The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

IN
Re772inisccnces of the Late Dr Cameron. 189
REMINISCENCES OF THE LATE
DR CAMERON, BRODICK.
BY "FIONN" AND OTHERS.
our review last month of Dr Cameron's ReliqiiicB
Celticce, we quoted two stories which brought out some
characteristics of the worthy doctor. We may at once say
that we owe these stories to our good friend " Fionn," who
knew Dr Cameron well. "Fionn" has sent us some
further reminiscences, which we here reproduce, with one
or two further anecdotes. And first we may quote the
two excellent stories given in our review upon Mr Whyte's
(" Fionn's '') authority.
Dr Cameron was possessed of a keen and quiet, if at
times sarcastic, humour. In a casual conversation one day,
"Fionn" said to the doctor: "Your friend, Mr So-and-so,
is teaching Gaelic in the So-and-so College this Session."
Oh, is he? When
The doctor rejoins : " Teaching Gaelic !
did he learn ?" And this, too, about a quondam candidate
for the Celtic chair! His sense of accuracy almost
amounted to a disease. Of this Mr Whyte relates the
following amusing incident :—Some years ago a Glasgow
printer had an article from the doctor's pen in type and
corrected, when he received in the forenoon a telegram
ordering the deletion of an apostrophe after a particular
Gaelic word. In the afternoon a telegram agai-^ arrived
from Brodick, which read :
forenoon."
" Stet apostrophe deleted this
I met him, writes " Fionn," a day or two after the
Committee appointed by the S.P.C.K. to translate the
Scriptures into Gaelic had been nominated ; and I asked
him if he had noticed the names on the Committee. He
made me repeat them ; and he seemed after each name to
take the full measure and capacity of the individual for