299 



The finale of the "Supplemental Observations" is a map of 

 Sclma, ^'Morven, or Morvern," the empire of " the mighty Fingal," 

 extending over a territory of about tw^elve miles square. This is, 

 perhaps, the most extraordinary evidence that ever was produced in 

 support of the authenticity of Ossian's poems ; those poems that 

 describe Fingal,. the powerful monarch of that empire, as leading 

 forth his myriads of warriors to combat with and overthrow the 

 Roman legions in Britain ; and as sailing with fleets, whose lofty 

 masts appeared like groves of pines, to invade Lochlin, and to pursue 

 the armies of that nation into Ireland ; and finally, to establish a 

 Highland dynasty over that country. The thing is so ridiculous, 

 that it is, we submit, unnecessary to offer upon it further obser- 

 vations. 



We have now, in the course of those pages, examined the proofs 

 that have been brought forward in support of the authenticity of the 

 poems attributed to Ossian. In doing this, we have faithfully given 

 large quotations from the "Dissertations" of Mr. Macpherson, 

 Doctor Blair, and Sir John Sinclair; from the Report of the High- 

 land Society, and the " Supplemental Observations " of Doctor 

 Mc Arthur. In selecting the quotations, we have taken those that 

 appeared to us the strongest arguments for the authenticity of the 

 poems, and we have discussed them with coolness and candour. 

 From that discussion, we have come to the conclusion, that those 

 poems are modern compositions, fabricated by Mr. Macpherson from 

 a variety of Irish poems and tales, none of which are the compositions 

 of an earlier period than the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries, and 

 some of them of a much later period. We have shewn from the words 

 of Mr. Macpherson, and from the testimony of Mr. Price, Librarian 

 of the British Museum, that he was ignorant of the ancient Gaelic 



VOL. XVt. R R 



