{"1": {"fulltext": "rpih\\nWW\\nBO", "height": "3868", "width": "2208", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0001.jp2"}, "2": {"fulltext": "v t; -:v\u00e2\u0080\u009e.\\nS a\\\\\\ns,", "height": "3868", "width": "2068", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0002.jp2"}, "3": {"fulltext": "s* I", "height": "3868", "width": "2285", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0003.jp2"}, "4": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0004.jp2"}, "5": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0005.jp2"}, "6": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0006.jp2"}, "7": {"fulltext": "ESSAY\\nON\\nTHE AUTHENTICITY\\nOF\\nTHE POEMS OF OSSIAN.", "height": "3381", "width": "2353", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0007.jp2"}, "8": {"fulltext": "ZBntereU in Stationers $afl\u00c2\u00ab", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0008.jp2"}, "9": {"fulltext": "ESSAY\\nON\\nTHE AUTHENTICITY\\nOF THE\\nPOEMS OF OSSIAN\\nIN WHICH\\nTHE OBJECTIONS\\nOF\\nMALCOLM LAING, Esq.\\nARE\\nPARTICULARLY CONSIDERED AND REFUTED.\\nBY\\nPATRICK GRAHAM, D.D.\\nMINISTER OF ABERFOYLE.\\nTO WHICH IS ADDED AN ESSAY\\nOX\\nTHE MYTHOLOGY OF OSSIAN S POEMS,\\nBY\\nPROFESSOR RICHARDSON\\nOF GLASGOW COLLEGE.\\nEDINBURGH\\no\\nprinted by James Ballantyne 4* Co.\\nFOR PETER HILL, ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND CO.\\nAND WILLIAM HUNTER, EDINBURGH; BRASH AND REID, GLASGOW\\nJOHN MURRAY, AND LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND ORME,\\nLONDON.\\n1807.\\nN\\\\", "height": "3682", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0009.jp2"}, "10": {"fulltext": ".57", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0010.jp2"}, "11": {"fulltext": "TO\\nHIS GRACE\\nTHE DUKE OF ATHOLL,\\nPRESIDENT,\\nAND THE OTHER NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN\\nOF THE\\nHIGHLAND SOCIETY OF SCOTLAND,\\nTHE PROPER PATRONS OF CELTIC LITERATURE,\\nTHIS ESSAY\\nON\\nTHE POEMS OF OSSIAN\\nIS\\nMOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED\\nBY\\nTHE AUTHOR.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0011.jp2"}, "12": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0012.jp2"}, "13": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\n\u00c2\u00b1t may appear to many, that the en-\\ndurance of the public has been long ago\\nexhausted, by the disquisitions which\\nhave been offered concerning the aera\\nof the poems ascribed to Ossian. To\\nmany persons, it has appeared to be a\\nmatter of little consequence whether\\nthese poems are to be considered as\\nancient or modern whether they are\\nto be regarded as the production of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0013.jp2"}, "14": {"fulltext": "vi INTRODUCTION.\\nthe Son of Fingal, or of a learned Scot\\nof the eighteenth century.\\nWere this merely a question in which\\nnational vanity was concerned, it is\\nadmitted that it is a matter of little\\nimportance, whether this celebrated\\npoetry is to be attributed to one of our\\ncountrymen, who lived in the third, or\\nin the eighteenth, century. It is con-\\nceived, however, that the question in-\\nvolves much more important consider-\\nations it is presumed, that the gene-\\nral history of literature, and even that\\nof the human mind itself, are deeply\\ninterested in its investigation.\\nIf, on the one hand, it be found,\\nthat the poems ascribed to Ossian were\\ncomposed fifteen hundred years ago, in\\na language and dialect which are still\\nunderstood and spoken in the High-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0014.jp2"}, "15": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. vii\\nlands of Scotland, a very singular view,\\nsurely, presents itself, of the condition\\nin which society must have existed in\\na country and period which have been\\nusually accounted barbarous and, from\\nthis view, an enquiring mind will be\\nnaturally led to carry its researches\\nfarther into the history and manners\\nof the early inhabitants of Caledonia.\\nIf, on the other hand, it be ascer-\\ntained, that these poems were compo-\\nsed by a contemporary, imbued, as Mr\\nMacpherson certainly was, in a very\\nrespectable measure, with the litera-\\nture of Greece and Rome, as well as of\\nmodern times, we are presented with\\na phenomenon still more inexplica-\\nble. That such a person should have\\nproduced a body of poetry, which\\nhas been justly considered as posses-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0015.jp2"}, "16": {"fulltext": "viii INTRODUCTION.\\nsing so high a merit as to have given\\na new tone to poetry throughout all\\nEurope; but, at the same time, de-\\nvoid of all modern allusion, and form-\\ned neither in its imagery or expression\\non the model of those ancient authors,\\nwho have communicated their peculiar\\ncolouring, so generally, to all modern\\ncompositions appears to be a circum-\\nstance still more strange, than the sup-\\nposition of the high antiquity which\\nhas been ascribed to it.\\nIn this point of view, then, it should\\nseem, that the question of the antiqui-\\nty and authenticity of these poems,\\nmust always be considered as interest-\\ning, not only to literature, but even to\\nthe philosophy of the human mind.\\nEdinburgh Review, No. XII. Art. 7-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0016.jp2"}, "17": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nAt a very early period in this con-\\ntroversy, Dr Johnson, a man whose\\nname must ever be held in veneration\\nby the friends of literature and virtue,\\nbut who appears to have been very un-\\nqualified, on account of his prejudices,\\nand his too slight investigation of this\\nsubject, to form a just estimate of its\\nmerits, decisively pronounced these\\npoems to be a modern imposture. The\\nsum of Dr Johnson s argument, on\\nthis occasion, however, is of too small\\namount to require any particular no-\\ntice. It may, indeed, be more proper-\\nly considered in the light of personality\\ntowards James Macpherson, and to-\\nwards Scotland, than in that of legiti-\\nmate reasoning.\\nOf late, however, a more formidable\\nopponent of the antiquity of these", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0017.jp2"}, "18": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\npoems has appeared. Malcolm Laing y\\nEsq. Advocate, and now Member of\\nParliament for the county of Orkney,\\nhas, in a Dissertation annexed trt the\\nsecond volume of his History of Scot-\\nland, endeavoured, by a formal and very\\nelaborate series of arguments, to prove\\nthat this poetry is modern, and that\\nit is the production of Mr James Mac-\\npherson. The arguments of Mr Laing\\nappear to have made a very consider-\\nable impression upon the public mind;\\nand many persons, probably, as well as\\nhimself, have considered some of them\\nas unanswerable.\\nSome years ago, the Highland So-\\nciety of Scotland, with that liberality\\nof research which has always interested\\nit in every thing that concerns the ho-\\nnour and advantage of North Britain,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0018.jp2"}, "19": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nappointed a Committee of its number\\nto enquire into the Nature and Au-\\nthenticity of the Poems of Ossian.\\nThe Report of the Committee has ap-\\npeared, drawn up by the elegant pen\\nof Henry Mackenzie, Esq. its chair-\\nman. In this very interesting work,\\nmany important circumstances, rela-\\nting to Celtic literature in general, and\\nto the Poems of Ossian in particular,\\nare brought forward, and placed in a\\nluminous point of view. This is, in-\\ndeed, what might have been expected\\nfrom the learned and accomplished Au-\\nthor, assisted by able Celtic scholars\\nand antiquarians, and favoured with\\nan extensive correspondence, carried on\\nby himself, and his associates of the\\nCommittee, throughout the Highlands.\\nThe Committee, however, properly", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0019.jp2"}, "20": {"fulltext": "xii INTRODUCTION.\\nregarding its own dignity, as the repre-\\nsentative of the most illustrious public\\nassociation of men that now exists in\\nBritain, or perhaps in Europe, has\\nchosen, on this occasion, to maintain a\\nbecoming reserve. Anxious only to col-\\nlect facts, it has been little solicitous\\nto offer opinions, or to enter into con-\\ntroversial discussion. The important\\nfacts, which it has collected, are laid\\nbefore the public, and to these it is left\\nto make their proper impression.\\nThe Committee having thus decli-\\nned to enter into the argument, it may\\nbe deemed presumptuous in an indivi-\\ndual, favoured with far scantier means\\nof information, to attempt to revive the\\ncontroversy, or to pursue it to a greater\\nlength than has been already done.\\nBut it may be permitted to remark,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0020.jp2"}, "21": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nthat though the Committee of the High-\\nland Society of Scotland has, very pro-\\nperly, considered it as beneath its dig-\\nnity to stoop to the refutation of the\\narguments of Mr Laing, it may not be\\nimproper for one, who has little to lose,\\nand who may have the good fortune to\\ngain some advantage in the discussion,\\nto enter the lists even with this power-\\nful antagonist.\\nIt is proper, at the same time, to\\nobserve, that the object of the Com-\\nmittee has, unquestionably, been, in\\na very great measure, accomplished,\\nby the vast body of valuable observa-,\\ntions and facts which it has collected,\\nand by the ample field which it has\\nthus opened up for the speculations of\\nthose, who may be disposed to enter\\ninto the controversy. Of these import-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0021.jp2"}, "22": {"fulltext": "xiv INTRODUCTION.\\nant observations and facts, together\\nwith the conclusions which may be\\ndrawn from them, the Author of these\\npages will take the liberty, from time\\nto time, to avail himself.\\nWithout pretending to follow the\\nformal and minute divisions of Mr\\nLaing s Dissertation, it is proposed to\\nconsider, in the order in which they\\noccur, those topics that may appear to\\nrelate more essentially to the antiquity\\nand authenticity of this poetry and,\\nin this view, it would seem, that the\\nsuject will be exhausted, by taking\\ninto our account the following parti-\\nculars viz. The Period in which these\\nPoems are said to have been compo-\\nsed\u00e2\u0080\u0094The State of Society and Man-\\nners, in the age in which Ossian is sup-\\nposed to have flourished The Mode", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0022.jp2"}, "23": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION. xv\\nin which these Poems are represented\\nto have been transmitted to us And,\\nfinally, The Manner in which they have\\nbeen collected, translated, and pub-\\nlished, by Mr Macpherson. In this\\ncourse of treating the subject, it is pro-\\nposed to advert to the arguments ad-\\nvanced by Mr Laing, as they occur.\\nIt is necessary to say, that the lite-\\nrary merits of these poems constitute\\nno part of the argument, which it is\\nproposed to discuss. Mr Laing may\\nfind in them bombast, extravagant\\nrants, and contemptible conceits.\\nAn opportunity will occur of shewing,\\nthat, if such instances of false taste are\\nto be found, they are to be imputed to\\nthe translator, and not to the original.\\nBut to vindicate the general merits of\\nthis poetry is foreign from the purpose", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0023.jp2"}, "24": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nof this Essay. It may suffice to say,\\nthat it has been long admired, both at\\nhome and abroad, by persons whose\\ntaste and literature will not suffer by\\na comparison with those of any man\\nwhatsoever.\\nBut, laying aside the consideration\\nof the merits of these poems, if they\\nare indeed as ancient as they are re-\\npresented to be, they furnish, as Mr\\nHume has remarked, one of the great-.\\nest curiosities, in all respects, that\\never was discovered in the common-\\nwealth of letters/ They evidently\\nafford a fair promise of throwing much\\nlight on the early history and manners\\nof an interesting people and the few\\nSee Mr Hume s Letter on this subject to Dr\\nBlair Report of the Committee, p. 8.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0024.jp2"}, "25": {"fulltext": "INTRODUCTION.\\nremaining monuments of a language\\nunmixed with any foreign idiom, a\\nphenomenon not to be met with else-\\nwhere, at this day, in Western Europe,\\nseem to present an important subject\\nof speculation to philosophic minds.\\nIt is only necessary to add, that, in\\nthe few translations of passages cited\\nfrom ancient authors, which it has been\\nsometimes thought proper to give, fi-\\ndelity to the original has been studied,\\nmore than elegance of expression.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0025.jp2"}, "26": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0026.jp2"}, "27": {"fulltext": "CONTENTS.\\nPAGE.\\nSECTION I.\\nOf the Period, in which these Poems were\\ncomposed. Connection with Roman\\nHistory. Carausius. Caracalla. Ap-\\npellations of Places in Ossian s Poems.\\nOrkneys. Carrickthura, 1\\nSECTION II.\\nOf the State of Society, in the Ages in which\\nFingal and Ossian are supposed to have\\nflourished. Estimate of the Character\\nand Manners of the Caledonians, by Dion\\nCassius, Herodian, Tacitus, iElian, c.\\n5", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0027.jp2"}, "28": {"fulltext": "xx CONTENTS.\\nPAGE.\\nDruidical Institutions. Silence con-\\ncerning Religion. Domestic Circum-\\nstances, id\\nSECTION TIL\\nOf the Mode in which these Poems have\\nbeen preserved, and transmitted to us\\nthrough so many Ages, 56\\nPart I.\\nThe Political Situation of Caledonia, during the\\nlast Fifteen Centuries The Dominion\\nand Influence of the Celts.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 The sup-\\nposed Invasion of Riada. The Bardic\\nOrder.\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Transmission of the Poetry of\\nHomer. Recitations of ancient Gaelic\\nPoetry, by Persons still, or very lately,\\nalive, 58\\nPart II.\\nThe unaltered State of the Language in which\\nthese Poems have been composed. The\\npeculiar Character, and idiomatic Form,\\nof the Gaelic, 97", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0028.jp2"}, "29": {"fulltext": "CONTENTS. xxi\\nPAGE.\\nSECTION IV.\\nOf particular Terms and Expressions which\\noccur in these Poems; and which Mr\\nLaing argues to have been borrowed\\nfrom other Languages. The Opinion of\\nMr Pinkerton, and of the Edinburgh\\nReviewers, examined, with regard to the\\nGallic Invaders of the Italian Territory.\\nThe copiousness of the Gaelic, in Ex-\\npressions, to denote the Appearances of\\nexternal Nature, and the Feelings and\\nPassions of the Human Mind.- Esti-\\nmate of Mr Lainsfs alleged Instances of\\nborrowed Expressions, 107\\nSECTION V.\\nMr Laing s alleged Imitations of ancient and\\nmodern Authors considered. Avowed\\nImitations; and accidental Coincidences\\nof Thought and Expression, in Authors,\\nwho could not possibly have had any\\nCommunication wilh each other. Ca-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0029.jp2"}, "30": {"fulltext": "zxii CONTENTS.\\nPAGE.\\nnons of Criticism, applicable to this Sub-\\nject, with Examples, 137\\nSECTION VI.