Donald Mackintosh and the Mackintosh Library

Another Gaelic scholar in addition to Jerome Stone, Master of the Royal School, who had a connection with Dunkeld, was the Revd. Donald Mackintosh. In the buildings occupied by the Royal School, both former and present, was a room devoted to a collection of books named the Mackintosh Library. Through carelessness and neglect in bygone years, the ponderous old volumes gradually have become, many of them, torn and dilapidated, whilst others have been lost. On the transference of the school from the old building near the Cathedral to Culloden House, the books were also removed thither.

In this library are still many interesting and valuable volumes, if not to the general reader, certainly so to the student and scholar.

The collection was gifted to the Cathedral City of Dunkeld by the Revd. Donald Mackintosh, Episcopal Minister of Strathtay, who claimed to be the last non-juring priest in Scotland. He was one of that body of ecclesiastics who refused to acknowledge the Kingship of the House of Hanover, protesting against the Foreign Succession and the Whiggish principles of a British Hierarchy. It will therefore be easily granted that from the firm but solitary nature of his stand, this minister was no ordinary person, but a man of strong will and opinions, even to obstinacy, an account of his life and work confirming this view.

The following particulars concerning this non-juring priest are quoted, by permission, from an interesting and scholarly pamphlet written by the Revd. W. M. Tuke, formerly incumbent of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Birnam. In this pamphlet indebtedness is acknowledged to an article which appeared in Stephen’s Episcopal Magazine for July, 1836. and to a biography, compiled by one Alexander Campbell, who had personal knowledge of Mackintosh and various members of the family to which he belonged.

Donald Mackintosh was born in 1743, near Killiecrankie, his father being a farmer on the Urrard Estate. ( Map )
He must have received a fairly good education at the nearest village school, for he went to Edinburgh and there felt qualified to seek success as a teacher. His efforts in this line were not satisfactory, or he may have desired a change, but, whatever the reason, at the age of 31, he was employed as a postman. A private individual, Williamson by name, had proved himself a pioneer of the penny post and established an institution of that kind in Edinburgh. He employed a number of men to collect and deliver letters and of these Donald Mackintosh was one, wearing a uniform cap on which was printed in gilt letters "Williamson’s Penny Post."

However, his ambition was scotched, not killed! It had only lain dormant; and he endeavoured to woo fame in the guise of literature, after he had been successful in receiving several good appointments in another line. Becoming tutor in the family of Sir George Stewart of Grandtully, he was,well remunerated. He made a tour through Lochaber, and began to gather material for a work which he afterwards published, "Gaelic Proverbs," a copy of which may be found in the Library of the Perth Literary and Antiquarian Museum. As he was considered a good Gaelic scholar, the work is of recognised value. Interested as he was in the Legends and Melodies of the Highlands, he collected many of them. He was fortunate in having various friends who were able and willing to assist him, amongst them Henry Mackenzie, author of "Man of Feeling," and after the publication, in 1785, of his Proverbs, he was offered a situation as clerk in the office of an Edinburgh lawyer, which appointment he held for several years.

Still he was not content. His ambition lay in another direction. He sought ordination and received it, being afterwards regarded by various Jacobite families as the only true Pastor or Priest left in Scotland. He has some claim to that distinction when the reasons offered from a Jacobite standpoint are studied.

On the death of Prince Charles Edward Stewart, the Protestant Jacobites found themselves in a curious predicament. The successor to the throne, from their point of view, was his brother Henry, a Cardinal of the Church of Rome. Thereupon many Jacobites at last transferred their allegiance to the reigning house and joined in the prayers for King George. Notwithstanding their prejudice against a Hanoverian king, they preferred him to the Pope of Rome. A few still remained staunch to the House of Stewart. Of these, Bishop Rose of Dunblane and James Brown, Presbyter at Montrose, were the only two clergymen who refused to acknowledge the Headship of Hanover over the Scottish Episcopal Church. Bishop Rose had consecrated Brown to the Episcopate and Brown had ordained Donald Mackintosh to the Deaconate and Priesthood, he being the only non-juring priest ordained as such in Scotland. The validity of their ordination has been questioned, but Mackintosh himself had no doubt on the subject and alluded to himself as "The Revd. Donald Mackintosh, a Priest of the Old Scots Episcopal Church, and last of the non-jurant clergy in Scotland."

