The Celtic Origin of a Great Part of the Greek and Latin Languages, and of Many Classical Proper Names: Proved by a Comparison of Greek and Latin With the Gaelic Language or the Celtic of Scotland (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Celtic Origin of a Great Part of the Greek and Latin Languages, and of Many Classical Proper Names: Proved by a Comparison of Greek and Latin With the Gaelic Language or the Celtic of Scotland

IN issuing a second edition of my three small publications relating to the Gaelic language, it occurs to me that some may wish to know what local opportunities the writer has had of being practically acquainted with that language.

As every ten or twenty years, the number of those who speak Gaelic is somewhat less, it is as well to make some reference to dates.

Although It is s'aid that egotism should be avoided, let me mention that, born in the town of Perth I remained there for about eight years.

I then lived for about five years, fifteen miles north-west from Perth, at Dunkeld, which is on the Gaelic border, and has been called the mouth of the Highlands. Being the mouth of the High lands, it has been said of it, that it ought to speak Gaelic. I was in the way of hearing a good deal of Gaelic spoken there, but did not pay any attention to it.

The next four years, from 1829 to 1833, I spent in Northumber land. In 1831, a strong feeling of nationality which I have always had on all subjects, took the particular bent of a wish to learn Gaelic. I procured Stewart's Gaelic Grammar, Macleod and Dewar's Gaelic Dictionary, and some other works, and without any help, in the course of two or three months, taught myself the language.

From 1833 to 1837 in Scotland, attending medical classes at college, I had no time for any except professional studies.

In July, 1840 the Celtic Origin of Latin was published; in Sep tember, 1840 the Celtic Origin of Greek; and in 1845 'the Celtic Origin of Classical Proper Names.

I have been about twenty-six years on full-pay in the Navy, of which about ten years in different parts of Canada, and about ten years in prince-edward Island near Nova Scotia, and have not had any opportunities of hearing much Gaelic spoken.

There are in Gaelic, some words which have been introduced from. The English (some of these from a French or Latin source) these are not referred to in the following pages.

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