\\nParticular Examination of Mr Laing s al-\\nleged Imitation of ancient and modern\\nAuthors. Addresses to the Sun, Moon,\\nand Evening Star. Imitations of Pope,\\nJob. Maxims of the Highlanders, con-\\ncerning the Course of Human Affairs.\\nImitations, continued in Mr Laing s\\nOrder, of Virgil, Catullus, Homer, Mil-\\nton, 156\\nSECTION VII.\\nAlleged Imitations of Sacred Scripture con-\\nsidered. Rhyme occurring in Ossian.\\nProof of the Use of Rhyme, in AVales,\\nbefore the Twelfth Century, from Gi-\\nraldus Cambrensis. Conclusion of Re-\\nmarks on Mr Laing s Criticism, 194", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0030.jp2"}, "31": {"fulltext": "CONTENTS. xxm\\nPAGE.\\nSECTION VIII.\\nEstimate of the different Collections of Gae-\\nlic Poetry which have been made by\\nMr Jerome Stone; Mr Duncan Ken-\\nnedy and Dr John Smith, 207\\nSECTION IX.\\nMr Macpherson s Collections of Gaelic Poe-\\ntry. Early Suspicions of their Authen-\\nticity. Strengthened by some Expres-\\nsions used by Mr Macpherson. Esti-\\nmate of his Abilities. His Highlander,\\nand his Translation of Homer, 248\\nSECTION X.\\nInternal Evidence of the Authenticity of these\\nPoems. Exemplified by a literal Trans-\\nlation of the Seventh Book of Temora,\\npublished, in the Original, by Mr Mac^\\npherson, at an early Period, compared\\nwith his own Translation. That Mr\\nMacpherson has, in many Instances.,\\nin his Translation, suppressed and add-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0031.jp2"}, "32": {"fulltext": "xxir CONTENTS.\\nPAGE.\\ned; and that he has frequently misun-\\nderstood his Original. Testimonies of\\nhis having been but very imperfectly\\n-skilled in the Gaelic Language, 270\\nAPPENDIX.\\nNo. I.\\nEnquiry into the Existence of the Druidical\\nOrder in Scotland, 383\\nNo. II.\\nThe Origin of Superstition, illustrated in the\\nMythology of the Poems of Ossian by\\nProfessor Richardson, 411\\nNo. III.\\nLetter of James Macpherson, Esq. to Captain\\nMorison of Greenock, 445\\nPostscript, 447", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0032.jp2"}, "33": {"fulltext": "ESSAY\\nTHE AUTHENTICITY\\nOF\\nTHE POEMS OF OSSIAN.\\nSECTION I.\\nOf the Period in which these Poems were composed.\\nConnection with Roman History. Carausius.\\nCaracalla. Appellations of Places in Ossian s\\nPoems. Orkneys. Carrickthura.\\nThe period which has been generally as-*\\nsigned as the sera of Ossian, is the begin-\\nning of the third century. It is admitted,\\nthat this deduction can be made only from", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0033.jp2"}, "34": {"fulltext": "2 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe internal evidence of the poems which\\nhave been ascribed to him. In a case like\\nthis, we can expect no collateral evidence\\nfrom the contemporary writers of Greece\\nand Rome, to whom the language of the\\nCaledonians was unknown, and by whom\\nthey themselves were accounted barbarous.\\nI am therefore disposed to consider, in\\nthe same light that Mr Laing does, the at-\\ntempt which has been made, by Mr Mac-\\npherson, to connect these poems with the\\nhistory of the Romans. What, indeed, can\\nbe more improbable, as Gibbon long ago re-\\nmarked, than that the son of Severus,\\nwho, in the Caledonian war, was known\\nonly by the name of Antoninus, should be\\ndescribed, in these Poems, by a nickname\\ninvented four years afterwards, and scarcely\\nused by the Romans, till after the death\\nof the emperor. I may add, that nothing\\ncan be more absurd than to suppose, that\\nthe inhabitants of Rome should bestow,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0034.jp2"}, "35": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 3\\nupon their emperor, a nickname of Celtic\\netymology.* On Mr Macpherson s connec-\\ntion of this period with Roman history, by\\nsupposing Caros to have been the usurper\\nCarausius, I lay equally little stress. But,\\nbecause Mr Macpherson, the translator of\\nthese poems, has chosen to imagine such\\nconnections, does it follow, that the authen-\\nticity of Ossian must stand or fall with their\\nfate Because Mr Macpherson has thought\\nit proper to identify the Balclutha of Ossian\\nwith the Alcluith of Bede, does it follow,\\nthat there was no Balclutha and that there\\nis no foundation for the interesting account\\nof the adventures of Carthon\\nIt must be observed, however, that it is\\nby no means a consequence of these admis-\\nCaracul, in Gaelic, signifies, Of the Fierce Eye;\\nbut we know, that the name of Caracallus, or Caracalla,\\nwas given, at Rome, to the emperor, on account of a gar-\\nment of a particular form, and of a similar denomina-\\ntion, which he had introduced there. See Spartian, in\\nAntonino Caracallo, p. 159.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0035.jp2"}, "36": {"fulltext": "4 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nsions, that the events, related in the poems\\nascribed to Ossian, did not take place about\\nthe period which has been generally assign-\\ned; that is, whilst the Romans occupied\\nthat part of Caledonia which lies to the\\nsouth of the wall of Antoninus. We have\\nthe authentic evidence of Roman history,\\nand of Roman remains still existing, to\\nprove, that, even in the time of Agricola,\\nthe northern and western Caledonians the\\npeople to whom these poems relate, and\\namongst whom they are said to have been\\ncomposed were a numerous and warlike\\nrace of men and that their incursions into\\nthe Roman province, in that, and during the\\nsucceeding periods of Roman domination,\\nwere frequent and formidable.\\nIn the poems, accordingly, we find, as\\nmight have been expected, many express al-\\nlusions to these encounters between the na-\\ntives and the Roman invaders. But who\\nwas the hero of the fierce eye or who", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0036.jp2"}, "37": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 5\\nwas Caros king of ships/ we cannot hope\\nto be able, at this distance of time, precisely\\nto determine.\\nIt may be remarked, that the very name\\nof Romans does not once occur in these\\npoems. As individuals are always denomi-\\nnated, by Ossian, from their personal quali-\\nties, a practice common amongst all na-\\ntions in the earlier stages of society, so\\nnations and countries, mountains and rivers,\\nreceive their appellations from the circum-\\nstances by which they are peculiarly distin-\\nguished. The Romans are, in these poems,\\ncalled the Strangers one country is\\ndenominated Innis-aaine, or, the Green\\nIsle and another Erin, or the West-\\nern Isle a hill is denominated Gormal,\\nor the Blue Hill: and a river, Carun,\\nthe Winding Stream or Balbha, il the\\nSilent.\\nBut, except in the few, the very few in-\\nstances, in which these places have retained", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0037.jp2"}, "38": {"fulltext": "6 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ntheir ancient denomination, amidst the in-\\ntermixture of tribes, and the shifting of pos-\\nsessions and interests, which have taken\\nplace, during the lapse of more than four-\\nteen centuries, it is now almost impossible\\nto determine what country, or mountain, or\\nriver, is spoken of in these poems. That\\nErin is Ireland Lochlin, some part of Scan-\\ndinavia and Morven, (Mor-bheinn,) the\\nmountainous part of Scotland, the proper\\nkingdom of Fingal, we may indeed conclude\\nwith a degree of probability approaching to\\ncertainty.\\nMr Laing, indeed, with his usual gratui-\\ntousness of assertion, observes, on this sub-\\nject, that Lochlin was a name unknown\\ntill the ninth century. That the Celtic\\nappellation of a country, with which only\\nthe Celts had intercourse, should not have\\nbeen adopted by Greek and Roman writers,\\nis precisely what might have been expected.\\nBut, in refutation of Mr Laing s assertion, it", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0038.jp2"}, "39": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 7\\nfortunately happens, that we have a Gaelic\\nmanuscript, which Mr Astle has ascertained\\nto have been written in the ninth or tenth\\ncentury and which appears to have been\\ncomposed between the fifth and eighth cen-\\nturies, in which the name of Lochlin, as ap-\\nplied in these poems, frequently occurs. Of\\nthis valuable manuscript an interesting ac-\\ncount is given, by Dr Donald Smith, in the\\nAppendix to Mr Mackenzie s Report on the\\nPoems of Ossian. Dr Smith observes also,\\nthat, in a Welsh treatise, written about the\\nend of the seventh century, we read, that\\nthe warlike Irp conducted a fleet to Llych-\\nlyn on which Mr Edward ;Llhuyd re-\\nmarks, that, by this name, we understand\\nSweden, Denmark, and Norway.\\nTo shew the fallacy of this mode of reasoning, from\\nthe circumstance, that the name of Lochlin does not oc-\\ncur in any author, with which Mr Laing is acquainted,\\nI shall only mention, that, had the small, but valuable,\\ntreatise of Tacitus, De Moribus Gcrmanorum, been lost,\\nlike many other ancient compositions, in the wreck of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0039.jp2"}, "40": {"fulltext": "S ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nMr Laing also seems to lay much stress\\non his detection of Innis-tore, (in Dr Smith s\\ncollection, Innis-ore,) as the denomination\\nof the Orkneys, to which Fingal is said to\\nhave made some noted expeditions. Mr\\nLaing learns, from Solinus, that, in A. D.\\n240, the Orkneys were altogether unin-\\nhabited. But, on what grounds he prefers,\\nin this instance, the authority of Solinus to\\nthe unquestionable testimony of Tacitus, it\\nis impossible to conjecture. That we may\\njudge of Solinus s knowledge of the Orkney\\nisles, it may be proper to observe, that he\\nstates their number to be three, instead of\\nthirty, as given by Pomponius Mela; and\\nforty, as given by Pliny. Solinus adds, that\\nthey were uninhabited. But Tacitus ex-\\npressly informs us, that the fleet of his\\nfather-in-law, Agricola, in its circumnaviga-\\ntime, the name of Englishmen (Angli) could not have\\nbeen found, at this day, in any other author, prior to the\\nperiod of Gregory the Great.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0040.jp2"}, "41": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 9\\ntion of Britain, first discovered and con-\\nquered the Orkneys. And, if Tacitus can\\nbe credited in any thing, he surely must, in\\nthis account of a transaction conducted by\\nso near a relative, and with whom, too, he\\nlived at Rome, for many }^ears after, in ha-\\nbits of the most familiar intercourse. We\\nfind Juvenal, about the same period, and in\\nallusion to the same event, speaking of the\\nModo CAPTAS\\nOrcadas, et minima contentos node Britannnos.\\nBut is it to be supposed, that the historian\\nshould relate, and the poet allude, to the\\nconquest and capture of islands which had\\nno inhabitants\\nIt does not appear, then, that any mate-\\nBreda indeed relates, (Histor. Eccles. ch. 3-) that\\nthe Orkneys were added to the Roman empire, by Clau-\\ndius, during his noted expedition to Britain. But what\\nis the value of Baeda s authority, compared with the\\nmodo captas of Juvenal, and the incognitas ad id\\ntempus Orcadas of Tacitus?", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0041.jp2"}, "42": {"fulltext": "10 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nrial circumstance, in the Poems themselves\\nhas a tendency to invalidate the opinion\\nthat they are to be referred to the period in\\nwhich the Romans occupied Caledonia, and\\neven to the commencement or middle of\\nthe third century, I speak only of the\\nPoems of Macpherson s dreams I make no\\naccount.\\nIt is true, as has been said, that it is only\\nfrom the internal evidence, furnished by the\\nPoems themselves, that we can infer the\\nperiod of their composition. But what other\\nsource of evidence could we, in this in-\\nstance, expect Could it be expected that\\nTacitus, or Herodian, or Dion Cassius, should\\ninform us, that there existed, amongst the\\nCaledonians, certain poems, of very superior\\nmerit, composed in the Celtic language, the\\npreservation and transmission of which, to\\nposterity, would well reward the labours\\nof a Greek or Roman antiquary No, sure-\\nly. The contempt, in which the Greeks and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0042.jp2"}, "43": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 11\\nRomans had been accustomed to hold all\\nother nations, whom they stigmatized with\\nthe epithet of barbarous, was an effectu-\\nal bar to their favourable opinion or even\\nto a just appreciation or report of whatever\\nmerit they might possess, either in science\\nor literature. Of all the writers of antiquity,\\nJulius Caesar seems to have displayed the\\ngreatest candour, and the fairest spirit of li-\\nberality, in giving an account of the nations\\nesteemed barbarous; an eminent instance of\\nwhich we have, in the view which he has\\ngiven us, of the^high attainments which the\\nancient philosophers of Britain had made, in\\ndifferent departments of science.*\\nI am sufficiently aware, that, until the\\nantiquity and authenticity of these Poems\\ncan be previously established, no argument\\ncan be drawn from the internal evidence\\nwhich they afford, concerning the period in\\nSee Cms. de Bell. Gull. lib. vi. c. 14.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0043.jp2"}, "44": {"fulltext": "12 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwhich they were composed. But the extent\\nof my inference is limited accordingly. I\\nwould only infer, that nothing has been ad-\\nduced from ancient history, or even from\\nthe Poems themselves, which can be fairly\\nconsidered as contradictory to the position,\\nthat they belong to the period, which has\\nbeen assigned: and, still further, I would\\nargue, that, if it can be proved, from other\\nconsiderations, that these Poems are really\\nancient, this, and no other, is the period, to\\nwhich they are to be referred.\\nIt is in this view of the^ subject, that I\\nthink it almost unnecessary to advert to\\nthe proofs of their spuriousness adduced, by\\nMr Laing, from the history of the middle\\nages. In the name of Fingal s friend, Cat-\\nhula, Mr Laing easily discerns Ketil, the\\nson of Biarno, who lived in the beginning of\\nthe tenth century. But, in order to assist\\nhis readers in discerning this, he informs\\nthem, that Cathula must be pronounced", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0044.jp2"}, "45": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. IS\\nCat-huiL Mr Laing, in this, as well as in\\nmany other articles of Gaelic erudition, has\\nbeen misled. He must suffer himself to be\\ninformed, that Cat hula is pronounced, in\\nthe Gaelic, Ca-huil, and signifies, the Eye\\nof Battle. An objection, of seemingly\\ngreater consequence, is drawn from Ossian s\\nassigning a name of Celtic etymology\\n(Carrick-thura) to the palace of the king of\\nthe Orkneys, where, at this day, he adds,\\nall the names of places are Norwegian or\\nGothic. But, it may be asked, whether\\nthe inhabitants of these isles were Goths,\\nand their language the Gothic, in the se-\\ncond and third centuries or, if they were,\\nis it not most probable, that the names, by\\nwhich places and persons, in the Orkneys,\\nwere designated by the Caledonians, were\\nof Celtic origin and imposed, by the Cale-\\ndonians, according to the distinctive charac-\\nters of the places or persons, in the usual", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0045.jp2"}, "46": {"fulltext": "14 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nmanner of early nations, and of early times?