While the papers herein published were read at earlier dates, the Introduction to the XXXIst volume reviewed the Society's affairs up to February, 1927. We, therefore, have only the past two years to deal with here.

MEMBERSHIP. The membership has been slightly increased since 1927, but if, by being introduced to the work of the Society through its publications, people were made to realise that the Gaelic Society of Inverness is not a parochial or district Association, the present membership of 528 could be doubled. The membership subscription is so small that it should be no barrier to any man or woman pretending to have an interest in matters Gaelic or Highland. Indeed, the membership subscription, remaining as it was in 1871, is quite out of proportion to the value of the volumes.

OBITUARY.-During the years 1927 and 1928 thirty members passed away. Their names are recorded on page 378. Among these are many who did noble service not only to this Society but for Gaelic and Scottish literature in general. The death of Dr William Mackay, which took place on 22nd April, 1928, has brought to many a feeling of personal loss keener than can well be estimated. It is the removal of a great, impressive, and most kindly and genial personality, who for over fifty years had occupied an increasingly large place in the hearts of his fellow-townsmen and of his fellow-countrymen. Their feelings toward him found expression in various ways and on various occasions, especially at the dinner given in his honour in Inverness in 1914 to mark his well deserved laureation by the University of Aberdeen. His election as President of An Comunn Gàidhealach at a critical stage of its history and as the first Chairman of the Education Authority of Inverness-shire were practical proofs of the trust and confidence reposed in him as a public man. In these, as in all

other capacities, he showed characteristic force and firmness, combined with wisdom, candour, and courtesy.

In William Mackay's boyhood, his native Glen-Urquhart was replete with Gaelic traditional history and poetry, of which he drank in a full share. The tastes thus formed were developed as time went on and lasted throughout his life, forming the chief solace and recreation of a busy profession. The study of Highland history had for him a special charm. When he felt tired, as he said himself in 1914, it was to these things the study of documents and charters that he took for the last forty-five years. To this study he brought an uncommon measure of native ability, together with a calmness and soundness of judgment that were doubtless reinforced by his legal training and extensive experience of business and of men. He once rather regretted to me in his own humorous way that circumstances had not allowed him to give his whole time to history. He had certainly the qualities of mind and temperament that go to the making of a great historian, or, for that matter, of a great judge.

As it was, he had to content himself with the investigation of particular incidents or phases of the past in the Highlands, but whatever he did was done thoroughly and critically, and in the words of one who was competent to form a judgment, no opinion of his can be safely disregarded."

As is well known, Dr Mackay was one of the active founders of the Gaelic Society of Inverness in 1871.* The result has

more than justified the hopes of the founders, for the Gaelic Society soon became, and has continued to be, no mean school of Gaelic literature and history. It attracted and stimulated students furth of Inverness and of Scotland; it had special reactions upon the resident members. A number of Dr Mackay's contemporaries in Inverness were men of character and ability, who found in the Gaelic Society a congenial centre

* Transactions-Volume xxx. Jubilee Dinner Speech.

and rallying point. One need only mention, in addition to Dr Mackay himself, such men as Alexander Macbain, Alexander Mackenzie, Duncan Campbell, John Whyte, Alexander Ross, and James Barron. It is true that the two last menmentioned were more closely identified with the Inverness Field Club, but they shared the enthusiasm for the history of the past. Meetings, whether public or private, at which these, or some of them, were present seldom lacked liveliness, and, whatever happened to be the subject of discussion, the views advanced and the authorities appealed to could not fail to edify and stimulate the hearers. All this had the effect of familiarising members with new aspects of Highland literature, Gaelic and English, and with Highland history and the authorities on which it is based. The intellectual atmosphere was brisk and bracing. Much of this mental activity was due to the Gaelic Society, and therefore indirectly to Dr Mackay. And as iron sharpeneth iron, so each benefited by contact with the others. Of this band of enthusiasts, Dr Mackay was the last but not the least.

