# The literature of the Highlanders

Author: MacNeill, Nigel, 1853-1910

Genre: Scottish Gaelic literature -- History and criticism

Language: English

License: Public domain

Source: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/74510

Amazon editions: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+literature+of+the+Highlanders+MacNeill&tag=cyberlibrar00-20

## Summary

The present state of our knowledge does not enable us to assign an exact date to the first beginnings of Gaelic literature. The most ancient ballads have certainly come down to us through the hands of Gaelic Churchmen; and it may be taken as absolutely certain that writing was unknown until it was introduced by Christian missionaries. The monuments of Runes and Oghams, the study of which may be pursued in the works of Stephens, Anderson, and Ferguson, can scarcely be regarded as literature in the proper sense of the term. At the threshold of the temple of Gaelic letters we are confronted with one name which can not be ignored—that of Ossian which we see inscribed on the portals.

## Chapters

- [CHAPTER V.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/5/index.md)
- [Part III., 1801, translated by Dr Stuart.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/19/index.md)
- [CHAPTER VII.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/7/index.md)
- [CHAPTER IX.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/9/index.md)
- [CHAPTER VI.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/6/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XIII.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/13/index.md)
- [CHAPTER VIII.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/8/index.md)
- [CHAPTER III.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/3/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XV.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/15/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XII.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/12/index.md)
- [CHAPTER IV.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/4/index.md)
- [CHAPTER I.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/1/index.md)
- [CHAPTER X.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/10/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XIV.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/14/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XI.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/11/index.md)
- [CHAPTER II.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/2/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XVI.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/17/index.md)
- [did. At the same time there was an element of hollowness in his](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/16/index.md)
- [CHAPTER XVII.](https://www.cyberlibrary.org/en/books/the-literature-of-the-highlanders-74510/chapters/18/index.md)