MACKINTOSH'S COLLECTION OF GAELIC PROVERBS, AND FAMILIAR PHRASES

Authors: Mackintosh, Donald

Franklin, Benjamin, L.L.D.

Categories: Language

Foreign

Non-fiction

Year: 1819

Publisher: William Stewart, No. 61, Soouth-Bridge Street

Pagination: [iv], [1]-12, [1-3]-196, [197-99]-216 p., [217-19]-239 p.

Dimensions: 18 x 11 cm

Illustrations: No

City: Edinburgh

Document Type: Book

Language: English ; Gaelic

Printer: Charles Stewart, Edinburgh

Dedication: [iii] 'TO | SIR JOHN MACGREGOR MURRAY &c.'

Preface: [1]-12 'PREFACE.' (by Alex Campbell)

Other Content: [197-99]-216 p. 'ADDITIONAL | NOTES'. [217-19]-239 p. 'THE WAY TO HEALTH ; | OR, | POOR RICHARD IMPROVED. | BY DR. FRANKLIN. | WITH GAELIC TRANSLATION.'

Binding: Beige, quarter paper. Front and back covers green board. SPINE: [book-plate] '(line) | GAELIC | PROVERBS | (line)'.

Edges: Trimmed

Notes:

Full-title: MACKINTOSH'S COLLECTION OF GAELIC PROVERBS, AND FAMILIAR PHRASES ; ENGLISHED A-NEW Bilingual English/Gaelic edition of Gaelic proverbs including an essay by Franklin Benjamin. Donald Mackintosh was a Scottish Episcopal clergyman and Gaelic scholar. He was born the son of a tenant farmer in Orchilmore, and attended parish school throughout his childhood. Mackintosh left his home for Edinburgh and started work in 1774 as a penny postman. From there he became a copying clerk and tutor to the Stewart family of Gairntuilly. in 1785 he began work in the legal office of the deputy keeper of the signet and also became the honorary clerk for the Gaelic language to the Society of Antiquaries in Scotland, a position he held until 1789. 1785 also marked the publication of his first book, entitled Gaelic Proverbs. After the death of Prince Charles Edward in 1788, Mackintosh aligned himself with the small ranks of nonjurors who continued to believe in the Jacobite cause, regarded Cardinal Henry of York as the rightful king, and refused to accept the Repeal Act of 1792 (the Act required a public oath of loyalty to the Hanovarians). In 1789 he was ordained as a deacon and priest by James Brown of Montrose, a politically like-minded individual who was distinguished as the only presbyter to refuse the Repeal Act. During this time, Mackintosh continued to be actively involved in gathering Gaelic manuscripts. However, his travels served both scholarly and political purposes as he used his travels as an opportunity to minister to the pockets of nonjuring remnants in the north of Scotland. In 1801 he was appointed keeper of manuscripts and translator of the Gaelic language to the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. Due to his ability to read classical Gaelic manuscript he was appointed to a small committee formed by the Highland Society to test the authenticity of James Macpherson's translations of the poems of Ossian. The Report was published in 1805 and agreed that Ossianic poetry existed, but hesitated to give complete approval to Macpherson's translations. Mackintosh also published a catalogue of the Gaelic manuscripts owned by the Highland Society in 1806, and continued to search the Scottish countryside for more. He died on November 22, 1808. William Stewart owned a publishing, bookselling, and stationery business in Edinburgh from 1817-1825. From 1817-1822 his company was known as William Stewart & Co., Booksellers and Stationers. It was located at 2 and 3 College Street from 1817-1818, and at the University Reading Room, 61 South Bridge Street, from 1819-1824. In 1823 he changed the company's name to William Stewart, and relocated to 4 Hanover Street in 1825. However, in the same year he seems to have moved back to his previous location as his business is once again listed at 61 South Bridge Street. On May 20, 1826 he was admitted to Sanctuary for debt at the Holyrood house. Charles Stewart was a printer and co-owned a printing business in Edinburgh from 1790 to his death in 1823. His company was known as Charles Stewart, James Ruthven & Company from 1790-1794. They were initially located at Old Fishmarket Close, but moved to 26 North Hanover Street in 1792. The company's name was changed to Charles Stewart & Company in 1794. Stewart's business advertised itself as being the printer of the Herald Head of Forrester's Wynd (1794-1809), and in 1799 it also became the official printer to the Highland Society. The company was relocated to Old Bank Close Lawnmarket in 1809, and became the official printer to the University in the same year--a contract that lasted until 1813. Stewart died on April 27, 1823 and his business was taken over by Mr. Duncan Stevenson. There is a collection of Stewart's correspondence in the Edinburgh University Library. Summary: p. i title-page and publisher's imprint. P. ii dedication to Sir John MacGregor Murray. P. 1-11 'PREFACE' signed 'Alex. Campbell. | 2, St. James's Place | 18th August, 1819.' p. 13 title. P. 14-195 text. P. 199-216 'ADDITIONAL NOTES.' p. 217 'THE WAY TO WEALTH; | OR, | POOR RICHARD IMPROVED. | BY DR. FRANKLIN. | WITH A GAELIC TRANSLATION. p. 219-239 text. Gaelic Proverbs is a collection of gaelic proverbs Donald Mackintosh collected over a period of time. The book begins with a preface by Alex Campbell. In it he provides a brief biography of Mackintosh, describing his youth, his passion for preserving gaelic history, and his life-long commitment to Jacobitism. Rather than being critical of Mackintosh's Jacobitism, Campbell seems to admire his commitment and tenacity and even appears to be sympathetic towards the Jacobite cause. The preface is followed by Mackintosh's collection of proverbs. Each proverb is numbered, and they are organized under letters of the alphabet, from A to U. He first presents the proverbs in gaelic and then translates them into English on the following page. Almost every page has footnotes that provide historical and cultural explanations as well as alternate translations. On page 188, Mackintosh introduces a series of verse proverbs, both in the original gaelic and in translation. He also attaches a section of additional notes that expands upon the themes, legends, history, and cultural references embedded in the proverbs. Following the notes section is a brief work by Dr. Benjamin Franklin. The Way to Wealth is comprised of a series of proverbs that Franklin attributes to the fictional character 'Poor Richard' or Richard Saunders. As made obvious by the title, Poor Richard's proverbs are primarily concerned with money--how to make it and keep it. The editor's footnote to the work defends its addition, stating that his fellow countrymen should not refuse "good sense" even though it comes "from the other side of the water." Howat, Gerald M. C. ‘Macintosh, Donald (1743–1808).' Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press: 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/view/article/17542].