MR small's biographical SKETCH OF PROF. ADAM FERGUSON. 637 



I not only never heard the sound of the Highland language from any other persons 

 but Mr Ferguson and his pupil, during my stay in Edinburgh ; but I do not find 

 that I was ever there in company with any other natives of the Highlands but 

 themselves ; and for this I can appeal to my memorandum-book, which mentions 

 persons (and there were many very worthy and ingenious ones) to whom you then 

 introduced me ; and also how and where I spent the whole five days among them. 

 " I might even proceed further and aver, that I never heard the recital of 

 Earse poetry, either before or since, in my whole life ; but that I now recollect, I 

 once heard a short song or two from an old Highland soldier, who, travelling 

 home to Scotland, begged at my door, but who I could not find knew anything 

 of the subjects of Ossian's Epic poetry. On his account I shall suppress the cir- 

 cumstance of my never having heard the sound of Earse poetry, except at that 

 single recital of the student, and, in my intended advertisement, which I shall 

 also, in other respects, shorten as much as possible, for I heartily wish to rid my 

 hands of this foolish business ; and unless Mr Ferguson is more desirous of com- 

 mitting his name in print than I am, our controversy shall soon be at an end ; for 

 I shall only attribute to him a want of recollection, which surely might happen 

 to the best memory at so great a distance of time. 



" In truth, I cannot but think Mr Ferguson's name too respectable to deserve 

 to be tacked to slight appeals and rejoinders in the common newspapers ; and I 

 must acknowledge I have some reverence for my own ; and, therefore, when I 

 have once supported my own veracity in as few words as possible, I hope the 

 matter will drop, and neither of us be ever mentioned more on this subject. But 

 if he still persists in denying publicly the existence of a recital, which at your 

 desire I once mentioned in print (though, upon since reflecting how little I knew 

 of the matter, and for other reasons assigned in my former letter, I have since 

 suppressed it), I must then be compelled, much against my will, to produce at 

 large necessary proofs in support of my own affirmation, which yet, I trust, I 

 shall with temper and decency, and still continue to approve ^myself — Dear Sir, 

 your aflfectionate friend and very faithful servant, 



" Thos. Percy." 



" P.S. — My Lord Algernon Percy, who has been here since I wrote to you 

 last, but who is since gone away, could not distinctly remember, as I had at first 

 understood him, that Mr Ferguson was present when Mr Macpherson repeated 

 the Earse poetry to me ; but he remembered that fact better than could have 

 been expected, after six years' interval, considering too, he was but a boy when 

 it happened. 



" The Duke desires his compliments, and pray deliver mine in the kindest 

 manner to Mrs Blair. I am now removing to Carlisle, where I hope to receive 

 your next favour." * 



* MSS., University of Edinburgh. 