\\nIn the writings of the ancients of Greece\\nand Rome, we know, that nothing was\\nmore common than to denominate places\\nand persons, not by the names given them\\nin their own country or language, but by\\nnames constructed according to the genius\\nof the language into which they were trans-\\nferred. Thus, Ctesias, a Greek, in his As-\\nsyrian history, borrowed from records,\\nwhich he found in the court of Persia,\\nuniformly gives to the kings, not their As-\\nsyrian names, which he found in the record,\\nbut names of Greek etymology, which he\\nconsidered as of similar import. Diodorus\\nSiculus, in his account of Egypt, gives to\\nthe heroes of that country, not their Egyp-\\ntian names, but Greek names, which he\\nconsidered as bearing the same significa-\\ntion. This practice, so common amongst\\nancient writers, seems to arise naturally", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0046.jp2"}, "47": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 15\\nfrom that state of society, in which deno-\\nminations are given to individuals, which\\nare designed to be descriptive of their pecu-\\nliar qualities.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0047.jp2"}, "48": {"fulltext": "16 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nSECTION II.\\nOf the State of Society in the Ages in which Fingal\\nand Ossian are supposed to have flourished. Es-\\ntimate of the Character and Manners of the Ca-\\nledonians, by Dion Cassias, Herodian, Tacitus,\\nMlian, fyc. Druidical Institutions. Silence\\nconcerning Religion. Domestic circumstances.\\ni he Greeks and Romans, in the pride of\\nsuperior civilization, bestowed the epithet of\\nbarbarous on all other nations. It is no\\nwonder, then, that the Caledonians, a people\\nstill in the first stages of society, were sub-\\njected to that appellation. Yet, before we\\nproceed, let us endeavour *to form a fair es-\\ntimate of what is reported of their character\\nand manners, by the most respectable au-\\nthors of Greece and Rome.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0048.jp2"}, "49": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 17\\nOf all the ancients, who have given us an\\naccount of the manners of our Caledonian\\nancestors, Dion Cassius and Herodian have\\ndrawn the most unfavourable pictures. Yet\\nwhat is the amount of all that Dion advan-\\nces He tells us, that the country is rug-\\nged and bleak that the inhabitants sub-\\nsist chiefly by hunting, and pasturage, and\\n(i on fruits that they are addicted to plun-\\nder that they fight from cars that their\\ninfantry is firm in action, and rapid, either\\nin pursuit or flight that their arms are a\\nshield, a dart, and a dagger, with a ball of\\nmetal at the point to astonish the enemy\\nwith the sound, when it is brandished.\\nDion farther bears witness to their hardiness\\nin enduring hunger, and fatigue, and cold.\\nTacitus, a far more respectable authority, in point\\nof acuteness, as well as opportunity of information, tells\\nus, that they wore very large swords, (ingentes gladii.)\\nAgric. c. 36.\\nB", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0049.jp2"}, "50": {"fulltext": "13 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nHe adds, that they have their women in\\ncommon.\\nNow, I confess, that, in all this testimony,\\nif we except the last circumstance, which\\nMr Laing himself candidly rejects, I can\\nperceive nothing but that ordinary admixture\\nof violence and of bravery, of ferocity and of\\ngenerosity, which constitutes the character\\nof nations, in the earlier stages of society.\\nThe testimony of Herodian is very nearly\\nthe same, to the character of hardiness, and\\nintrepidity in swimming and wading over\\ntheir rivers and morasses, without regard to\\nthe inclemencies of the weather, exertions,\\non which the Romans prided themselves in\\nthe polished days of Horace he adds the\\ncommon account of their painting their\\nbodies and of their propensity to war and\\nshedding of blood. Jerome, an eye-witness,\\nis cited, as asserting, that the Attacotti, (who,\\nhowever, by the consent of all, did not inha-\\nbit Caledonia, in the period assigned to Fin-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0050.jp2"}, "51": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 19\\ngal,) were addicted to eating human flesh.\\nThis also Mr Laing very candidly rejects.\\nSuch is the amount of the testimony of\\nthose ancient writers, concerning the barba-\\nrism of the Caledonians. But why did Mr\\nLaing, in elaborating this point, throw the\\nunquestionable authority of Tacitus into the\\nshade For I must, in this instance, as be-\\nfore, call his authority unquestionable be-\\ncause he enjoyed the best opportunities of\\nbeing informed. His father-in-law, Agri-\\ncola, had been, during the space of about\\nseven years, commander of the Roman forces\\nin Britain; he had penetrated farther into\\nCaledonia than any that had preceded him\\nand, after his return to Rome, his son-in-law\\nlived with him, for many years, in habits of\\nthe utmost confidence and intimacy.\\nIn speaking of the Britons in general,\\nTacitus furnishes us with an instance of ci-\\nvilization, which is commonly, and most\\njustly, esteemed the criterion of polished so-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0051.jp2"}, "52": {"fulltext": "20 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nciety namely, the high respect which was\\npaid to the female character; the distin-\\nguished rank assigned to the women and\\nthe value, in which their opinion was held,\\nin the most important transactions. He\\ntells us, that the Britons were wont to\\nmake war under the conduct of females\\nand that they placed their wives near the\\nfield of battle, that they might witness the\\nsuccesses of their husbands. To assign\\na high importance to females, seems, indeed,\\nto be a common feature in the character of\\na people, in the earlier stages of society;\\nand it appears not a little singular, that\\nnations revert to this same sentiment, in\\ntheir most polished periods. Tacitus says,\\nthat the Germans thought, that there re-\\nsided in females, something sacred and\\nprescient; they neither reject, says he,\\ntheir counsels, nor neglect their responses.\\nTac. Ann. lib. xiv. c. 34. 35.; De Mor. Germ. c. 8.;\\nand Caes. Bell. Gall. lib. i. c. 51.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0054.jp2"}, "53": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 21\\nThis, too, is a distinguishing feature in\\nthe manners described by Ossian; and, to\\nthose who have not attended to this remark-\\nable trait in the history of the Celts, it has\\nfurnished an argument against the authen-\\nticity of these poems. It is certain, that,\\nthough the chief elegancies of life, and the\\nmost refined charms of modern society, have\\narisen from the influence of female character\\nand manners, this refinement was altogether\\nunknown to the Greeks and Romans, in\\ntheir most polished times. In this respect,\\nthey were, according to every feeling of mo-\\ndern times, themselves barbarians It is humi-\\nliating to the nature of man to reflect, that\\ntheir highest attainments, in the elegancies\\nof life, consisted in increasing the modes of\\nluxury, and in multiplying the resources of\\nsensuality. In the high consideration, in\\nwhich the female character was held amongst\\nthe Celts, on the other hand, we are furnish-\\ned with a pleasing picture, which verifies its", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0055.jp2"}, "54": {"fulltext": "n ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ngenuineness, by the simplicity of its traits.\\nIt is a picture, which is exhibited, on all oc-\\ncasions, by Ossian; and so far is it from\\nsuggesting an argument of modern fabrica-\\ntion, that it evidently affords an internal\\ncharacter of truth, and an indelible impres-\\nsion of authenticity, stamped by the just re-\\npresentation of ancient Celtic manners.\\nIn speaking of Caledonia particularly,\\nTacitus takes notice of ample states beyond\\nthe Forth and bears honourable testimony\\nto their skill in warlike operations. We find\\nthem, previous to the celebrated battle of the\\nGrampians, with the wisest counsels; sending\\nembassies to the surrounding states; form-\\ning alliances; and adopting every measure\\nwhich prudence could suggest, or valour at-\\nchieve, in order to repel the impending dan-\\nger. Above thirty thousand armed men,\\nbesides the daily accession of young men,\\nTac. Agric. c. 25. et seq.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0056.jp2"}, "55": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 23\\nand of aged heroes, famed in war, as-\\nsemble under Galgacus, whom, by common\\nconsent, according to the usual manner of\\nthe Celtic nations, they had chosen for their\\nleader. Immediately before the battle, Gal-\\ngacus addresses his soldiers, in a speech, full\\nof good sense and knowledge of the respec-\\ntive interests of the contending parties full\\nof temperate valour and patriotic eloquence.\\nMaking every due allowance for the manner\\nof the ancient writers, of framing speeches\\nfor the personages whom they introduce, it\\nseems scarcely possible to suppose, that such\\na writer as Tacitus could, without some\\nfoundation in fact, put such a speech as this\\ninto the mouth of a mere savage.\\nThe conduct of the battle, too, s on the\\npart of the Caledonians, evinces, notwith-\\nstanding their final defeat, very considerable\\njudgment and military skill. Their masterly\\nevolutions and undaunted bravery had, more\\nthan once, by the acknowledgment of the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0057.jp2"}, "56": {"fulltext": "24 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nhistorian, rendered the issue of the day\\ndoubtful. Such is the testimony of Tacitus;\\nand I would ask, if this be the picture of\\na nation of naked sanguinary barbarians,\\narmed with a shield, a dart, and a dagger;\\nalmost destitute of iron, which they prized\\nlike gold 5 and living promiscuously in\\nwattled booths\\nTo the generosity and bravery of the\\nCelts, of whom the Caledonians are unques-\\ntionably to be reckoned a branch, iElian,\\nwho wrote about the period under our con-\\nsideration, bears the most honourable wit-\\nness To this contempt of danger, he\\nadds, they are prompted by songs, in ho-\\nnour of those who have bravely fallen, and\\nby trophies and monuments dedicated to\\nthem, after the manner of the Greeks. f\\nAristotle, too, had, many centuries before,\\nborne witness to the undaunted heroism of\\nSee Laing s Dissertation, p. 395.\\nt iElian Hist. Var. lib. xii. c. 23.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0058.jp2"}, "57": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 25\\nthe Celts, which he even seems to reckon\\nto have bordered on unwarrantable rash-\\nness They fear, says he, neither earth-\\nquakes, nor the waves of the sea. And\\nArrian testifies, that they said to Alexander,\\nthat they were afraid of nothing, but lest\\nthe heavens should tumble down.\\nThe truth seems to be, that we are not\\nwarranted, by any just principle of reason-\\ning, in forming conclusions beforehand con-\\ncerning the various shades of distinction,\\nwhich, under different circumstances, may\\nmark the manners of any particular nation,\\nor period of society. In order to conclude\\njustly, a previous or collateral acquaintance\\nwith the particular nation, or state of so-\\nciety, is indispensably necessary. With re-\\ngard to China, for instance, unless we had\\nthe indubitable evidence of historians and\\ntravellers, how difficult would it be to con?\\nArist. Eth. lib. iii. c. 7.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0059.jp2"}, "58": {"fulltext": "26 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nceive, that, for more than two thousand\\nyears, the state of society, of arts, of science,\\nand of agriculture, has been stationary;\\nwhilst, in every other nation of the earth,\\nthese circumstances have undergone innu-\\nmerable and incalculable changes Who\\ncould predicate of the sequestered inhabit-\\nants of the Pelew islands all the gentleness\\nand humanity of European manners or of\\nthe Otaheitans, the dissipation of the latter\\nages of Rome, joined to the mildness and\\ndocility of the most polished people of mo-\\ndern times?\\nOn this ground, it would seem, that we\\nare not warranted to attribute absolute bar-\\nbarism to our Caledonian ancestors, merely\\nfrom the consideration of the country and\\nperiod in which they lived, and the state of\\nsociety in some contemporary nations. We\\nshould allow its just weight to every scat-\\ntered hint furnished by writers of undoubted\\ncredit and to every accidental circum-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0060.jp2"}, "59": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 27\\nstance which may have had any influence in\\ncharacterising the manners and condition\\nof the people.\\nThough the Caledonians had not, at this\\nperiod, arrived at those refinements, which\\ndistinguish the commercial, or even the agri-\\ncultural state of society, yet it appears, from\\nthe testimony of the authors who have been\\ncited, that their population was very consi-\\nderable that they were well versed in the\\nart of war that they possessed a high ge-\\nnerosity of mind and that they placed their\\nchief glory in independence.\\nWe know, that the mode of living, the\\ndomestic accommodations, and even the\\nexternal scenery, which daily strikes the\\neye, have a powerful influence in forming\\nthe character, and in giving a tone to the\\nideas of a people. Even in the Highlanders\\nof the present day, whose characters have\\nnot undergone a change by the contact of\\nforeign manners, we may still trace the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0061.jp2"}, "60": {"fulltext": "28 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nmode of thinking and of acting, which dis-\\ntinguishes the personages of Ossian. Ac-\\ncustomed to traverse vast tracts of country,\\nwhich have never been subjected to the hand\\nof art; contemplating, every day, the most\\ndiversified scenery; surrounded everywhere\\nby wild and magnificent objects by moun-\\ntains, and lakes, and forests, the mind of\\nthe Highlander is expanded, and partakes,\\nin some measure, of the rude sublimity of\\nthe objects with which he is conversant.\\nPursuing the chace, in regions not peopled\\naccording to their extent, he often finds him-\\nself alone in the gloomy desart, or by the\\nmargin of the dark frowning deep his ima-\\ngination, tinged with pleasing melancholy,\\nfinds society in the passing breeze, and he\\nbeholds the airy forms of his fathers descend-\\ning on the skirts of the cloud. When the\\ntempest howls over the heath, and the ele-\\nments are mixed in dire uproar, he recogni-\\nzes the angry spirit of the storm, and he re-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0062.jp2"}, "61": {"fulltext": "of ossian s poems. 29\\ntires to his secret cave. Such is, at this day,\\nthe tone of mind which characterizes the\\nHighlander, who has not lost the distinctive\\nmarks of his race by commerce with stran-\\ngers; and such, too, is the picture which has\\nbeen drawn by Ossian.\\nNor need we be altogether surprised at\\nthe sublimity of sentiment, and generosity\\nof manners, which are ascribed to his per-\\nsonages by Ossian, if we take into account\\nsome peculiar institutions, which we may\\nconclude, upon the best grounds, to have\\nexisted, in Caledonia, at a still earlier period.