The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Last Years Progress in Celtic Literature. 635
on CuchuHnn and his times, and able and admirable trans-
lations are given. Rev. Mr Maclean Sinclair has issued a
second volume of his "Gaelic Bards" (1715-1765)—an
excellent little work that deserves success. We are glad to
find that Rev. Mr Machines' Gaelic and English
" Comhraidhean" have so soon seen a second edition, for
we have {q.\\ Gaelic scholars to be compared with Mr Mac-
Innes. Of English works on Gaelic subjects, undoubtedly
Dr Nigel MacNeill's book on the " Literature of the High-
landers" is the most important of the last few years.
Although the first quarter of the book is much marred by
historical heresies, the rest of the work, dealing with the
last four hundred years of Gaelic literature, is very well
executed. Excellent translations are scattered throughout
the volume. Mrs Mackenzie's " Tales of the Heather"
forms a pleasant work, combining history and romance in a
racy style, with great dramatic power.
Topography has been considerably in evidence during
the past year. Possibly this may be traced to the Rev. Mr
Johnstone's book on the " Place-Xames of Scotland," which
appeared early in the year. Though favourably received
by the " Sassenach" press, daily and periodical, the work
did not commend itself to Gaelic scholars, and a specially
vigorous and scholarly attack was made on the work in an
Inverness ^^A^^Q.x (Courier). In our ow^n columns Mr Hector
Maclean and Mr Macfarlane have discussed Renfrew place
names, and a series of articles on the " Place-names of the
Hebrides" have been appearing in the Northern Chronicle.
And here it may be said that the press of the Highlands is
doing the usual amount of good work in fostering Gaelic
and elucidating Highland history and antiquities. We
have already noticed the appearance of a friendly rival in
the periodidal line in the case of the Cettic Monthly.
In speaking of the periodical press, we may note the
excellent service that the Academy renders to Celtic studies.
Every now and then a letter, article, or note appears dealing
with matters Celtic, written or inspired by such scholars as