rev. William R( 56 The Highland Clearances, by John Macdonald 79 Notes on the History of the Gael, by Lachlan Macbean 85 The First Annual Assembly 93 Chairman's Address .... 94 The Highlanders in the Crimea 95 Rev. Mr Stewart's Address 96 Professor Blackie's Address 102 Rev. Mr Macgregor's Address 106 Nationality, by Professor Blackie 113 List of Members of the Society 121 Donations towards the Library 126 Cfjc iaclit ^odeti) of |iiknicss. OFFICE-BEAEEES FOE YEAE 1872. CHIEF. CLUNY MACPHERSON OF CLUNY. CH I EFTAI NS. THOMAS MACKENZIE. JOHN MURDOCH. | JOHN MACKINTOSH, M.A. HON. SEC RETARY W. MACKINNON BANNATYNE, Royal Academy. SECRETARY. WILLIAM MACKAY, 67 Church Street. TREASURER. JOHN MACDONALD, The Exchange. BARD. ANGUS MACDONALD. MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. CHARLES MACKAY. I JAMES ERASER. DUNCAN MACIVER. WILLIAM MACKENZIE. | LACHLAN MACBEAN. BANKERS. THE CALEDONIAN BANKING COMPANY. —; COMUNN GAILIG INBHIR-NIS. COIMH-DHEALBHADH. 1. 'S e ainm a' Chomuinn " Comunn Gailig Ixbhir-Nis." 2. 'S e tlia an run a' Cliomuinn:—Na buill a dheanamli iomlan s a' Gbailig; ciiineas canaine, bardacM, agus ciiiil na Gaidhealtachd bardachd, seanachas, sgeiilaclid, leabhraicliean agus sgrioblianna 's a' chanain sin] a thearnadb. o dbeai'mad ; leabhar-lann a cbur suas ann am baile Inbbir-Nis de leabbraicbibb agus sgriobbannaibb ami an canain sam bitb—a bbuineas do cbaileacbd, ionnsacbaidh, eacbraidbeacbd agais sbeanacbasaibb nan Gaidbeal no do tliaii-bbe na Gaidbealtacbd ; coir agiis cliu nan Gaidbeal a dbion ; agus na G^idbeil a sboirbbeacbadb a gbna ge b'e ait am bi iad. 3. 'S iad a bbitbeas 'nam buill, cuideacbd a tba 'gabbail suim do rimtaibb a' Cbomuinn, agus so mar gbeibb iad a staigb : —tairgidb aon bball an t-iarradaii", daingnicbidb ball eile an tairgse, agus, aig an atb cboinneamb, ma rogbnaicbeas a' mbor-cbuid le cranncbur, nitbear ball dbitb-se no dbetb-san cbo luatb 's a pbaidbear an comh- tboift ; cuii-ear crainn le ponair dbubb agus gbeal, acb, gu so bbi dligbeacb, feumaidh tri buill dbeug an crainn a cbur. Feudaidh an Comunn urram cbeannardan a tboirt do urrad 'us seacbd daoine cliiiiteacb. 4. Paidbidb ball urramacb, 'sa' bbliadbna . £0 10 6 Ball cumanta . 5 Fogblainte 10 Agus ni ball-beatba aon cbomb-tlioirt de . 7 7 5. 'S a' Cbeud-mbios, gacb bliadbna, rogbnaicbear, le crainn, Co-cbombairle a riagblas gnotbuicbean a' Cbomuinn, 's e sin—aon Cbcann, tri lar-cbinn, Cleireacb Urramacb, Ptunaire, lonmbasaii-, agus coig buill eile—feumaidb iad uile Gailig a tbuigsinn 's a bhruidbinn ; agus ni coigear dbuibb coinneamb. — GAELIC SOCIETY OF INVERNESS. CONSTITUTION. 1. The Society shall be called the " Gaelic Society of In- verness." 2. The objects of the Society are the perfecting of the Mem- bers in the use of the Gaelic language ; the cultivation of the language, poetiy, and music of the Scottish Highlands ; the re- scuing from oblivion of Celtic poetry, traditions, legends, books, and manuscripts ; the establishing in Inverness of a library to consist of books and manuscripts, in whatever langiiage, bearing upon the genius, the literature, the history, the antiquities, and the material inteiests of the Highlands and Highland people ; the vindication of the rights and character of the Gaelic people ; and, generally, the furtherance of their interests -whether at home or abroad. 3. The Society shall consist of persons who take a lively in- terest in its objects, admission to be as follows:—The candidate shall be proposed by one member, seconded by another, balloted for at the next meeting, and if he or she have a majority of votes, and have paid the subscription, be declared a member. The ballot shall be taken with black beans and white ; and no election shall be valid unless thirteen members vote. The Society has power to elect distingmshed men as Honorary Chieftains to the number of seven. 4. The Annual Subscri}ition shall be, for Honorary Members ... £0 Ordinaiy Members ...... Apprentices ....... And a Life Member shall make one payment of 5. The management of the^aflairs of the Society shall be en- trusted to a Council, chosen finnually, by ballot, in the month of January, to consist of a Chief, three Chieftains, an Honoraiy Secretary, a Treasurer, and five other Members of the Society, all of whom shall understand and speak Gaelic ; five to form a quorum. VI COIMH-DHEALBHADH. 