\\nThe principal of these was, that of the Drui-\\ndical order, together with its appendage, that\\nof the Bards and if, soon after the period\\nof Ossian, his countrymen did sink into\\ndeep barbarism, it is chiefly to the abolition\\nof that illustrious hierarchy, that this strik-\\ning change must be attributed.*\\nAware that the existence of the druidical order in", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0063.jp2"}, "62": {"fulltext": "SO ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nThe Druids, according to the universal tes-\\ntimony of antiquity, were highly distin-\\nguished by their attainments in every de-\\npartment of the most valuable science. They\\ntaught, as we are informed by the unques-\\ntionable testimony of Julius Caesar, f the\\nimmortality of the soul; in common with\\nthe Magi of the East, from whom, it is pro-\\nbable, as Pliny insinuates, J that they deri-\\nved their philosophy, they held the doctrine\\nof transmigration they taught the science\\nof the stars, and of their motions they in-\\nstructed the youth, that resorted to them,\\nin physics, or concerning the general nature\\nof things and, ascending to the mysteries\\nof theology, they taught the doctrine of the\\nimmortal Gods. Strabo (lib. iv.) informs us,\\nto the same purpose, that the Druids taught\\nScotland has been denied by some, I reserve the proofs\\nof their establishment there for a separate dissertation.\\nf Cces. Bell. Gall. lib. vi. c. 14. 15.\\nt Hist. Nat. lib. xxx. c. 4. and Pomp. Mela, lib. iii.\\nc. 1.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0064.jp2"}, "63": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 31\\nthe immortality of the soul Affaprae rat\\ntyx A hiyovai And Lucan says,\\nVobis auctoribus umbm\\nNon tacitas Erebi sedts, ditisque profundi\\nPallida regnapetunt; regit enim spiritus artus,\\nOrbe alio longa, canitis si cognita, vitce.\\nPomponius Mela (lib. iii.) informs us, that\\nthe Druids profess to know the magnitude\\nand form of the earth and of the world*\\nthe motions of the heaven and of the stars,\\nand the will of the gods.\\nIn these sublime and important studies,\\nthe disciples of the Druids spent sometimes\\nno less than the space of twenty years. All\\ntheir science and history were committed to\\nmemory alone. Though the art of writing\\nwas known amongst them, it was held un-\\nlawful to commit their doctrines to wri-\\nting. Caesar accordingly adds, that it was\\nusual, for the disciples of the Druids, to com-\\nmit a vast number of verses, in which, no", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0065.jp2"}, "64": {"fulltext": "32 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ndoubt, their science was contained, to me-\\nmory.\\nWe have here, it must be acknowledged,\\na very respectable view afforded us of the\\nphilosophy of the Druids, by an author,\\nwhom all will allow to have been a compe-\\ntent judge.\\nThough this hierarchy had been extermi-\\nnated in Caledonia, according to tradition,\\nsomewhat prior to the period of Ossian, and,\\nin England, according to Tacitus, somewhat\\nearlier still, yet so recently had their cata-\\nstrophe taken place, that Ossian might have\\nhad a full opportunity of acquiring the\\nknowledge which they taught or, at least,\\nthat portion of it which was usually commu-\\nnicated to the bards. Persons of the high-\\nest rank accounted it honourable to be\\ninitiated in the mysteries of the Druids**\\nDocent multa nobilissimos gentis, clam et diu, vicenis\\nannis, in specu et abditis saltibus. Pompon. Mela. lib. iii.\\nc. 1.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0066.jp2"}, "65": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 33\\nCicero informs us, that Divitiacus, the\\nJEduan, with whom he was personally ac-\\nquainted, was of this order and that, from\\nhis knowledge of nature, partly by augu-\\nries, and partly by conjecture, he said,\\nthat he could foretel what was to hap-\\npen. f It can scarcely be doubted, that\\nthe son of Fingal took occasion to imbibe\\nsome portion of this knowledge, and to im-\\nprove his sublime genius, by all the acquisi-\\ntions that were within his reach.\\nOf the occasion and manner of the over-\\nthrow of the Druidical order in Scotland, we\\ncan expect no account from the writers of\\nGreece and Rome, as it was a domestic\\ntransaction, with which the Romans had no\\nconcern and it is surely worthy of remark,\\nCic. de Divinatione, lib. 1.\\nf They instruct, says Pomponius Mela, (lib. iii.\\nc. 1.) persons of the highest rank, in secret, and for a\\nlong time,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 during twenty years,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 in caves, and reti-\\nred recesses.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0067.jp2"}, "66": {"fulltext": "34 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthat, had not the destruction of the Druids\\nin Anglesea been particularly connected\\nwith the operations of the Roman army un-\\nder Ostorius, it is probable, that we should\\nhave had no evidence from Tacitus, at least,\\nthat this order had ever existed in England.\\nThe account of the overthrow of the Drui-\\ndical hierarchy, which is handed down by\\ntradition, is, at least, far from being impro-\\nbable viz. That the princes of the Fingal-\\nlian dynasty, who had been originally elected\\nto the supremacy, according to the manner\\nof the Celtic nations, only for the impend-\\ning occasion, feeling themselves, at length,\\nfirmly established in their power, refused to\\nresign it, as had always hitherto been done,\\nto the Druids and that, in the struggle, the\\nDruids fell, and were finally extirpated.\\nHere it may not be improper to remark,\\nthat, in two poems, published by Dr Smith\\nin his collection, one entitled, Dargo, the\\nSon of the Druid of Bel, and the other,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0068.jp2"}, "67": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 35\\nConn, the Son of Dargo, (which, if not\\nthe most poetical, are surely, of the whole\\ncollection, the most interesting in a histori-\\ncal view,) we have a particular, and very\\nstriking account of the progress and issue of\\nthe contest between the Druids and the\\nhouse of Fingal.\\nHere, then, we find, in Celtic Caledonia,\\nan illustrious order of sages, who, during a\\nlong period, had poured a stream of light on\\nthese northern lands. Happily, before it\\nwas extinguished, the transcendent genius\\nof Ullin and Ossian, of Alpin and Carril,\\nhad caught the irradiation of its departing\\nsplendour. They had imbibed, even from its\\ndeclining lustre, a refinement of ideas, an\\nelevation of sentiment, and an elegance of\\npoetical composition, which we still admire,\\nbut which, when we take into account the\\ndiscipline in which they were initiated,\\nshould not excite our surprise. Those cele-\\nbrated men have left behind them a mass of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0069.jp2"}, "68": {"fulltext": "36 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\npoetry, to which a succession of bards, ex-\\ntending through more than fourteen cen-\\nturies, have been able to add nothing -but,\\nconscious of their immense inferiority, have\\nsatisfied themselves, during the darkness\\nwhich ensued, with committing to memory,\\nand reciting, the productions of happier\\ntimes.\\nThis asra, so illustrious in poetry and in\\narms, is termed, in Highland tradition,\\ncurrent at this day, An Fheine an ex-\\npression which it is difficult to render into\\nany other language, without a periphrasis. It,\\nfor the most part, signifies the Fingallian\\nrace, or that dynasty of heroes, which be-\\ngins with Trenmor and ends with Ossian. It\\nsometimes denominates the period of time,\\nduring which that dynasty subsisted; and,\\nsometimes, the whole race of men, who lived\\nduring that period.\\nMr Laing s grand argument, against the\\nantiquity and authenticity of these Poems,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0070.jp2"}, "69": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 37\\nis founded on the utter improbability, that\\nsuch a period of refinement, as this, existed\\namongst the Caledonians, previously to that\\nbarbarism, into which they have been found,\\na few centuries afterwards, to have sunk.\\nThis argument is detailed, in the first vo-\\nlume of his History of Scotland, (p. 44.) and,\\nin the opening of his Dissertation, it is pro-\\nnounced by him to be unanswerable.\\nBut, I may be permitted to ask, whether\\nthe history of nations is not full of similar\\ninstances of change in the condition of so-\\nciety Let us look back, for a moment, to\\nancient Egypt, the cradle of the sciences\\nand the stupendous monuments of whose\\nprogress in philosophy, and in the arts, have\\nbid defiance to the depredations of time,\\nand of the elements. Do we not there be-\\nhold a people passing from the height of re-\\nfinement to the most sordid ignorance, and\\nto the lowest degrees of barbarism From\\nEgypt, let us turn our eyes to Greece, the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0071.jp2"}, "70": {"fulltext": "38 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nfavourite seat of the Muses, the country of\\nHesiod, of Homer, and of Sappho. We see\\nthe modern Greeks the prey of Turkish\\ninsolence, and of the most abject igno-\\nrance.\\nIt is true, that none of those disastrous\\nreverses have been brought about without a\\ncause that can be easily assigned. Egypt\\nand Greece have been desolated by foreign\\ninvasion; and, though Caledonia has re-\\nmained at all times inviolated by a foreign\\nfoe, may not her relapse into barbarism be\\nsufficiently accounted for, by the destruc-\\ntion of that order of philosophers, which had\\nformerly enlightened her, and by the extinc-\\ntion of the illustrious house of Fingal, by\\nwhich she was left a prey, for many subse-\\nquent ages, to the anarchical rivalship of\\nchieftains of inferior note\\nWith regard to the silence, which has\\nbeen alleged to prevail, in these Poems, on\\nthe subject of religious sentiment, it is pre-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0072.jp2"}, "71": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 3d\\nsumed that the estimate has not been fairly\\nmade. There is certainly to be found, in\\nOssian, a mythology which possesses much\\ninterest and beauty it is of a peculiar kind\\nindeed, but sufficiently marked, and appa-\\nrently very natural, for a people in the ear-\\nlier stages of society to have formed. It\\nappears, from innumerable passages in Os-\\nsian, that it was the general opinion of his\\ncountrymen, that their ancestors existed in\\na disembodied state that they dwelt in the\\nairy halls of the clouds; that they continued\\nstill to interest themselves in the conduct\\nand fortunes of their offspring; that they\\npossessed a prescience of future events, of\\nwhich they sometimes gave intimations to\\ntheir living relatives and, finally, that they\\npossessed certain influences over the ele-\\nments, as well as over the affairs of mortals.\\nI am obligingly permitted, by my respected\\nfriend, Professor Richardson, of Glasgow\\ncollege, to subjoin an elegant and philoso-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0073.jp2"}, "72": {"fulltext": "40 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nphical deduction of the Ossianic mythology,\\nwhich was written by him, at an early period,\\nafter the first publication of Mr Macpher-\\nson s translations.*\\nIt is certain, that a sense of religion, and\\na reverence for superior powers, who are\\nsupposed to influence the fortunes and hap-\\npiness of men, is natural to the human mind,\\nand has been found, in some degree, and\\nunder various modifications, to prevail in\\nevery state of human society. In some na-\\ntions, the influence of this principle has\\nbeen greater, and in others less. Amongst\\nthe Celts, it appears, from the passages cited\\nfrom Aristotle and from Arrian, that the re-\\nverence entertained for superior powers was\\nslight; and we are furnished by travellers\\nwith similar traits of nations placed in simi-\\nlar circumstances of society. Mr Weld, in\\nhis Travels in North America, f tells us,\\nSee Appendix, No. II.\\nt Weld s Travels, vol. ii. p. 2S6.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0074.jp2"}, "73": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 41\\nthat some tribes of the Indians have more\\ndevotion than others and that the Shaw-\\nanese, in particular, have little fear of evil\\nspirits. Mr Barrow, in his Travels in\\nSouth Africa, furnishes us with various in-\\nstances of similar sentiment.\\nStill, however, it might have been expect-\\ned, that, amongst the Caledonians, accus-\\ntomed for so many ages to the Druidical in-\\nstitutions, in which superstitious obser-\\nvances, and sacrifices to the gods, bore so\\nconspicuous a part, many traces of the an-\\ncient and national religion might be met\\nwith, even in the days of Ossian. That\\nwe have, in these Poems, abundant allusions\\nto the peculiar mythology of the Caledo-\\nnians, has been already remarked. And,\\nwith regard to the total silence which pre-\\nvails, in these Poems, concerning the higher\\nmysteries of the Druids, it would seem, that\\nit is a circumstance which might have been\\nexpected, and which may be easily explained.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0075.jp2"}, "74": {"fulltext": "42 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nWe are informed, by the most respectable\\nwriters of antiquity, that the Celtic hier-\\narchy was divided into several classes, to\\neach of which its own particular department\\nwas assigned.* The Druids, by the consent\\nof all, constituted the highest class; the\\nBards seem to have been the next in rank\\nand the Eubages the lowest. Without en-\\ntering, at present, into any discussion con-\\ncerning the particular departments of those\\nseveral classes, it is sufficient to remark,\\nthat, according to Ammianus, the higher\\nmysteries of religion, and probably, also, the\\nscience of the occult powers of nature,\\nwhich they had discovered, constituted the\\ndepartment of the Druids. To the Bards,\\nagain, it is allowed by all, were committed\\nthe celebration of the heroic atchievements\\nStrabo, lib. 4. Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. 15.\\nThe former distinguishes these orders by the titles of\\nBards, Vates, and Druids the latter, by those of\\nDruids, Bards, and Eubages.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0076.jp2"}, "75": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 43\\nof their warriors, and the public record of\\nthe history of the nation.\\nBut we know, that in every polity, which\\ndepends upon mystery, as that of the Druids\\nundoubtedly did, the inferior orders are se-\\ndulously prevented from encroaching upon\\nthe pale of those immediately above them,\\nby the mysteries which constitute their pe-\\nculiar badge. To be admitted to these, a\\ncertain period of probation, and specific\\nforms of initiation, are indispensibly requi-\\nsite. Ca3sar expressly informs us, that the\\nDruids excluded the lower orders from the\\nknowledge of their institutions and we can\\nhave no doubt, that their own disciples had\\nthose mysteries communicated to them only\\naccording to the rank which they had at-\\ntained, and the degree to which they had\\nbeen admitted.