He was highly esteemed by these valiant old Jacobites, who never swerved from their belief that he was the only true Priest left in Scotland.

He had a wide pastoral district, stretching from Edinburgh to Loch Katrine, thence to lone Glentilt, on to bonnie Glenshee, and north-east to Banff, a range altogether of more than a hundred miles. Still he found time to gather the large collection of books he afterwards bequeathed to the "Cathedral City of Dunkeld."

His latter days were spent in comparative comfort, several legacies falling his way and, in addition, he had received a good appointment as Translator of the Gaelic language and Keeper of the Gaelic Records to the Royal Highland Society of Scotland. In 1808, his health failed and he was unable to undertake his yearly journey throughout his pastorate.

Shortly after, he died and was buried in Greyfriars, Edinburgh, but no stone records his death or marks his grave.

In this collection or library there are many curious and interesting volumes; some of them are rare, but unfortunately several valuable works are now missing, lost or destroyed. There are numerous theological works, as might be expected, and old histories, such as Holinshed’s Scottish Chronicle. Translations of Ossian abound, and copies of the Poems of Gavin Douglas, and Blind Harry’s Wallace. A copy of Allan Ramsay ‘s Poems is thus proudly annotated on the fly-leaf,

"Given to me by the poet’s own hand."

Jacobite pamphlets, too, are numerous and interesting, as well as treatises Presbyterial and Episcopal; Calvin, of course, is represented and John Knox.

The catalogue drawn up in 1823 by Dr M’Culloch, Rector of the Royal School, who acted as Librarian, is still in existence.

In his will Mackintosh appointed Curators to administer the affairs, two of whom were to be in perpetuity, the Minister of Dunkeld and the nearest Episcopal Minister to the City of Dunkeld.

The readers of a former age boldly attacked bulky volumes, heavy both in matter and weight. The Mackintosh Library is not the only example of a. solid collection in the district. The Minutes of a Reading Society formed in Inshewan (Birnam) have been preserved and are of interest to the curious. The title page is beautifully transcribed by hand, and would adorn any age.

The Inshewan Reading Society was proposed in 1796 by some persons in the three Inshewans, Easter, Wester and Middle. The Rules and Regulations are carefully drawn up and very rigid, if enforced. One reads rather strangely, "If any member resides twenty miles from the seat of the society he shall no more be considered a member; but he shall have it in his power to transfer his share of the Library to his son, or his brother or his son-in-law providing he is of good moral character."

The books purchased and read eagerly, as the Minutes reveal, are no light reading. One Minute records how the members met and balloted for the privilege of reading, in rotation, Dean Prideaux' "Connections." Another records a proposal to remove the books from the house of Mr Wm Harris, where they had at first been housed, as a larger room was required. "The members will meet and carry the Books to William Stewart’s in Western Inshewan. Mr William M’Ara was appointed Chaplain to walk in Front of the Procession carrying Dr. Doddridge’s Family Expositor, and to consecrate the books after being placed in the New Library with a Prayer." When the removal did take place, it is related that, "The Meeting adjourned to Birnam Inn . . . and after partaking of a plentiful dinner resumed the business of the Society..." Business concluded, "then the country beverage, Whisky Toddy, was ordered and the members continued together till a late hour. Many appropriate toasts were drunk in course of the evening and the members inspired by the enlivening spirit of genuine Glenlivat sung many national airs with real Scotch glee."

This Society was wound up in 1864, but it is interesting to know that a bookcase containing the books is still in the possession of a descendant of one of the founders. In the Reading Room of the Birnam Institute is a good modern Library and the same is also found in the Dunkeld Reading Room, where the Rural Libraries’ Committee, under the administration of the Perthshire Education Authority, keep up a good supply of books in connection with the Carnegie Trust.

Dunkeld an Ancient City
Elizabeth Stewart
Dunkeld, 1926

Return to Dunkeld History