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364 THE CELTIC I^fAGAZlXB!.this day the knguage of 300,000 men, women, and cliildreu in the Highlands.And not only so, but it seems to be acquiring new life. AHighland woman said to the writer of this paper, not long ago, that shewas teaching all her children to speak the Gaelic well, because the languageAvas now looked upon with great respect.But putting aside altogether the question of sentiment, the questionarises, and must be settled one way or other, ought tlie people of theHighlands to be taught to read their own language 1 It is strange thatthere should be any difficulty in answering it. How would Euglishmenlook if the same question were put about them and their tougue 1For generations past the Gaelic language has been taught in the Highlands,in a large proportion of the schools. There were few sections ofthe country where the body of the people had not learned to read theBible and the Psalm book in Gaelic, and even to repeat the questions ofthe Shorter Catecliism. There was one society whicli directetl its wholeefforts to the teaching of Gaelic reading—tlie Edinburgh (.nielic SchoolSociety. It would be difficult to overestimate the service that Societyhas done to the people of the Higlilands, especially the Western Higlilands,and the day tlie Highlauders furget its services Avill be a day ofdeclension among them. We cannot suppose that such a day has alreadyappeared. The experience of tlie Gaelic Scliool Society is of immensevalue, as furnishing sixty-live years evidence of the results of their teacliing.That experience has impelled them, under a deep sense of duty, tobring the question of Gaelic teaching from their own standpoint beforethe Committee of Her jMajesty's Privy Council on Education. They haverepresented thoroughly to the Committee that it is essential to give theteaching of the vernacular a place in the Education Code, and that withoutthis the education of the Highlands must necessarily be defective.The Committee have already made it laM'ful for the teachers to use Gaelicas a means of explaining English words. They have also appointed, insome cases, inspectors having the Gaelic language, but they have notgiven a place to the teaching of Gaelic as a branch of education, and donot in consequence pay tlie teacher for it. But they have issued a seriesof queries to School Boards throughout the Highlands with the view ofeliciting their opinion on the desireableness of having Gaelic taught.This is ail important step, and renders the present moment a critical onein connection witli tlie Avhole question. Let Highland Boards give anunfavourable reply, as some of them have done already, and there will beno likelihood of the question being ever hopefully raised again before theCommittee of the Privy Council. But let them give a favourable replyand there is a prospect of a satisfactory settlement of it being made. Thewhole matter then is at present, to a large extent, in the hands of HighlandSchool Boards, and it is the duty of all interested in the subject towatch the proceedings of the Boards, and to bring all legitimate influenceto bear on them in behalf of llie object desired. It is ini[)ossible to securethis ol)ject without securing the sympatliy and support of the Boards.Even were money furnished from private sources it would be impossibleto apply it without their concurrence.It is Avell that it should be distinctly understood what tlie friends jf