\\nThe Druids, as has been said, possessed,\\nexclusively, the higher mysteries of religion.\\nThe Bards, the order next in dignity, had a", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0077.jp2"}, "76": {"fulltext": "44 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ndifferent department assigned to them. Is\\nit not probable, then, that the latter were\\nexpressly prohibited from encroaching upon\\nthe province of their superiors, by inter-\\nmingling religion, if they had any know-\\nledge of its mysteries, which it is likely they\\nhad not, with the secular subjects of their\\nsong\\nThus, then, we seem warranted to con-\\nclude upon this subject By the time that\\nOssian flourished, the higher order of this\\nhierarchy had been destroyed; and, in all\\nprobability, the peculiar mysteries which\\nthey taught had perished along with them\\nand, even if any traces of them remained,\\nsuch is the force of habit, and the venera-\\ntion which men entertain for the institutions\\nin which they have been educated, that it is\\nno wonder that the bards religiously forbore\\nto tread on ground, from which they had,\\nat all times, by the most awful sanctions,\\nbeen excluded.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0078.jp2"}, "77": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 45\\nIn this view of the subject, it would seem,\\nthat the silence which prevails in these Poems,\\nwith regard to the higher mysteries of religi-\\non, instead of furnishing an argument against\\ntheir authenticity, affords a strong presump-\\ntion of their having been composed at the\\nvery time, in the very circumstances, and by\\nthe very persons to whom they have been\\nattributed. Indeed, had there been any ac-\\ncount given, in these Poems, of the secret\\nrites, and horrid immolations, of the Belt em\\nand of the Sarnhin* there might have been\\nsome ground to question their authentici-\\nty and to have ascribed them to a modern,\\nwho, though versed in these still prevalent\\nThe Beltein is the fire of Belis, or the Sun,\\nkindled on the first of May, and still retained as the\\nname of that season. The Samhin is the Fire of\\nPeace, still celebrated in the Highlands, and other\\nparts of Scotland, on Hallow-eve, by kindling fires on\\nthe tops of hills, and by many other superstitious rites,\\nwhich are evidently to be considered as reliques of\\nDruidism. See Appendix.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0079.jp2"}, "78": {"fulltext": "46 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nsuperstitions, had not judgment to discern\\nthe line by which the sacred ceremonies of\\nthe Druids were separated and concealed\\nfrom vulgar observation.\\nMr Laing remarks, that, from the ge-\\nnuine Ossian, we should obtain, if not an\\naccurate delineation of the characters of\\nhis contemporaries, at least some insight\\ninto the domestic manners and occupa-\\ntions of the early Caledonians but here,\\nsays he, we have only the ideal manners\\nof romance, the insipid outlines of perfect\\nsentimental heroes.\\nIt is foreign, as I have observed before,\\nfrom my purpose, to offer any thing con-\\ncerning the merit or demerit of these com-\\npositions. They are before the public and\\nthe public appreciation of their value will\\nnot probably be much affected by Mr Laing s\\nopinion or mine. Dr Blair pronounces Os-\\nDissertation, p. 398.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0080.jp2"}, "79": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 47\\nBtan superior to Virgil, whose heroes, it\\nmust be allowed, are insipid enough, in the\\ndelineation of character. In the characters\\nofCuchullin, of Connal, and ofCalmar, ana\\nespecially in those ot Fingal, Calhmor, Cair-\\nbar, and Connan, one should think that the\\ntraits are drawn with a distinctness as well\\nas boldness of pencil, sufficient to satisfy the\\nmost fastidious critic.\\nWith regard to the inferiority of Ossian\\nto Homer, in the delineation of domestic\\nmanners and arts, whilst I join most readily\\nin yielding- the palm to the great Father of\\nPoetry, I may he permitted to remark, that\\nthe object of Homers poetry was very dif-\\nferent from that of the Caledonian bard*\\nHomer lived more than a century and a half\\nafter the events which he celebrates. His\\nobject, both in the Iliad and the Odyssey,\\nwas to compose a work addressed to the ima-\\ngination. In the former, adopting the basis\\nof his facts from a history, which was repu-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0081.jp2"}, "80": {"fulltext": "48 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nted real, he embellishes these facts by every\\nspecies of fiction, and hesitates not to call\\nin to his aid every sort of supernatural ma-\\nchinery. In the Odyssey, again, he makes\\nthe supposed wanderings of his hero the\\nvehicle for a surprising tissue of adventures,\\nand for a pleasing description of the man-\\nners and customs of various nations. In a\\nplan like this, there was ample room for\\nevery species of embellishment, and the in-\\ntroduction of every image, that is calculated\\nto please, might justly be expected.\\nBut the object of the Celtic bard, upon\\nthe other hand, was to relate, in verse in-\\ndeed, or in a measured diction, for the ease\\nof the memory, subjects of true history. He\\nwas limited, by his office, to the celebration of\\nillustrious events, and the transactions of il-\\nlustrious persons, chiefly his own contempo-\\nraries but, to the detail of domestic events\\nand characters, he could as seldom descend\\nas Thucydides or Livy. He was not preclu^", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0082.jp2"}, "81": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 49\\nded, indeed, from the graces of poetry, but\\nthese must be employed only to adorn real\\nevents and characters, or to embellish the\\ndescriptions of external nature. Fictitious\\ncircumstances were altogether denied to him.\\nThe bard was, in fact, more properly a his-\\ntorian than a poet. The occurrences of or-\\ndinary life, however well adapted to certain\\nkinds of poetical composition, belonged not\\nto his department.\\nStill, however, it may be remarked, that\\nthese Poems occasionally furnish many in-\\nteresting views of the manners and mode of\\nliving which prevailed in that period of so-\\nciety, to which they relate. It would be\\namusing, and perhaps instructive, to collect\\nthose scattered traits, and to form from them\\na more precise picture of the state of so-\\nciety, in those ages, than has hitherto been\\nexhibited. This, however, cannot be advan-\\ntageously done till the whole of the originals\\nare before the public. The translations, even\\np", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0083.jp2"}, "82": {"fulltext": "50 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nof Mr Macpherson, as shall be shewn, arc\\nnot to be relied on.\\nUnder the head of Manners and Cus-\\ntoms, Mr Laing (with what propriety is\\nnot very obvious) urges some strange topics\\nof detection, which it will not be difficult to\\nrefute.\\nHe remarks, that the aspin, or trembling\\npoplar, the crithean, or cran na critk, of\\nthe Celts, so often mentioned in these Poems,\\nis a foreign tree, and not a native of Scot-\\nland. Here it appears, that the learned\\ngentleman has chosen to occupy ground to\\nwhich he is a stranger. It is a point suffi-\\nciently established amongst naturalists, that\\nthe popiilus tremida, or aspin, is indigenous\\nto Scotland I can point it out, in the ut-\\nmost profusion, in the Highlands, growing\\non the margin of lakes, and in the crevices\\nof rocks. Were it worth while, on a point\\nso undeniable, I could cite the authority of\\none of the first names in natural history, to", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0084.jp2"}, "83": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS, 5l\\nwhom I shewed it last season, growing in\\nabundance on the shores of Loch-Ketturin,\\nin Perthshire.\\nWith equal gratuitousness, the yew-tree,\\nthe iubhar, or iuar of the Highlanders, is as-\\nserted to be certainly not indigenous.\\nBut it is certain, I must affirm, that the yew-\\ntree has always been, and still is, a native of\\nScotland. Lightfoot, in his Flora Scotica,\\nholds it to be such, on the authority of Dr\\nStuart of Luss, the first name, at this day,\\nin the science of the plants of his native\\nHighlands. There are innumerable places\\nin Scotland, which still have their denomi-\\nnation from this tree, according to the ordi-\\nnary use of giving names to places, from the\\nspecies of trees with which they chiefly\\nabound; thus, Glen-iuir, the Glen of\\nYews; Dunure, or Dun-mh\\\\ the Hill\\nof Yews, c. Giraldus Cambrensis in-\\nGiraldus, Topographia Hibernian pars i. c. 5.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0085.jp2"}, "84": {"fulltext": "52 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nforms us, that the yew-tree grew in such\\nabundance in Ireland, that the scarcity of\\nbees, in that country, is, in part, to be ascri-\\nbed to this cause. But, if it abounded in\\nIreland, how can it be denied to Scotland,\\nso nearly of the same soil and climate Not-\\nwithstanding the general attempts to extir-\\npate it, on account of its noxious qualities,\\nit still grows in some parts of Scotland.\\nOf the legitimacy of Mr Laing s argu-\\nment, drawn from the silence of Ossian\\nconcerning certain productions and animals\\nwhich must have existed in Scotland, in his\\ndays, I entertain considerable doubt. The\\nmention of the wild boar, it is observed, oc-\\ncurs only once in Macpherson s translation.\\nBut what, I would ask, can be inferred from\\nthis circumstance? Might not the authenti-\\ncity of the poems ascribed to Virgil be ques-\\ntioned, on the same ground, who, though\\nhis ten Eclogues relate exclusively to shep-\\nherds and flocks, and his Georgics to pasto-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0086.jp2"}, "85": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 53\\nral and agricultural economy, makes men-\\ntion of the fox only once, in the whole com-\\npass of his poems f In the Seandana, a\\ncollection of Gaelic poems published by Dr\\nSmith, which, notwithstanding many in-\\nequalities, and innumerable interpolations,\\ncontains much poetry, which is undoubtedly\\nancient, and of very high merit, we meet\\nwith frequent mention of the wolf:f and\\nthe whole of the poem of Diarmid, in that\\ncollection, relates to the hunting of the wild\\nboar.\\nAs to the charge of the absence of all sort\\nof allusion to frost in these Poems, without\\ntaking advantage of the observation of Ta-\\ncitus, concerning the mildness of the cli-\\nmate, I must say, that it is totally unfound-\\nVirg. Eel. iii. v. 91.\\nf See Finnan and Lorma, and Conn, p. 252. It is\\nsingular, that Dr Smith apologizes (Gaelic Antiq.\\np. 210.) for the omission of all mention of the wolf,\\nthough it occurs in the poems given by himself.\\nTac. Agr. c. 12. Asperitas frigorum abest", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0087.jp2"}, "86": {"fulltext": "54 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ned. The opening of the eighth book of Te-\\nmora furnishes a magnificent image, derived\\nfrom frost and, in Dr Smith s Collection,\\nwe have innumerable allusions to the same\\nobject, though, even in his own translation,\\nthese are sometimes, according to his usual\\nmanner, mutilated and lost.* The singular\\ncircumstances, in which we are placed, with\\nrespect to the originals of Macpherson s\\nCollection, render it impossible, at present,\\nSee Seandana, pages 73. 82. 84. 103, c. It is,\\nindeed, very singular, that, exclusive of the simile de-\\nrived from frost, in the eighth book of Temora, now al-\\nluded to, the learned gentleman himself, in the course\\nof his Dissertation, has cited two other passages, alluding\\nto the same phenomenon. The one is, Ossian s com-\\nparison of Svvaran to a rock of ice. The other is his\\ncomparison of the heroes, upon a certain occasion, to\\nrt oaks with all their branches round them, when they\\necho to the stream of frost. All this shews a very\\nstrange inaccuracy of criticism. That Mr Laing should\\nassert, that only a single image, in Fingal, is derived\\nfrom frost, whilst he himself has furnished two, may\\nserve to shew what we are to expect in the sequel of his\\ndetections.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0088.jp2"}, "87": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 55\\nto ascertain precisely what images and allu-\\nsions they contain, and what are wanting in\\nthem. Till the originals are brought forward,\\nwe must trust to the skill or integrity of the\\ntranslators.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0089.jp2"}, "88": {"fulltext": "ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nSECTION III.\\nOf the Mode in which these Poems have been preser-\\nved, and transmitted to us, through so many Ages.\\n1 hat such a mass of poetry, as has been\\npresented to the public by Mr Macpherson,\\ntogether with what may be reckoned ancient\\nand genuine, in Dr Smith s collection, should\\nhave been preserved amongst a rude people,\\nand transmitted by oral tradition, through a\\nperiod of more than fifteen centuries, with any\\ndegree of purity, is, it must be acknowledg-\\ned, a phenomenon, of which we have no ex-\\nample in the history of literature. It can be\\naccounted for only, by remarking, that we\\nhave no example, in the history of Europe,\\nof a people placed in similar circumstances,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0090.jp2"}, "89": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 57\\nand possessed of institutions similar to those\\nof the Caledonians.\\nTo elucidate this subject, it is necessary\\nto advert to two distinguishing circum-\\nstances, which mark the situation of the Ca-\\nledonians, during the period that elapsed,\\nfrom the time in which these Poems were\\ncomposed, till that in which they were col-\\nlected and translated by Mr Macpherson\\nThe first is, That they remained, during that\\nperiod, unconquered, and consequently un-\\nmixed with any other people the other is,\\nThat, in consequence of this permanency of\\npolitical situation, their language remained\\nunaltered and unmixed with any foreign\\nidiom. Let us attend to these two circum?\\nstance s separately.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0091.jp2"}, "90": {"fulltext": "58 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nPART I.\\nThe political Situation of Caledonia, during the last\\nfifteen Centuries, The Dominion and Influence\\nof the Celts, The supposed Invasion qfRiada,\\nThe Bardic Order, Transmission of the Poetry\\nof Homer, Recitations of ancient Gaelic Poetry,\\nby Persons still, or very lately, alive.\\nIt has been the opinion of the most cele-\\nbrated writers, on historical antiquities, that\\na race of men, of the same stock, and\\nspeaking the same language, originally occu-\\npied Spain, Gaul, the British isles, and even\\nIllyricum, and a part of Germany.* This\\npeople are denominated Celts by the Greek\\nand Roman writers, and the language which\\nChiverius, Introduct. Geograph. Edit. Lond. 1711.\\npages 52. 76. 123. 234.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0092.jp2"}, "91": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 59\\nthey spoke, the Celtic. This common origin\\nand common language may still be traced,\\nespecially in Spain, Gaul, and Britain, in the\\nnames of tribes, provinces, cities, mountains,\\nand rivers, which are undeniably of Celtic\\norio-in.