18y2-93.] THK PRESENT ASPECT OF THE OSSIANIC CONTROVERSY. 32^^ 



the last century, and of the consequent facihty that MacPherson must have 

 experienced in collecting these poems, which, after he had collated and 

 arranged them, he gave to the world as the poems of Ossian. Dr. Smith 

 had abundant reason on his side when he thus wrote: "Within a century 

 back, the Highlands of Scotland have undergone a greater revolution 

 than for ten centuries before that period." With still greater reason, 

 may we affirm that during the hundred and thirteen years that have 

 elapsed since Dr. Smith published his Gaelic Antiquities, the Highlands 

 of Scotland have undergone a great transformation by extensive emigra- 

 tion from many a strath and glen, so that comparatively imperfect 

 facilities now remain for determining the manner in which Ossianic 

 poems were respected, and preserved, and recited in the past. In a 

 paper which Dr. MacNeill, the author of the Literature of the Highlands, 

 read before the London Gaelic Society a few months ago, he asserts, that 

 shortly after Dr. Clerk's edition of Ossian was published, Campbell, the 

 author of Leabhar na Feinne and of the Popular, Tales of the West 

 Highlands, reviewed the work in question so ruthlessly and successfully 

 that all the scaffolding of the authenticity, elaborately erected by Dr. 

 Clerk and others, was laid in ruins. Dr. MacNeill further asserts, that 

 MacPherson's Epics are the clever work of an exceedingly able but iras- 

 cible Highland genius of the central land of the Gael, by whom they 

 were composed and translated about one hundred and thirty years ago. 

 He contends, without adducing sufficient evidence in favour of his aver- 

 ment, that the prominent Gaelic scholars of our day entertain a similar 

 opinion concerning the ppems of Ossian. So patriotic was the spirit 

 which animated Mr. J. F. Campbell, and so enthusiastic was he in 

 connection with the folk-lore and ancient poetry of the Highlands of 

 Scotland, that his memory deserves to be kindly perpetuated. On one 

 side of the monument which the Islay Association, with praiseworthy 

 affection and liberality, erected to commemorate his many excellent 

 qualities, these Gaelic words occur : 



Iain og lie 

 Fior Ghaidheal, sar dhiiin' uasal agus ard sgoileir 



A choisinn urram agus rhu anns gach cearn. 

 Ged nach do shealbhaich e oighreached aithrichean, 

 Shealbhaich e gradh nan I leach, 

 Agus 

 Bithidh a chuimhne buan-mhaireann am measg 

 Chlanna nau Gaidheal. 



He was the implacable opponent of MacPherson and Dr. Smith, and his 

 excellent brother Donald Smith. He says " that MacPherson undoubt- 

 edly tried to deceive. The two brothers, John and Donald Smith, were 



