19 



his former prepossessions, and yielding to the force of truth, he acted 

 as became a philosophic mind. It is not without weighty reasons that 

 a man deserts or opposes the cause which he has once espoused, espe- 

 cially if it be popular, favourable to his interests, or gratifying to his 

 national vanity. Shaw, in his inquiry, seems conscious that he would 

 expose himself to much bitter animadversion; and says, "if I have 

 the approbation of the sensible, liberal, and discerning part of my 

 countrymen, I shall feel little anxiety from the apprehension of the 

 malignant virulence and personalities that may issue from the illibe- 

 ral few. I never yet could dissemble, nor personate a hypocrite ; 

 truth has always been dearer to me than my country ; nor shall I ever 

 support an ideal national honour, founded on an imposture, though it 

 were to my hindrance," (p. 72.) And again: " I should be as happy 

 as any of my countrymen can be, to have it in my power to produce 

 the original, and to satisfy the world ; but, as not one line of it has 

 hitherto been seen, but what Mr. Macpherson has favoured us with, 

 imposed as a specimen, though actually translated from the original 

 English ; I am so far a friend to truth, that I cannot permit an 

 imposition to descend to posterity undetected. Had I been ignorant 

 of the Gaelic, less credit might be expected to my narration of facts ; 

 but having written a Grammatical Analysis and Dictionary of it, it 

 may be readily believed I should rejoice to have it in my power to 

 produce the originals of these poems to the public, as the Dictionary 

 and Grammar might, perhaps, be sought after, to help the curious in 

 forming some opinion of the original. Thus, it would be my interest 

 to support the authenticity, did I think it honest," (pp. 102, 104.) 



This is surely the language of honesty and truth. No man can 

 write in a style like this, from any principle but conviction. In an 

 appendix to the second edition of his " Inquiry," Shaw replies to 

 Clarke. He " rests the strength of his arguments on the mysterious 