\\nIt appears, from Pliny, Tacitus, and other\\nwriters of antiquity, that there existed, at\\nthe same time, in the north of Europe, a\\nnumerous and warlike race of men, called\\nTeutones and Gothones, who are represented\\nas having a different origin, and speaking a\\ndifferent language, from the Celts. It ap-\\npears from the testimony of Cassar, that,\\neven in his time, this last race of people\\nwere continually advancing to the westward,\\nand encroaching on the territories of the\\nCelts. The Belg\u00c2\u00a3e, one of their most power-\\nful tribes, had crossed the Rhine, and, even\\nthen, occupied a part of Gaul. Tacitus re-\\ncords the opinion, that this race had passed", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0093.jp2"}, "92": {"fulltext": "CO ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nover, at an early period, into Britain, and\\noccupied the eastern parts of this island; and\\nCaesar appears to have entertained the same\\nbelief.\\nBy the inundations of these northern\\ntribes, the Celtic nations, the original occu-\\npiers of western Europe, were gradually\\ncompelled to retire towards the shores of the\\nAtlantic and we see, at this moment, the\\nwhole remains, of that once powerful race,\\ncooped up in a few narrow districts of wes-\\ntern Europe, which, either from their natural\\npoverty, or inaccessibility, escaped the rava-\\nges of the conquerors. In Wales, in the\\nIsle of Man, in the Highlands of Scotland,\\nin some parts of Ireland, and in Lower Brit-\\ntany, in France, are now to be found the\\nonly remains of Celtic blood, and language,\\nand manners.\\nWithout engaging in an elaborate discus-\\nsion, concerning the history of the Celts, it", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0094.jp2"}, "93": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS, 61\\nwill probably be admitted, that, of the above\\ndistricts, the Highlands of Scotland have\\nenjoyed, in every period, an exemption from\\nforeign conquest and intermixture, and have\\nconsequently retained the Celtic character\\nwithout deterioration. This is, indeed, ad-\\nmitted, by Mr Laing.* It must be acknow-\\nledged to be a singular instance, in the his-\\ntory of Europe, that a people should remain,\\nduring so many ages, unshaken and undis-\\nturbed by foreign invasion and that they\\nshould have preserved, to this day, the lan-\\nguage and manners of their forefathers, with\\nlittle variation, is a phenomenon, in the his-\\ntory of the human race, which promises to\\nafford an interesting subject of speculation to\\nphilosophic minds.\\nThat the Highlands of Scotland, however,\\nhave remained, at all times, entirely exempt\\nfrom foreign invasion and intermixture, must\\nHist, of Scotland, vol. i. p. 45.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0095.jp2"}, "94": {"fulltext": "62 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nbe understood with a few slight limitations.\\nThe Romans, we know, penetrated, under\\nAgricola, beyond the Tay. During their\\nstay in Britain, their intercourse with the\\nHighlanders, whether of a friendly or hostile\\nnature, must have been not infrequent and\\nthis must have produced some influence, at\\nleast, on the language and habits of the ad-\\njacent tribes. The Danes, too, during the\\nsubsequent ages, frequently invaded the west-\\nern and northern parts of Scotland, and some-\\ntimes even formed temporary settlements.\\nTo them, no doubt, many names and terms\\nof Teutonic origin may be traced some of\\nthese are actually found to exist, and just\\nwhere they might have been naturally ex-\\npected, in the western Isles, and in the north\\nof Scotland.\\nThere is one part of Mr Laing s argument,\\non this subject, which demands more parti-\\ncular attention. He asserts, that there is\\nnot now, in Scotland, a Highlander of the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0096.jp2"}, "95": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 63\\nu race that existed at the beginning of the\\nXT2L ascribed to Fingal.\\nBeing now here, as we are at this day, it\\nIs of very little importance to determine\\nfrom what stock we had our origin but it\\nis of most essential consequence to the faith\\nof evidence, and to the truth of history, to\\nexamine the ground, on which Mr Laing\\nhas advanced such an unwarranted posi-\\ntion. He states, on the authority of Bssda,\\nthat, in A. D. 258, Scotland was invaded by\\nRiada, an Irish chieftain and that a king-\\ndom was founded by him, in the Highlands,\\ncalled, after his name, the Dalriadan king-\\ndom and hence he concludes, that all the\\npresent inhabitants are of the race of the in-\\nvaders.\\nWe have Beeda before us; and, without\\nany pretension to antiquarian lore, I shall\\nonly beg leave to state plainly all that he\\nPage 378. note.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0097.jp2"}, "96": {"fulltext": "64 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nadvances on this subject, leaving it to the\\nreader to judge concerning the foundation\\nof Mr Laing s position.\\nI would remark, then, that all that relates\\nto the invasion of Scotland, by Riada, is to\\nbe found in a single sentence in the first\\nchapter of Bseda s Ecclesiastical History of\\nEngland, of which I shall now give an ac-\\ncount.* After narrating, what is very im-\\nportant to our present purpose, and which\\nshall afterwards be adduced, that the\\nBrittones, from Aremorican Gaul, first oc-\\ncupied the southern parts of Britain, to\\nwhich, he adds, they gave their name,\\nhe informs us, that a race of Picts, of\\nScythian origin, in attempting to reach\\nBritain, were driven, by the force of wea-\\nther, into the north of Ireland that the\\nu Scotti,-\\\\ then inhabiting that part of Ire-\\nI use the edition of Baeda published at Cambridge,\\nin 1722, cum notis Jocmnis Smith, S. T. P.\\nt With regard to the name Scotti, which appears to", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0098.jp2"}, "97": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 65\\nland, refused them admission; but gave\\nthem this salutary advice c We know/\\nsaid they, an island, at no great distance,\\ntowards the east; there you may find set-\\ntlements, and, if you are opposed, we shall\\nassist you.\\nIn the paragraph which immediately fol-\\nlows, we have the sentence which appears to\\nbe the sole foundation of the alleged inva-\\nsion of Riada the Dalriadan kingdom and\\nthe Irish origin of all the present inhabitants\\nhave been given by early writers, as well to the inhabit-\\nants of Ireland as to those of Scotland, with whom it has\\nbecome permanent; the learned Joseph Scaliger, in his notes\\non the Chronicon of Eusebius, (p. 175.) has well observed,\\nthat it is not properly a name, but an appellation, de-\\nscriptive of the wandering and predatory manner of life\\nwhich characterised those tribes, who, by their incur-\\nsions, infested the Roman province in Britain. They\\nwere called Scotti he observes, just as the Arabs\\nwere called Bedouins, or Saracens. It may be proper\\nto add, that the names Scots and Scotland are totally un-\\nknown, at this day, to the Highlanders. They call\\nthemselves Albanich, and their country Albin.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0099.jp2"}, "98": {"fulltext": "66 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nof the Highlands of Scotland. Will my read-\\ners forgive me, for presenting it in Basda s\\noriginal, with a translation, of which they\\nmay all judge? Without any reference to\\nthe year 258, or any other year, Bseda says,\\nProcedente autem tempore, Britannia, post\\nPrittones et Pictos tertiam Scottorum na-\\ntionem, in Pictorum parte recepit, qui duce\\nReuda, de Hibernia progressi, vel amicitia,\\nvelferro, sibimet, inter eos, sedes quas hac~\\ntenus habsnt, vindicarunt a quo videlicet\\nduce, usque hodie Dalreudini vocantur, nam\\n11 eorum lingua Daal partem significat\\nthat is,\\nIn process of time, Britain received,\\nafter the Brittones and Picts, a third na-\\ntion of Scotti, in the district of the Picts,\\nwho, leaving Ireland, under the conduct\\nof Reuda, obtained, for themselves, the\\nsettlements amongst them which they now\\npossess from which leader, they are, at", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0100.jp2"}, "99": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 67\\nthis day, called Dalreudini; for, in their\\nlanguage, Daal signifies a part.\\nIt appears, upon the whole, that it was\\nthe opinion of Baeda, that Britain was origi-\\nnally peopled, by the south, from Aremori-\\ncan Gaul, a district which, by the testimony\\nof Pliny and Claudian, was undoubtedly\\nCeltic and the very name of which, father\\nHarduin, in his Annotations on Pliny, ac-\\nknowledges to be of Celtic derivation.^\\nBesides this opinion of Baeda, with regard\\nto the original population of the south of\\nBritain, it is worth notice, that he states the\\nPicts, a Scythian race, to have taken pos-\\nsession of the northern parts of the island,\\nundoubtedly the north-east coasts of Scot-\\nland, where, at this day, we find reliques\\nThe venerable author is wrong; daal signifies a\\nfield.\\nt Armorica says he, quasi ar-mor, i. e. on the\\nsea.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0101.jp2"}, "100": {"fulltext": "68 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nof the Pictish language, monuments, and\\nhistory.\\nFinally, with regard to his mention of the\\ninvasion of Reuda, it is evident, that it\\namounts, by no means, to a conquest of the\\nHighlands of Scotland, and far less to the\\nestablishment of a Dalriadan kingdom. In-\\ndeed, Baeda is, even in what he advances\\nhere, totally unsupported by nearly contem-\\nporary writers, such as Jocelinus, Giraldus\\nCambrensis, and others, who, surely, in nar-\\nrating the events of those times, would not\\nhave omitted such a remarkable occurrence.\\nThe whole business appears to be a gratui-\\ntous fiction of Pinkerton; and, from him,\\nhastily adopted by Mr Laing, without exa-\\nmination or doubt.\\nThe utter improbability of this fiction\\nwill appear still more evident, when we con-\\nsider, that the Caledonians, as Tacitus in-\\nforms us, brought more than thirty thou-\\nsand warriors into the field, near two cen-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0102.jp2"}, "101": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 69\\nturies before the alleged expedition of Riada;\\na high degree of population, surely, at such\\na period, and in such a state of society. Is\\nit to be supposed, that this numerous and\\nwarlike people, who had so often disputed\\nthe palm of victory with the sovereigns\\nof the world, would allow themselves to\\nbe over-run, and dispossessed of their terri-\\ntories, by the comparatively small and ill-ac-\\ncoutered horde, which could, at this period,\\nbe thrown in from the adjacent coast of Ire-\\nland Within a century and a half before,\\nTacitus informs us, that an Irish chieftain,\\nwho had accompanied his father-in-law to\\nRome, and with whom he himself had fre-\\nquently conversed, assured him, that, at\\nthat period, a single Roman legion, with\\na few auxiliaries, would have been suffi-\\ncient for the reduction of the whole island.\\nTac. Agric. c. 24.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0103.jp2"}, "102": {"fulltext": "70 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIs this the nation that, in 258, could, with\\nthe imperfect means of those times for\\ntransporting troops by sea, send an army to\\nScotland sufficient to sweep off its aborigi-\\nnal inhabitants with such complete extermi-\\nnation\\nThe truth, on this part of the subject,\\nseems to be, that Ireland derived its origin-\\nal population from Scotland. This was the\\nopinion of Sir James Ware of Sir William\\nTemple; of Sir William Petty ;f and of the\\nbest informed writers of both countries. In-\\ndeed, it is the opinion of Sir James Ware,\\nthat nothing certain is known of Irish af-\\nfairs, till the middle of the fifth century.\\nTo these, we may add the opinion of Mr\\nGibbon, who was abundantly acute in his\\ninvestigations; and, surely, in no degree\\nprejudiced in favour of Caledonian antiqui-\\nAntiq. Hib. ch. 2.\\nt Polit. Anat. p. 101.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0104.jp2"}, "103": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS, 71\\nties It is probable, says be, that, in\\nsome remote period of antiquity, the fer-\\ntile plains of Ulster received a colony of\\nhungry Scots and that the strangers of\\nthe north, who had dared to encounter the\\narmies of the legion, spread their con-\\nquests over the savage and uncivilized na-\\ntives of a solitary island.\\nThus, then, it appears, that no historical\\nevidence has yet been adduced to shew, that\\nthis narrow corner of Celtic Europe, the\\nHighlands of Scotland, has been conquered\\nby any foreign power, or that its inhabitants\\nhave been, for the last 1500 years, at least,\\nplaced in circumstances that could tend to\\nobliterate their language, their manners, or\\ntheir institutions. It is true, this district\\nhas, in consequence of the abolition of the\\nDruidical order, been long deprived of the\\nlights of philosophy, which had, in former\\ntimes, rendered Britain illustrious, and made\\nher the resort of the learned and the con-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0105.jp2"}, "104": {"fulltext": "72 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nsequence has been a long night of barbarism\\nand ignorance.\\nIt is to be remarked, however, that amidst\\nall this barbarism, which overwhelmed the\\nlast fifteen centuries, the establishment of the\\nBards was preserved inviolate, and was actu-\\nally continued in Scotland, as can be suffi-\\nciently proved, till within less than one hun-\\ndred years; and, if the Bards, when deprived\\nof their masters, the Druids, were incapable\\nof adding any thing to the treasures be-\\nqueathed to them by better times, they seem\\nto have proved faithful depositories, at least,\\nof the stock that had been committed to\\ntheir care.\\nThe Bardic order is attributed, by all the\\nancient writers, to the Celtic nations; and\\nit is extended by Tacitus, under the same\\nappellation, to the Germans. Posidonius\\ntells us, that, when the Celts go to war,\\nDe Moribus Germ. c. 3.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0106.jp2"}, "105": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 73\\nthey take with them associates, whom/\\nsays he, they call Parasites, who sing\\ntheir praises, either in public assemblies,\\nor to those who wish to hear them pri-\\nvately. These poets, he adds, are call-\\ned zhfc.\\nWe know, from unquestionable authority,\\nthat the order of Bards was continued in\\nWales, till towards the end of the thirteenth\\ncentury, when they were destroyed by the\\ncruel policy of Edward I. But it must be\\nremarked, that the Bards were not entirely\\nextinct, in England, before the reign of\\nQueen Elizabeth till which period, there\\nwas a regular public competition of harpers\\nmaintained and there is, at this day, as Mr\\nPennant informs us, in his Tour through\\nWales, a silver harp, awarded during that\\nperiod, in the possession of the Mostyn fa-\\nmily.\\nCited by Athenaeus, fol. ed. p. 246.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0107.jp2"}, "106": {"fulltext": "W ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIn Scotland, it is well known, that the\\nBardic order was preserved, in uninterrupted\\nsuccession, till A. D. 1/26, when Nial Mac-\\nvurich, the last of the Bards, died, whose\\nancestors had, for several generations, exer-\\ncised that office in the Clanranald family.