ment volume was prepared by M. Curghey and J. Wilks. Jefferson owned also a Book of Common Prayer in the Manx language, which was not sold to Congress in 1815, [punct.
sic--
Ed.] It was ordered from Lackington’s catalogue for 1792. through A. Donald, in a letter to him by Jefferson dated November 23,
1791: “
4.0. 16143 Common prayer in Manks language. 8
vo. 1775.
”
The book is included in Lackington’s bill, dated December 31, 1791 (receipted January 2, 1792), the number, key word and price
by Lackington, the rest of the description filled in by Jefferson: “16143 Common
prayer in Manks language. 8
vo. 1775.
4.0.”
[4880]
148
Galick &
Eng. Vocabulary.
1815 Catalogue, page 165, no. 98, Galick and English Vocabulary, 8vo.
M’DONALD,
Alexander.
A
Galick and
English Vocabulary, with An Appendix of the Terms of Divinity in the said Language. Written For the Use of the Charity-Schools, founded
and endued
[
sic
--
Ed.
] in the Highlands of Scotland. By The Honourable, the Society for propagating Christian Knowledge. By Mr. Alexander M’Donald Schoolmaster at Ardnamurchan in Argyleshire.
Edinburgh: Printed by
Robert Fleming, and sold by
Mris. Brown in the Parliament-Closs.
mdccxli
. [1741.]
PB1591 .M35
First Edition. sm. 8vo. 104 leaves, title in
English on the recto of the 2nd leaf, preceded by the title in
Gaelic on the verso of the first, in which By Alexander M’Donald reads Le Alistair MacDomhnuill; woodcut device on the
Gaelic title, fleuron on the
English.
Lowndes III, 1436.
Maclean, page 188.
Owing to his interest in the poems of Ossian, Jefferson had been anxious, as early as 1773, to obtain a grammar of the Gaelic
language. On February 25, 1773, Jefferson wrote from
Albemarle
in Virgã to Charles McPherson in Edinburgh: “
. . . merely for the pleasure of reading his [Ossian’s]
works I am become desirous of learning the language in which he sung and of possessing his songs in their original form. .
. I would further beg the favor of you to give me a catalogue of books written in that language, and to send me such of them
as may be necessary for learning it. these will of course include a grammar and dictionary . . .
”
In his reply dated from Edinburgh, August 12, McPherson wrote: “. . . I do not at all wonder that
you should be “desirous of learning the language in which Ossian thought, in which he sung.” But, alas, I am afraid that this
will be attended with insuperable difficultys. A few religious Books excepted, we have no publication in the Gaelic Language,
no dictionary, no grammar. I have sent you, to the care of Mr Minzies, to whom this letter goes inclosed, a Gaelic New Testament,
which has a few rules, affixed, for learning the language. This, with a vocabulary, which is also sent, is all the assistance
that, at this distance, I can give you to learn my mother tongue . . .”
[For these letters in full, see The Poems of Ossian, no. 4377.]
On June 30, 1807, 1 “
Galic Vocabulary,” 8vo. was bound for Jefferson by John March, in calf gilt, cost $1.00.
Alexander M’Donald [or MacDonald], 1700?-1780?, Gaelic poet. His Gaelic and English vocabulary published on behalf of the Society for Propagating
Christian Knowledge, was the earliest book of its kind.
[4881]
149
Not in the Manuscript Catalogue.
1815 Catalogue, page 166, no. 45, Mac Donald’s Gaelic songs and poems, with a glossary 12mo.
M’DONALD,
Alexander.
Ais-Eiridh na Sean-Chanoin Albannaich; no an nuadh Oranaiche
Gaidhealach. Le Alastair Mac Dhonuill, Bailli Chana. Ris am beil coimh-cheangailte eider-
