Surname of Maclean, or Macghillean
Subtitle: and  A Sketch of the Life and Writings of  Lachlan MacLean / With other information pertaining to the  Clan Maclean
By: ed. from the manuscript entitled, A brief genealogical account of the family of Maclean, from its first settling in the island of Mull, and parts adjacent, in the year 1716, now in the Advocates' library, Edinburgh. By J. P. Maclean.
Publisher: The Aldine Publishing House
Published: From the Manuscript of 1751
Place of publication: Xenia, Ohio
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 48
Copyright date: 1914
Subjects: McLean family.
First sentence: This brave and heroic surname is orig-inally descended from that of Fitzgirald, in Ireland, being once the most potent surname of any other, of Engdish extract in that kingdom.
Description: The first published account of the Clan MacLean, of any moment, was that printed in London in 1838, under the title: "Account ai the Clan MacLean," a book of 358 pages. It is an anonymous work, under the name ''Seneachie." The late Alexander Thomas Maclean, Fifteenth Maclean of Ardgour, informed me when I visited him in 1888, that the writer, or compiler was Rev. John Campbell Sinclair, and the expense was borne by Charles Hope Maclean. He went even still further and made uncomplimentary comments on the author. The statement of Ardgour fixes the internal origin of the book, for no one would be more likely to know. After the publication of my history of the Clan, I placed a copy in his hands, and I never heard of his demurring to their
statement as to the authorship, I made in that work. All histories treating of the Western Isles of Scotland make more or less notice of the Mac Leans. Among the earliest works that treat of the origin of the various Clans of Scotland are the Book Ballymote, 1383; the Book of Leccan, 1416; the Skene Manuscript, 1467; and MacFirbis's Book of Genealogies, 1650 to 1666. Among the manuscripts particularly devoted to the Macleans, the oldest known is that of 1716, now in the Advocates Library, Edinburgh, and attached to the Macfarlane MS. I have specially treated this MS. in another work, which was generously published by our enthusiastic clansman. Colonel John Bayne Maclean of Toronto. The edition is quite limited. Probably the next point of time 
is that of 1751. This was entirely new to me until November, 1913, when a copv was placed in my hands bv John MacLean, chairman of the Great Gathering of the Clan in 1912. It was published in Edinburgh in 1751, being a part of a collection by Thomas Moncriefif, entitled: ''Memoirs concerning the ancient alliance between the French and Scots and the privileges of the Scots in France, faithfully translated from original records of the kingdom of France." It also appears in "Miscellanea Scotica, a collection of tracts relating- to the history, antiquities, topography and literature of Scotland,"' in Volume IV, published in 1819. It is herewith reproduced. It is possible that the Ardgour MS. goes back to as equally as great a date. It is a well known MS. as is also the Pennycross. It is more or less currently reported that there is still another in the Vatican at Rome. Whether or not this has ever been confirmed I am unable to say. Mr. John MacLean, above referred to, in an address, before the Clan Mac Lean Association, of Glasgow, in February, 1900, made use of this language: ''There is in existence an MS. history of the Clan, which was given on loan by the late Mr. Dugald Campbell, banker, 
Tobermory, to a friend. This history Mr. Campbell had himself on loan : it is in reality the property of our good friend and clansman, Mr. J. A. Maclean, bank agent and solicitor, Forfar. Mr. Campbell received it from Mr. Maclean's grand uncle, Mr. Allen Maclean, schoolmaster, lona. We are anxious that this history be restored to its rightful owner, or to the Association." The late Maclean of Lochbuie, informed me that there was a history of that Sept written by Lieutenant Colonel A/Turdoch Maclean but it had been loaned from the Charter Chest, and trace of it had been lost. A true clansman must be interested in Lachlan Mac Lean of Arnabost, Coll. For many years I have attempted to pick up everything I could find pertaining to him. With such efiforts 
as I have made I have been unable to add anything to the paper prepared by the late Henry White, in 1894. Even afte: careful attempts to secure Lachlan's books, I have been unable to add but five to my collection. All that I have learned of this most worthy Gaelic scholar I have, in this contribution attempted to place the substance in an acceptable form. Such fugitive poems relating to the Mac Leans, as I have observed, not in books, I have included, as also the names of the departed bards, and the patronymics of various Septs or branches of the Clan.
Notes: Title vignette: coat of arms.
Lettered on cover: "MacLean ms. of 1716."