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INTRODUCTION.
In presenting the Society with its twelfth Volume, the
Council has again to announce a larger Volume than any of its
predecessors ; and it is a further matter of congratulation that,
while former Volumes were larger by reason of two or more years'
work being issued together, this Volume contains but the record
of one Session's work only. Nothing could at once better prove
the wealth of the Gaelic material with which we deal, the usefulness
of the Society's work, and the energy and vitality of its mem-
bei-s. It Avill be found that the papers and lectures in this book
are not merely interesting in themselves, but also most important
in their bearing on Highland History, Antiquities, and literature.
The Volume begins with the Society's July Assembly last year,
and ends with the winter and spring papers in May, thus contain-
ing exactly a year's record of work. The last Session has probably,
in respect of papers, lectures, and discussions, been the most active
the Society has ever had.
In taking a general survey over men and work in the Gaelic
and also in the wider Celtic field, we have first, with son*ow, to
record the death of the veteran Gaelic scholai', the Rev. Dr
Thomas Maclauchlan, of Edinburgh. For the last generation Dr
Maclauchlan was our leading Gaelic scholar; he was practically
arbiter in matters of Gaelic literature and scholai-ship, a position
which he filled with honour and good judgment. He was the
connecting link between the old literary school of Gaelic writers
and scholars, and the new school of critics and philologists. His
works have had a most potent effect in bringing Gaelic studies
into good repute among British scholars, and his editions of the
Dean of Lismore's Book, and Bishop Carsewell's Prayer Book,
have done more than anything else to give people a proper idea
of what the history of the Gaelic language must have been. The