\\nIn the Appendix to Mr Mackenzie s Report,\\nwe have the very interesting declaration of\\nLachlan Macvurich, the son of this Nial, in\\nwhich he gives an account of the manner in\\nwhich his father s manuscripts were disper-\\nsed and lost and, particularly, of one large\\nvolume, which his father, by order of Clan-\\nranald, gave to James Macpherson, from\\nBadenoch, (the translator of Ossian.) This\\ndeclaration of Lachlan Macvurich, I, too,\\nreceived, some years ago, by the obliging at-\\ntention of Sir John Macgregor Murray of\\nLanrick, Baronet, in the original, with a\\ntranslation by himself; but, as it has been\\nalready published in the Report, it is consi-\\ndered as unnecessary to repeat it.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0108.jp2"}, "107": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 75\\nIndeed, it is well known, that every great\\nfamily, in the Highlands, had a Bard attach-\\ned to it, whose office it was, not only to\\npreserve the genealogy, and to record the\\natchievements of the family, but also to re-\\ntain, by memory, like the disciples of the\\nDruids of old, a vast number of verses,\\nwhich they recited, at the entertainment, to\\namuse the chieftain and his friends. Martin,\\nin his British Isles, speaking of the JEbudes,\\nseems, in this view, to give the true idea of\\nthe relation which the Bards bore to the an-\\ncient Druids The orators, says he, (i, e.\\nthe Bards,) after the Druids were extinct,\\nwere brought to preserve the knowledge\\nof families, fee-\\nThat the art of writing was, at the same\\ntime, preserved and practised, at an early\\nperiod, in Scotland, has been undeniably pro-\\nved, by the existence of ancient manuscripts,\\nof which the late learned Dr Donald Smith\\nhas given a very interesting account in the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0109.jp2"}, "108": {"fulltext": "?6 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nAppendix to the Committee s Report. One\\nof these, the beautiful Gaelic manuscript,\\nwritten, as it appears, by a monk of the\\neighth century, I have seen; and also a vo-\\nlume of poems belonging to the Highland\\nSociety of London, and written in the period\\nof James IV. of Scotland. Of the poems,\\ncontained in the latter, some are entitled in\\nLatin, Auctor hnjus Ossian and others\\nin Gaelic, Udair sho Ossian Udair sho\\nUllin It is important to observe, that\\nthis ancient manuscript collection contains\\nthe episode of the Maid of Cracca, intro-\\nduced by Macpherson into the third book of\\nFin gal, and still repeated, by many, in the\\nHighlands of Scotland.* It is given, by Mr\\nMackenzie, in the Report of the Committee,\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0p. 95.\\nI had an opportunity of hearing this poem recited,\\nin 1782, by an old Highlander, still, I believe, alive,\\nwith little variation. I shall afterwards give an account\\nof it.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0110.jp2"}, "109": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 7T\\nIn arguing the improbability that such a\\nbody of poetry could have been handed\\ndown, by tradition, through so many ages,\\nMr Laing observes, that three-fourths of\\nthe civilized world have been employed,\\nsince the sera of Fingal, in the recitation\\nof poems, neither so long nor so intricate\\nas Ossian s; and, consider, says he, how\\nu small a portion of the Psalms, or Liturgy,\\ncan be preserved by memory, much less\\ntransmitted by oral tradition, for a single\\ngeneration.\\nThis mode of reasoning, I confess, does\\nnot appear to me to be very philosophical.\\nWe know, that the memory, as well as the\\nother powers of the understanding, is ca-\\npable of a great diversity of directions, and\\nof very diversified intenseness of application.\\nIt is, indeed, impossible to say, to what de-\\ngree of perfection the memory may be car-\\nried by exercise. The disciples of the Druids,\\nduring their probation of twenty years, were", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0111.jp2"}, "110": {"fulltext": "7S ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nundoubtedly accustomed to commit to me-\\nmory, as many verses, at least, as are con-\\ntained in the Poems of Ossian, as we now\\nhave them. We may, every day, meet with\\ninstances of the extraordinary perfection to\\nwhich, from particular application of the\\nmemory, this faculty may be carried. We\\nmeet, for example, with persons, unskilled\\nin writing, who can, by a mental process,\\ncarry on long calculations, which, without\\nthe aid of his pen, would baffle the most\\nskilful arithmetician. But, as the memory,\\nwhen thus exercised, is capable of very\\nwonderful efforts, so, when freed from the\\nnecessity of exertion, and accustomed to re-\\nly on subsidiary aids, it becomes feeble and\\nunretentive. I know a person, who has been,\\nfor more than twenty years, versant in the\\npoetry of ancient and modern Europe, who\\ncannot, at this moment, repeat twenty lines\\ntogether of poetry, in any language what-\\never and yet, such is the memory of this", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0112.jp2"}, "111": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 79\\nperson, in other respects, that he has fre-\\nquently carried home, and committed to\\nwriting, a favourite discourse which he has\\nheard, of half an hour in length, nearly\\nword for word. Indeed, this is done, and\\nmay be done, every day. But, when a man\\nhas his Homer or Virgil, his Pope and Shake-\\nspeare, at hand, why should he exhaust the\\npowers of his mind, which may be other-\\nwise more advantageously employed, in com-\\nmitting their verses to memory And who\\nthinks of getting the Psalms and Liturgy by\\nheart, when he has a copy of them, at every in-\\nstant, within his reach? But the most effectual\\nproof of the possibility of transmitting poems,\\nof very considerable extent, merely by oral\\ntradition, is, that we know, on the best\\ngrounds, that this has been actually done.\\nThe account, which JElian gives us, of the\\noriginal transmission of the poetry of Ho-\\nmer, is altogether to the purpose of our pre-\\nsent argument The ancients, he tells", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0113.jp2"}, "112": {"fulltext": "80 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nus, sung, or recited, the poems of Homer,\\ntill they were collected by Lycurgus, in\\nhis travels in Ionia, and by him carried\\ninto Greece. The poetry of Homer ap-\\npears also, from the account of iElian, to\\nhave been recited, originally, in detached\\npieces, (as I shall afterwards shew was the\\ncase of Ossian s Poems,) till about one hun-\\ndred and fifty years after Lycurgus, when\\nthey were arranged by Pisistratus, in the\\nform of the Iliad and Odyssey, under which\\nthey now appear.\\nThus were the poems of Homer, far more\\nvoluminous than those of Ossian, and, from\\nthe very structure of the verse, more difficult\\nto be retained, transmitted by oral tradition,\\nat least, till the time of Lycurgus, a period\\nof about one hundred and sixty years and,\\nif this immense mass of poetry, of which the\\nIliad and Odyssey consist, were thus hand-\\niElian Hist. var. lib. xiii. c. 14.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0114.jp2"}, "113": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 81\\ned down by memory, through so long a pe-\\nriod, in a country like Asia Minor, so fre-\\nquently the seat of war, and the theatre of\\nforeign invasion, where is the improbability,\\nthat a much smaller number of verses should\\nbe transmitted, even through a much longer\\nperiod, amongst a people exempted, at all\\ntimes, from foreign invasion and intermix-\\nture and possessed, besides, of an order of\\nmen expressly trained up and appointed to\\nthis office\\nOn this part of the subject, it may be pro-\\nper to notice, more particularly, a circum-\\nstance in the manners of our forefathers,\\nwhich is still fresh in the memory of many\\npersons still alive. It is well known, that\\nit was common, even within these fifty\\nyears, for the Highlanders, little occupied,\\nin those days, in the pursuits of agriculture\\nor manufactures, to assemble together, in\\neach others houses, and to pass the long\\nnights of winter in listening to their na-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0115.jp2"}, "114": {"fulltext": "S\u00c2\u00a3 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ntional tales and poetry and, particularly, to\\nthe poetry ascribed to Ossian. Those per-\\nsons, who could repeat much of this poetry,\\nwere held in high esteem they were wel-\\ncome guests in every family and their stay\\nwas solicited and prolonged by the kindest\\nattentions. It is unnecessary to multiply\\nproofs of what is so generally known and\\nacknowledged. The Reverend Mr John\\nMacleod, in his letter to Dr Blair, says,\\nthat they often laid wagers, on these oc-\\ncasions, who should repeat most of these\\npoems; and to have a store of them on\\nmemory was accounted no mean acquisi-\\ntion. I know, he adds, some old men,\\nwho value themselves for having gained\\nthese wagers. The Highlanders, says he,\\nat their festivals, and other public meet-\\nings, acted the Poems of Ossian.\\nI shall only add, on this point, the testi-\\nAppendix to the Committee s Report, p. 28. 29.\\n7", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0116.jp2"}, "115": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 83\\nmony of Captain Parker of Blochairn, near\\nGlasgow, obligingly communicated by my\\nfriend, Robert Austin, Esq. Lieutenant- Co-\\nlonel of the first regiment of Glasgow vo-\\nlunteers, which contains, besides, the impor-\\ntant circumstance, that a considerable part\\nof the poems, translated by Macpherson,\\nwere, immediately after their publication,\\ncollated, by him, on the other side of the\\nAtlantic, with a recitation of the original,\\nfurnished, and translated at the moment, by\\na gentleman, whose integrity and intimate\\nknowledge of the Gaelic language is beyond\\nquestion.\\nThe Reverend Mr Charles Smith, a na-\\ntive of the island of Mull, says Captain\\nParker, was a gentleman of great respec-\\ntability, universally esteemed, and well\\nknown to many gentlemen now in Glas-\\ngow, and elsewhere in this country. I\\n11 became acquainted with him in 1758.\\nOur intimacy continued during all his life.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0117.jp2"}, "116": {"fulltext": "84 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nI frequently visited him at his glebe, about\\nc three miles from Norfolk, in Virginia,\\nupon the west branch of Elizabeth River.\\nWhen friends meet abroad, particularly\\nthe natives of our country, the affairs of\\nc Scotland, and of our friends, are a never\\nfailing subject of conversation. I believe\\nmy friend, Colin Rae, Esq. late of Aiken-\\n1 head, sent me the first copy of Ossian s\\nPoems, collected by Mr Macpherson, which\\ncame to Virginia. I soon carried it to my\\nfriend Mr Smith. Upon reading a few\\nlines from the poem of Temora,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 Stop,\\nsir, said he,/ I know that poem. He did\\nrepeat great part of it, and explained it\\n1 with an exactness, to my astonishment,\\nand scarcely credible; and so he did several\\nof the others. I left the book with him.\\n1 Upon returning it, he said, Had he been\\n1 with Mr Macpherson, he could have given\\nk him some other (poems) of Ossian well\\nworthy of preservation; that he remem-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0118.jp2"}, "117": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 85\\nbered them almost from infancy that\\nrepeating them was the amusement of\\nthe children and servants about his fa-\\nther s house, and generally in all the west\\nHighlands that, still, walking or riding\\nalone, he pleased himself by repeating\\nthem, having always considered that poetry\\nsuperior to all other, assuring me, that if\\nI understood the Gaelic, I would be con-\\nvinced that many beauties, in these poems,\\ncould not be translated, without losing\\ngreatly by the change. Mr Smith, Cap-\\ntain Parker adds, died in 1772, or 1773,\\nH I suppose about seventy years old. Cap-\\ntain Parker also cites the authority of his\\nfriend, Mr Dugald Forbes, now living in\\nthe neighbourhood of Stirling, as recol-\\nlecting perfectly well to have heard the\\nReverend Mr Smith, in Virginia, often\\nmention his knowledge of these Poems,\\nprevious to their translation by Mr Mac-\\npherson.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0119.jp2"}, "118": {"fulltext": "86 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIt is well known, however, that, within\\nthese last hundred years, the Highlands of\\nScotland have undergone more of political\\nand domestic change, than they had done\\nduring the preceding fourteen centuries.\\nThe events that occurred in the years 1715\\nand 1745, have taught government the ne~\\ncessity of introducing an uniformity of man-\\nners and of sentiments throughout the whole\\nisland; and very effectual measures have\\nbeen adopted for this purpose. The esta^\\nblishment of schools, and the consequent\\ndiffusion of knowledge; the general intro-\\nduction of the English language the con-\\nstruction of roads and bridges in the High-\\nlands and, above all, the abolition of the\\nhereditary jurisdictions in 1748, have, in\\nless than half a century, very nearly assimi-\\nlated the habits and manners of the High-\\nlanders with those of the other subjects of\\nthe empire.\\nThough this, in a political view, was a", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0120.jp2"}, "119": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 87\\nconsummation devoutly to be wished for,\\nyet it had almost proved fatal to the re-\\nmains of our ancient national poetry. There\\nwas a peculiar felicity in the period when\\nMacpherson began his collections.* Had\\nthis undertaking been deferred for thirty\\nyears longer, these Poems must have shared\\nthe fate of the Sibyl s volumes, and scarcely\\none-third of them would have been -found\\nremaining. Notwithstanding the diligence of\\nMr Macpherson, Dr Smith, too, has been so\\nfortunate as to have obtained some precious\\ngleanings of Ossianic poetry, a circumstance\\nwhich affords no slight evidence of the au-\\nthenticity of the whole. Some few reliques\\nof Ossianic verse are still to be met with, in\\nthe memory of the aged but, in twenty\\nyears hence, it is probable, that there shall\\nnot be a single person alive, who can recite,\\nAbout the year 1758. Of these collections, and the\\nmanner in which they appear to have been made, an ac-\\ncount shall be afterwards given.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0121.jp2"}, "120": {"fulltext": "88 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nfrom tradition, a single verse of our Celtic\\nbard.\\nIn 1782, I had an opportunity of taking\\ndown, in writing, in the house of Professor\\nRichardson of Glasgow, a Gaelic poem, of\\neighty- eight verses, from the recitation of\\nDaniel Kerr, an old man, a native of Argyle-\\nshire, very lately, at least, alive, and residing\\nat Paisley. He said, that he had a great\\ndeal of Ossian s poetry (bardachd Ossein) by\\nheart, which he had learned, in his native\\ncountry, in his youth. Being desired to fix\\non any poem that he pleased, he repeated,\\nin a sort of recitative cadence, the episode\\nof the Maid of Craca, already mentioned as\\nintroduced by Macpherson into the third\\nbook of Fingal. Of Macpherson and his col-\\nlections, Kerr had never heard.