Skye

Cabinet 11

About 1696 Martin Martin travelled through the Western Isles, Orkneys, and Shetlands.

On that trip he documented the history, customs, and traditions of the Outer Isles just before the structures of their societies changed.

Greater significance and authority is given to his published works (St Kilda 1698; Western Isles 1703) because he was a Skye native and a Gaelic speaker.

Dr Johnson became interested in Scotland through Martin’s work. James Boswell, while charitable to Martin (‘I cannot but have a kindness for him), was less so to the books: ‘His Book is a very imperfect performance…’.

This is a modern edition.

Martin Martin, A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland, ca 1695; and A Late Voyage to St. Kilda. Edinburgh: Birlinn, 1999.