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there are fifteen hundred verses, in words almost the same with the 

 poem of Fingal. A slight comparison will show that there is no simili- 

 tude between the words of the two examples, and it will also show 

 that Smith's copy, corrupt and base in language as it is, has much 

 more the appearance of antiquity than the copy taken from the 

 Society's original. The following extract from the Irish poem will 

 shew that both Macpherson, and the scribe that Doctor Smith fol- 

 lowed, stole from that poem. We give the Irish text as it appears in 

 Miss Brooke's work, p. 273, where Fergus asks, 



" Cread do ghluais an bhuidhean bhorb 

 Fa righ Lochlann na long mbreac ? 

 Ma diarraigh cumoin ar ann 

 Is ro mhaith a thaoisg tar lear." 



" Do f hreagair sin Maghnus go borb 

 Airdrigh Lochlann na long mbreac. 

 Do bheara me a bhean o Fhionn 

 Daimhdheoin air tuinn agus Bran." 



"Bhearaid an Fhiann comhrac cruaidh, 

 Dot sliluagh sal a dtiubhrad Bran, 

 Is cuirfidh Fionn cath a ndlus 

 Sul fa ttugaidh uaidh a bhean." 



" Dar do laimhse a Fhearghuis f heil 

 As an bh-Feinn ge mor do theann ; 

 Do bhearad Horn Bran tar lear 

 No combrac dian f hear da cionn." 



"As do laimh ge mor do dhoigh. 

 As do shlogh ge mor do mhuirn, 

 An lion a thainig tu thair lear 

 Ni bheara tu Bran tar tuinn." 



Literal Translation. 



" Why comes the haughty host • : ; 



Under the king of Loghlainn of speckled ships ? 

 If to seek our friendship, 

 Right good is their coming across the sea." 



