An gaidheal - National Library of Scotland

May, 1873.THE GAEL.the older as a whole; but he covildprove distinctly that Gaelic was moreworn out in the course of time byfrequent rubbing than Latin. Thenext point he wished to direct attentionto was the lineage and kinshipof the Gaelic language. That was,he thought, perfectly well scientificallyknown. That was not known, however,very many years ago. Herecollected a book written l)y a Mr.Kennedy, in which that gentlemancompared a great number of languages,Persian, German, Sanscrit, Greek,and Latin, and he declared that Gaelichad no affinity with any known languageunder the sun. If Mr. Kennedyhad begun to count the numbers onhis fingers in Gaelic, he would haveseen they were the same as Latin.(Laughter and aj^plause.) It was nottill 1730 that it was generally admittedthat Gaelic was a I'egulaiorthodox,full-blooded member of thegreat Aryan or Indo-European familyof languages, in which year Pritchardpublished his book on the subject.The Aryan family of languages tookits name from a word derived from aHanscrit root signifying respectable orreputable. Originally it was thelanguage of the leading classes on thehigh tableland of Persia, who divided,one half going east into Hindostaii,and the other west into Europe.Gaelic, tlierefoi-e, was one of theoldest branches of this family. Caremust, however, be taken to distinguishthis branch altogether from the Semiticfamily, of which Hebrew was thebest known language. There was norecognised affinity between the Semiticlanguages and the Aiyan. He(Professor Blackie) had written toProfessor Max Miiller not long ago,asking him whether the most learnedpliilologers of Germany—who werethe greatest philologers in the world—had made any satisfactory researchesscientifically into the Hebrewlanguage to prove whether, atbottom, it might not eventually betraceable to the Aryan family. ProfessorMax Miiller replied that somebelieved it possible, some thought itprobable, but he added it was a slipperyquestion, and he (ProfessorBlackie) had better let it alone.(Laughter.) His Scotch caution hadtaught him that before.(Renew^edlaughter.) It was said that Gaelicwas very closely connected with Hebrew.He did not believe a wordof it, and he warned his hearersagainst entertaining any such nonsense,whether spoken by D.D.'s orLL.D.'s, or any other person.(Laughter.) There was no otherthan a fanciful connection betweenHebrew and Gaelic ; and he mightbe allowed to say that fancy was acunninggentleman — (laughter)—andthat there was no kind of madnessthat so easily got into a man's brainas etymological madness. (Renewedlaughter.) He had heard curiousnonsense talked of this kind. Heoiice heard a Highland ministertalk of the connection betweenGaelic and Hebrew. "There yousee, sir, is the word Jehovah.""Well," said I (continued the Professor)," I hope I know that word."" Well, that word is composed ofthree Gaelic words." " I said I knowa little Gaelic and a little Hebrew,and I will be happy to hear whatyou have to say about that word.""Well," said the minister, "there isDia— -that is the Gaelic for God;then there is tha, which means is,and hlui, which is vias— Dia-tha-bha—God was and is." (Great laughter.)Was not that extremely ingenious?but it was stark nonsense;in fact, there never was greater nonsense.The learned Professor thenwent on to state that he had proofthat Gaelic was an elder sister ofLatin. He had gone through the