Volume 1

The Scotish Gaël; or, Celtic manners, as preserved among the Highlanders: being an historical and descriptive account of the inhabitants, antiquities, and national peculiarities of Scotland; more particularly of the Northern, or Gaëlic parts of the country, where the singular habits of the aboriginal Celts are most tenaciously retained / [James Logan].

  • Logan, James, 1794?-1872.
Date:
1831
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Scotish Gaël; or, Celtic manners, as preserved among the Highlanders: being an historical and descriptive account of the inhabitants, antiquities, and national peculiarities of Scotland; more particularly of the Northern, or Gaëlic parts of the country, where the singular habits of the aboriginal Celts are most tenaciously retained / [James Logan]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the Scots’ troops, and in the late war they “ covered them¬ selves with glory.” The history and antiquities of so singular a people opened a copious source of speculation and literary discussion, and the subject could not fail to be generally interesting. The publication of several works gave a stimulus to research, and excited the critical acumen of many writers. The proud and high-minded Highlanders repelled with indigna¬ tion the slights they received, and the attacks that were so unceremoniously made upon almost every thing which they valued as national. Unfortunately, an acrimonious spirit in which some writers indulged begat an animosity but ill suited to calm inquiry. Abuse and recrimination took the place of serious investigation. The elucidation of histori¬ cal truth was either altogether put aside, or made subser¬ vient to the defeat of an opponent, by turning his cause into ridicule; and thus both parties have sacrificed much of the weight that would otherwise have attached to their arguments. While facts were obscured or perverted, error and fiction accumulated, and impartial judgment and un¬ biassed decision were thereby prevented. Those works were more fitted for the perusal of the antiquary than the amuse¬ ment of the general reader; but a powerful stimulus to the curiosity concerning Scotland has been given by the wri¬ tings of Sir Walter Scott, one of the most, illustrious of her sons, whose works have indeed produced a new era in lite¬ rature. Caledonia has offered an ample field for the crea¬ tions of poetry and romance, and by interweaving historical personages and events with the details of fictitious narrative, the gifted author has, in his combinations, preserved with much fidelity the truth of nature, and the people, thus pour- trayed by the magic pencil of genius, are presented under that view which most strikingly displays their national cha¬ racter. Whilst those and other volumes almost equally b