6. Cumar coiuneamhan a' Cbomuinn gach seachduin o thoiseach an Deicheaiuh-mios gu deireadh Mhuirt, agns gach ceithir-la-deug o thoiseach Ghibleiii gu deireadh an Naothamh-niios. 'S i a' Ghiiilg a labhairear gach oidhche iiiu'n seach aig a chuid a's lugha. 7. Cuiridh a' Cho-chomhairle hi air leth anns an t-Seachdamh- mios air-son Coinneamh Bhliadhnail aig an cumar Co-dheuchainn agus air an toirear duaisean air-son piobaireachd 'us ciiiil Ghaidh- eahich eile ; anns an fheasgar bithidh co-dheuchainn air leughadh agus aithris Bardachd agus Rosg nuadh agus taghta ; an deigh sin cumar Cuiim chuideachdail aig am faigh nithe Gaidhealach rogh- ainn 'san uirghioll, ach gun roinn a dhiiiltadh dhaibh-san nach tiiig Gailig. Givdainear cosdas na co-dheuchainne le trusadh soni-aichte a dheanamh agus cuideachadh iarraidh o'n t-sluagh. 8. Cha deanar atharrachadh sam bith air coimh-dhealbhadh a' Chomiiinn gun aontachadh dha-thrian de nam bheil de luchd- bruidhinn Gailig air a' chlar-ainm. Ma's miann atharrachadh a dheauamh a's eiginn sin a chur an ceill do gach ball, mios, aig a' chuid a's lugha, roimh'n choinneamh a dh'fheudas an t-atharrachadh a dheanamh. Feudaidh ball nach bi 'a lathair roghnachadh le lamh-aithne. 9. Tashaidh an Comunn Bard, Plobaire, asrus Fear-leabhar-lann. Ullaichear gach paipear agus leughadh, agus giiilainear gach deasboiz-eachd le run fosgailte, duineil, diirachdach air-son na firinn, agus cuirear gach ni air aghaidh ami an spiorad caomh glan, agus a reir riaghailtean dearbhta. ; CONSTITUTION. VU 6. Tlie Society shall hold its meetings weekly from the be- ginning of October to the end of March, and fortnightly from the beginning of April to the end of September. The business shall be carried on in Gaelic on every alternate night at least. 7. There shall be an Annual Meeting in the month of July, the day to be named by the Connnittee for the time being, when Competitions for Pi-izes shall take place in Pipe and other High- land Music. In the evening there shall be Competitions in Read- ing and Reciting Gaelic Poetry and Prose, both original and select. After which there shall be a Social Meeting, at which Gaelic sub- jects shall have the preference, but not to such an extent as entii-ely to preckide participation by persons who do not understand Gaelic. The expenses of the competitions shall be defrayed out of a special fund to which the general public shall be invited to subscribe. 8. It is a fundamental rule of the Society that no part of the constitution shall be altered without the assent of two-thirds of the Gaelic-si^eaking Membei'S on the roll ; but if an alteration be re- quii'ed, due notice of the same must be given to each member, at least one month before the meeting takes place at which the alter- ation is proposed to be made. Absent Members may vote by mandates. 9. The Society shall elect a Bard, a Piper, and a Librarian. All Papers and Lectiu-es shall be prepared, and all Discussions carried on, with an honest, earnest, and manful desire for truth and all proceedings shall be conducted in a pure and gentle spirit, and according to the usually recognised nUes. INTRODUCTION. The Gaelic Society op Inverness may be accepted as more or less of an embodiment of the sentiment of the Highlands. It is one of the results of a feeling that Highland interests and ideas have not had adequate expression in previously existing organisa- tions ; and it is intended at once to stimulate and to give vent, in its own way, to that public spuit which is awakening in the country. There was an idea at one time that such diversities as manifest themselves in the Celt and the Saxon should be smoothed down so as to obliterate the distinction between the races. Wise men now think that variety should be cherished in the human as well as in other species ; and that this variety, even in one nation, should be a source of strength and not of weakness. With regard to England, the theory has been laid down that her force is actually due to the marked variety of races with which south Britain has always been peopled. In Kent, in Cornwall, in Norfolk, in Cumberland, &c., it has been said that there are, and that there have been from time immemorial, and inde- pendently even of the Saxon and Norman invasions, distinct types of men ; and that from these stocks the country has a perennial supply of that energy, mental and physical, which flows from the fresh admixture of superior races.