OSSIAN. 
a daa poems of Offian. It will be proper to keep 
ark in our recolle€tion when we come to difcufs the 
authenticity of the poems which have been afcribed to this 
"There are {carcely any notices oe thefe poems to 
be found in old authors, who treat either of Ireland or of 
Congal, oa Fin- 
omhal 
foe acc 
actions of Fin Mac nad, as retained 
- the Irith and Scottifh Highlanders. There is, however, 
a paflage in ake ae op Carfwell’s introdution to his tranflation 
of the Forms of Prayer, into Gaelic, printed at Edin- 
burgh in a year 1567, whi za : _ in the report 
- the Highland Society, in order to give an idea of the 
neral impreffion and delight, eich te recital of the poems 
or ‘ballads (of Offian) sian among the inhabitants of the 
Highlands, which it may be proper to confider: in this 
flage the bifho 
nd cham- 
a view of pfbecaoas or themfelves the d of this 
world, they are more defirous and more accuftom com- 
pofe vain, tempting, lying, worldl panei concerning 
e 
wri teach, 
and of the perfe&t way of truth.” Now this paflage, | cited 
by the Highland Society, in order to prove the currency 
and popularity of Offian’ 8 poems, actually psa Ps = ane 
ofe poems concerning Fingal, which poems were ee in 
{ubfequent ages confidered as the genuine poems o an. 
The firft perfon who feems to have cenceived the idea 
ef colleGing the poems and ballads of the Highlands, 
was an, Jerome Stone of Dunkeld, who ha 
argued a knowledge of the Gaelic language. Of one 
d a tranfla- 
The, next colleGor of oP nag was Mr. James 
‘Macpheffon. In the year 17 os r. Home, the author of 
ouglas, fet t Moffat ; in the courfe of a conver 
ners of the Highlands, Macpherfon in- 
formed him that one of their favourite amufements ‘ was 
to liften to the tales and compofitions of their ancient bards, 
which he defcribed as ears: much pathos, and poetical 
magery, and at Mr. s defire, he tranflated fome 
rena which his coo ferved him to recolle&. The 
oe of thefe fragments ftruck Mr. Home, and his friends 
t 
at Edinburgh, 
to aaa the 
publication, and defra ae ai 
the 
x aii 
y the expence of et ah blication - 
ginals of the hole: on which publication we fhall after- 
wards offer fome remarks. 
The fuccefs which had attended Mr. Macpherfon’s re- 
fearches, and the fame which he had acquired by the pub- 
lication of the poems of Offian, incited feveral others to 
proceed into the Highlands, and to collect from tradition 
or manufcripts Gaelic ballads ; while, as a fufpicion of the 
authenticity ot what Macpherfon had publifhed arofe in the 
minds of many, enquiries were alfo fet on foot, for the pur- 
pote, if poffible, of deteGting the a impofture. There 
is reafon to believe, too, that the le which 
were given to the world, after the face and poe ac- 
pherfon, were not genuine Gae oems, nor n fou e 
on the traditionary ballads of the ainale ‘but entirely 
the a of thofe who blifhed t 
year 1780, Mr. John Clark, land furveyor in 
aide: ifhed cranflstioi of Gaelic poetry; the 
thefe regular m, in three books ; 
n the 
B aed 
slang ae of was a 
of which 
‘2 
q 
lone) 
me 
OQ 
a3 
o 
“t 
o 
ry 
o 
o 
i} 
a 
Ft] 
tod 
ig 
nm 
{5g & 
< 
ao” 
ae 
> 
@ 
~ oO 
(ood 
i=] 
rx) 
4 
7) 
omg 
ga 
ee 
be 
~ 
f=] 
a 
p 
6 
e fame year, Mr. 
Hill, in a tour through the Boats, “colleéted, chiefly 
from one Macnab, a black{mith in Argylethire, copies of 
feveral ancient poems: which from the incidents which they 
contain, and other internal evidence, muft be deemed of a 
gin 
thenticity of rr re sO 
become the fub of keen ne over 
fome of the po 
tor of Gadlic poetry, 
ut th ‘ 
fince the time of ala was Dr. Smith, minifter of 
nexe 
Gaelic of ft, Ullin, Oran, 
in 1787, he publifhed the ee "To h is i pub esce 
he fubjo ced ™ aa t of the manner in which he pro. 
cured thefe o 
In the r. Young, afterwards bifhop of 
Clonmore, aie an pene se through the Scottifh High- 
By 