His best known work is probably the History of GlenUrquhart and Glenmoriston, which is recognised as a model. parish history. In preparation for it, as he has himself told, he spent his holidays for about ten years in the Record Offices of Edinburgh and London, in Erchless Castle, and elsewhere, studying charters and old papers. Besides all the other valuable material here collected and digested, the book contains nearly one thousand lines of Gaelic verse. The three volumes which he edited for the Scottish History Society, with full and careful introductions, form a mine of original material for history, as does also the volume which, in collaboration with Mr H. C. Boyd, he edited for the New Spalding Club. A number of the monographs which he contributed to the Gaelic Society, and which appear in the Transactions, were reprinted in the volume entitled Sidelights on Highland

History, and were so eagerly sought after that the edition was very quickly sold out. Of these one deserves special mention, that on the Battle of Harlaw,* for the light it throws upon a much misrepresented and misunderstood incident. All these works—an astonishing output for a busy professional man— show the same vigour, soundness of judgment, and critical faculty and insight. They are all alike based upon study of original authorities. Their style is clear and unaffected. Together they form a valuable and notable addition to the sum of historical knowledge.

The Gaelic cause had in Dr Mackay one of its oldest, firmest, and wisest supporters. Gaelic was his native language, and his first contributions to the Gaelic Society are written in Gaelic. After the Education Act of 1872 he consistently acted with those who strove for the teaching of Gaelic in schools, and not without success, as may be seen from a study of the Transactions of the Gaelic Society. He was keenly interested in the proposal to make the teaching of Gaelic compulsory throughout the Gaelic area under the Act of 1918, and no one rejoiced more sincerely when the Gaelic clause was safely embodied in the Act. His election as Chairman of the Education Authority of his native county was therefore of good omen, and the result has been that, under the sympathetic guidance of the Director of Education, the schools of Inverness-shire take foremost place as regards Gaelic study.

Few men are privileged to leave behind them a memory such as that left by William Mackay. His singularly noble and handsome presence was joined to an equally noble character. He has passed away full of years and of usefulness, a man of whom it may, I believe, be said with truth that he never made an enemy and never failed a friend, in thought and action a very perfect Christian gentleman.

* Transactions-Volume xxx.

"Ge fíor t'éag, is tú nach teasda,

féach do chlú budheasta ad dhiaidh.'

Mr Alexander MacDonald (Gleannach), who died suddenly on 6th February, 1928, was one of the oldest, the most devoted, and the most valued members of the Society, of which he was for some years Assistant Secretary, and later Honorary Chieftain. A native of Glen Moriston, he was in close touch and sympathy with the old tradition of his district, much of which he recorded in his book, Story and Song from Loch Ness-side. His artistic temperament revealed itself in his keen appreciation of Gaelic poetry and music, in both of which he was well versed. Part of his original poetic work is contained in the volume entitled Coinneach is Coille. In 1927 he published a new edition of Joseph MacDonald's Compleat Theory of the Scots Highland Bagpipe. He contributed a number of valuable papers to our Transactions, as also to newspapers and magazines. His death is the removal of a

pillar of the Society.

The Rev. Charles Moncrieff Robertson, who died on 11th June, 1927, was one of the most accomplished and accurate Gaelic scholars of his day. He paid special attention to the study of Gaelic dialects and the collection of the essential material for the scientific study of place-names. Much of his work in the former field is contained in papers contributed to our Transactions and to the Celtic Review, and is of first-rate authority. Most of his place-name collections, however, remain in manuscript, and it is satisfactory to record that all his unpublished papers have been acquired for the National Library. His contributions to the Transactions include The Gaelic Dialect of Arran (vol. xxi.), Perthshire Gaelic (vol. xxii.), The Topography and Traditions of Eigg (vol. xxii.), Skye Gaelic (vol. xxiii.), Gaelic of the West of Ross-shire (vol. xxiv.), Sutherland Gaelic (vol. xxv.), Folklore from the West of Ross-shire (vol. xxvi.). The paper included in the present