Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. 740, March 2, 1878

In this thought‑provoking essay from the late nineteenth‑century, a writer revisits a controversial piece titled “The Gaelic Nuisance” and lays out a forceful case against the exclusive use of Gaelic in Scotland’s Highlands and islands. The author argues that limiting children to a single language traps whole communities in poverty and cuts them off from the broader opportunities of the English‑speaking world. With a blend of statistical observation and moral appeal, the piece challenges well‑meaning philanthropists who, in the author’s view, inadvertently perpetuate hardship.

The essay points to specific instances of educational neglect, citing a 1878 newspaper report from the parish of Barvas on Lewis where many children could not read or write a single English word. It stresses that bilingual instruction—much like learning French or German—could unlock cultural and economic benefits for the Highlanders, who the author describes as noble, hard‑working, and capable when given the chance. By urging faster implementation of Scotland’s 1872 Education Act, the writer hopes to transform the remote glens into thriving, connected communities.