CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL
OF
POPULAR
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
CONTENTS
THE GAELIC NUISANCE.
HELENA, LADY HARROGATE.
OUR SEA AND SALMON FISHERIES.
RACHEL LINDSAY.
IRRIGATION IN SOUTH AFRICA.
ALBATROSS NOTES.
A NOVEL LIFE-BOAT.
AWA’.
No. 740.
Price 1½d.
SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1878.
THE GAELIC NUISANCE.
SECOND ARTICLE.
A few months ago, in an article entitled ‘TheGaelic Nuisance,’ we endeavoured to point outthe impolicy of fostering Gaelic as the vernaculartongue in the Highlands and Islands. Our observationswere variously received. Many approvedof the article; by some it was apparently misunderstood.On this latter account, we return tothe subject, in the hope of removing such misapprehensionsas may happen to exist. This time,at anyrate, we shall take care to be perfectlyexplicit as to our meaning.
In the article referred to, we offered no objectionto the use of Gaelic, provided the youngwere brought up with a knowledge of English.That was distinctly our contention, and webelieve that such is the opinion of all who thinkseriously on this important question. We thereforerepeat in terms on which nothing but perversitycan put a wrong construction, that thefostering of Gaelic to the exclusion of English—forit practically comes to that—is a grave error;it is a cruelty which merits exposure and reprobation.Why it is a cruelty is very clear. As previouslystated, the use of Gaelic as the only knownvernacular, keeps large numbers of poor peopleignorant, it usually fixes them to their place ofbirth, and accordingly excludes them from earningtheir bread in the general competition of theworld. It is very easy for enthusiasts living ata respectful distance to write in glowing termsabout the antiquity of Gaelic, about the wonderfulbeauty of Gaelic poetry, about the philologicalvalue of Gaelic phraseology, about the satisfactionof being able to speak Gaelic as well as English.These are not the points in dispute. Let people,if they will, and if they can afford the expense,learn to speak and read Gaelic supplementaryto English, just as many of us learn to speak andread French or German. The more languagesthat can be acquired the better. About thatthere is no contention. What we deem to be ascandal and a cruelty is the practice of rearing, orallowing to grow up, groups of children with aknowledge of no other language than Gaelic; theconsequence being that they are for the most partcondemned to life-long poverty and ignorance.And that is what is done through the mistakenpolicy of it may be well-meaning sentimentalistsand