\\nThis same poem is published by Dr\\nSmith, and in the Perth collection by Gil-\\nSeandana, p. 175.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0122.jp2"}, "121": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 89\\nlies; and it occurs, also, in the manuscript\\nof the period of James IV. of which an ac-\\ncount is given, by Dr Donald Smith, in the\\nAppendix to the Committee s Report. These\\neditions f differ slightly, as might have been\\nexpected, from that which I had from Kerr,\\nby the addition, or omission, or transposi-\\ntion, of a few lines but the poem is the\\nsame, and it is the same, in every material\\nrespect, with that which fell into the hands\\nof Mr Macpherson.\\nI have to add, that Kerr did not deliver\\nthis poem in any connection with a larger\\nwork, as Mr Macpherson has given it in Fin-\\ngal, but as a detached independent piece. It\\nt Mr Laing ridicules the term editions, when ap-\\nplied to poems which were never committed to writing,\\nor to the press. But he appears to mistake the sense in\\nwhich the term is applied. It is used, in this instance,\\nto express the differences which necessarily arise, in re-\\ncitation, from the greater or less accuracy, or the more\\nor less perfect recollection, of the persons who repeat\\nthem from memory.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0123.jp2"}, "122": {"fulltext": "90 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwas under the same form, as iElian tells us,\\nthat the poems of Homer were recited, and\\nhanded down, during more than three hun-\\ndred years, when they were collected and\\narranged hy Pisistratus. It would seem, that\\nMr Macpherson, (whether properly or not\\nis not now the question,) performed nearly\\nthe same office with respect to the Poems of\\nOssian.\\nIndeed, this circumstance, together with\\nanother, which I am about to mention, may\\nenable us to appreciate, with tolerable accu-\\nracy, the share which Mr Macpherson him-\\nself had in the work which he has published.\\nIt is well known, that, before the Highland\\nreciter delivers his poem, he generally pre-\\nfaces it with a short summary, in a kind of\\nmeasured prose, of the principal events con-\\ntained in the verses which he is about to re-\\ncite. This outline of the poem is called the\\nSgeulachdy or Tale. Dr Smith informs us,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0124.jp2"}, "123": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 91\\nthat he was obliged, on many occasions, to\\nsupply chasms in the poems, which he pub-\\nlished, by inserting the corresponding pas-\\nsages of the Sgeulachd*\\nBy the help of this outline, Mr Macpher-\\nson seems to have been enabled, at least to\\nconnect, in regular order, the several de-\\ntached pieces which he found in tradition,\\naccording to the series of events to which\\nthey related; and, when a poem occur-\\nred, which could not, by this method, be\\nmade to coalesce with his larger work, he\\nseems to have proceeded by two ways:\\nhe either gives the poem in its detached\\nstate, as he found it, and as the lesser\\npoems now appear in his publication or he\\nartfully introduces it as an episode, as he\\nhas done in the instance of the Maid of\\nCraca, and in that of the expedition of\\nSee his Seandana, pp. 86. 92, c.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0125.jp2"}, "124": {"fulltext": "92 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nLarthon, in the close of the seventh book\\nof Temora.\\nOf such episodes, indeed, skilfully intro-\\nduced, and, in general, allied to the subject\\nof the work, a great portion of the Fingal\\nand Temora consists.*\\nThus we may be enabled, in some measure,\\nto form an estimate of the amount of Mr\\nMacpherson s labours, in this respect. He\\nfound, it is imagined, the disjointed mem-\\nbers of our poet scattered abroad in tradi-\\ntion and, it will perhaps be allowed, that\\nhe has brought them together again with\\nno small felicity. But, it would seem,\\nthat, excepting this labour of collecting,\\nand arranging, and translating, Macpher-\\nson has furnished nothing else, besides the\\nexercise of good taste, and a sound criti-\\nCesarotti, the Italian translator of Ossian, is of this\\nopinion; and he remarks, that, in one instance, Macpher-\\nson has misplaced an episode.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0126.jp2"}, "125": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 93\\ncal judgment, which he undoubtedly pos-\\nsessed.\\nBesides the poem recited by Kerr, I have\\nalso to mention a short poem, undoubtedly\\nancient, transmitted to me by Professor\\nRichardson, who had it from Mr Samuel\\nCameron, lately a student at the University\\nof Glasgow, by whom it was taken down,\\nin writing, from a Highlander, who had it\\nby tradition. It begins,\\nA jnhic mo mine, Ve thubhairt an righ\\nOscair a righ nan ogfhlath \u00c2\u00a7c.\\nThis poem appears, also, to constitute the\\noriginal of a passage that occurs in the third\\nbook of Fingal, and translated by Mr Mac-\\npherson and I mention this poem, for\\nthe purpose of shewing, that here he has\\nshewn himself to be the mere translator,\\nby the undeniable fact, that he has trans*\\nIt occurs in the Perth Collection, p. 3-k", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0127.jp2"}, "126": {"fulltext": "94 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nlated ill. The original of one passage, in\\nthis poem, is,\\nChuir iad gach cath le buaidh,\\nIs bhuanich iad cliu s gach teagmhail\\nIs mairridh an iomradh san dan,\\nAir chuimhn aig na baird an deigh sho.\\nThese lines, literally translated, are as fol-\\nlows\\nThey fought every battle with success,\\nAnd won renown in every combat\\nTheir fame shall remain in the song,\\nIn the memory of the bards of after times.\\nThey are thus translated by Mr Macpher-\\nson: They fought the battle in their\\nyouth they are in the song of bards.\\nIt were needless, here, to point out the in-\\njustice done to the original. One other in-\\nstance will suffice. We have, in the original,\\nthese beautiful lines\\nBi mar bhuinne-shruth, reothairt geamhraidh,\\nThoirt gleachd do naimhdean na Feinne", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0128.jp2"}, "127": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 95\\nAch mar fhann-ghaoth sheimh, thld shamhruidh,\\nBi dhoibhsin a shireas do chobhar.\\nThis is, literally,\\nBe like the torrent of a winter s tide,\\nTo contend with the foes of the Fingallians;\\nBut, like the faint breeze of summer, soft and\\nmild,\\nBe to those that seek thy aid.\\nWhich Mr Macpherson translates thus\\nBe thou a stream of many tides, against\\nthe foes of thy people; but, like the gale\\nthat moves the grass, to those who ask\\nthy aid. It is evident, that, in the origi-\\nnal, there is nothing of moving the grass;\\nand Mr Macpherson has lost the beauty\\narising from the contrast of the winter s\\ntorrent, 5 and the summer s breeze.\\nIn the above-cited stanzas, the reader will remark,\\nin every couplet, the parallelism, or balancing, of the\\nverses, which has been so well illustrated by Dr Lowth,\\nin his Treatise De Poesi Hebreorum. It is probably the\\ncharacter of all early poetry.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0129.jp2"}, "128": {"fulltext": "96 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIn this, as in innumerable instances,\\nwhich shall be afterwards adduced, we may\\nclearly recognize the translator, and shall\\nfind it necessary to refer the original to ano-\\nther source.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0130.jp2"}, "129": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 97\\nPART II.\\nThe unaltered State of the Language, in which these\\nPoems have been composed. The peculiar cha-\\nracter and idiomatic Form of the Gaelic.\\nThe languages of modern Europe, with\\nwhich we are conversant, have been evi-\\ndently formed on the model of the Latin;\\nwhilst this again appears to have borrowed\\nits form and structure from the Greek,\\nwhich was familiar to the poets and orators\\nof Rome and, it is even probable, that the\\nGreek itself derived many of its terms and\\nmodes of expression from the Egyptians,\\nand other Oriental nations, with whom the\\nGreeks, at an early period, had frequent in-\\ntercourse. We may accordingly trace, in all\\nthe modern languages of Europe, not only\\nG", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0131.jp2"}, "130": {"fulltext": "98 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe terms, but also the genius, the phrases,\\nand the idiom, of the Greek and Latin.\\nFrom this circumstance, it has happened,\\nthat none of these modern languages, or\\neven the Latin itself, has any peculiarly cha-\\nracteristic idiom. The Latin is no otherwise\\ndistinguished from the Greek, or the modern\\nlanguages of Europe, which are derived from\\nthe Latin, from one another, than by the\\nwords which constitute these languages, to-\\ngether with the peculiar inflections of these\\nwords, and the particles by which they are\\nconnected. Hence, when we speak, or write,\\nin English, for example, we adopt promis-\\ncuously the idioms, the turns of expression,\\nand the construction of phrases, which may\\nhave struck our fancies, or impressed our\\nmemories, in the course of our reading, in all\\nthe other languages with which we are ac-\\nquainted.\\nThe modern languages of Europe, it is\\ntrue, are not altogether destitute of some", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0132.jp2"}, "131": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS, 99\\nfaint shades of idiomatic expression. Thus,\\nas in the Latin, grammarians have pointed\\nout a few phrases, which they have termed\\nGrecisms so, in the languages now spoken\\nin Europe, a few modes of expression may\\nbe traced which bear some slight marks of\\nidiomatic peculiarity. Still, however, in all\\nthese languages, the difference of idiom is so\\nsmall as to be scarcely perceptible; whilst\\nthe affinities are so numerous, that it may\\nbe said, that all the modern languages of\\nEurope, derived from the Latin, constitute\\nonly one grand form of speech, varied, in-\\ndeed, in individual terms, and in the inflec-\\ntions to which they are subjected, but pre-\\nsenting almost no diversity of phrase or\\nidiom.\\nHence it is, that we find it an easy matter\\nto transfuse any of these languages into any\\nother of them, without losing the spirit or\\nbeauty of the original. In this transfusion,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0133.jp2"}, "132": {"fulltext": "100 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nno difficulty occurs, except in the very few\\nidiomatic expressions which still remain.\\nHence, also, it follows, that the more ex-\\ntensive our acquaintance is with the whole\\nmass of writing, in all those kindred lan-\\nguages, the more copious will be our power\\nof expressing ourselves in our own parti-\\ncular tongue. If we speak, or write, Eng-\\nlish, we shall find ourselves enriched, in\\nEnglish expression, by the literary stores\\nwhich we may have amassed, from every\\nother language, whether ancient or modern,\\nwith which we are acquainted. Here, it is\\ntrue, we pronounce, or write, English words;\\nbut the phrase and idiom, in which a person,\\nwho is versant in other languages, expresses\\nhimself, is as much Latin, or Italian, or\\nFrench, as it is English.\\nThe Gaelic presents a very different ap-\\npearance, to those who are disposed to enter\\ninto the philosophy of language. Indeed, it", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0134.jp2"}, "133": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 101\\nbears so little resemblance to the ancient or\\nmodern languages of Europe, that, to per-\\nsons, to whom these only are known, it be-\\ncomes a matter of some difficulty to convey\\na just notion of its peculiar genius and cha-\\nracter. The Gaelic is evidently an origi-\\nnal language. It was carried, no doubt, by\\nthe Celts from their primaeval abodes, and\\nunderwent, probably, the same changes that\\nother languages have done, during their mi-\\ngrations to the west of Europe, where they\\nfinally settled.\\nBut, whatever may have been the amount\\nof these changes, during the progress of\\nthose migrations, the language of the High-\\nlands of Scotland cannot have suffered much\\nof material change, since the original settle-\\nment of the Celts in these regions. Except\\nin their encounters with the Romans, and\\nthe temporary incursions of the Danes, in a\\nsubsequent period, they had, for a long\\nseries of ages, no intercourse, by conquest.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0135.jp2"}, "134": {"fulltext": "102 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nor by commerce, with any other country but\\nIreland, whose language was the same with\\ntheir own.\\nHence it has happened, as might be expec-\\nted, that the Gaelic is a language altogether\\nidiomatic; its turns of expression, and modes\\nof phraseology, are entirely its own and it\\nappears to have nothing, in its construction\\nand character, common with the other lan-\\nguages of western Europe. Hence, also, it\\nis, that it is so difficult to transfuse origin-\\nal compositions, in this language, into any\\nother; and that the very reverse takes place,\\nwith regard to the attainment of the Gaelic,\\nin its perfection and purity, of that which I\\nhave just stated, with regard to the modern\\nlanguages of Europe. The person, who is\\nfound to speak the Gaelic in its greatest pu-\\nrity of idiom, is the unlettered native of\\nMull, or Skye, or of the more remote corners\\nof Argyle-shire, and Inverness-shire. But,\\nbring this person into contact with foreign", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0136.jp2"}, "135": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 103\\nidioms; teach him Latin, or English, or\\nFrench, from that moment his native tongue\\nbecomes contaminated, by what a genuine\\nHighlander would account barbarisms; he\\nno longer retains the pure idiom of the Gae-\\nlic, he unavoidably mixes it with the idioms\\nof the foreign language which he has acqui-\\nred.\\nBy those who are not acquainted with some\\noriginal language unadulterated by foreign\\nidioms, it will not, perhaps, be easily under-\\nstood, that the purity, with which the Gaelic\\nis spoken by any person, is directly as his\\nwant of acquaintance with every other lan-\\nguage. An unlettered Highlander will feel\\nand detect a violation of the idiom of his\\nlanguage more readily than his countryman,\\nwho has read Homer and Virgil.\\nA ludicrous instance, which will serve to\\nillustrate this view of the subject, is record-\\ned in the Appendix to the Committee s Re-\\nport, (p. 95.) in the declaration of E wan Mac-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0137.jp2"}, "136": {"fulltext": "104 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\npherson, a schoolmaster of Badenoch, who\\naccompanied Mr James Macpherson in his\\nresearches through the Hebrides, and ap-\\npears to have performed most of the drudgery\\nof collecting and writing down the recita-\\ntions of Gaelic poetry which they met with\\nOn their way, says he, to the seat of\\nthe younger Clanranald, they fell in with\\na man, whom they afterwards ascertained\\nto have been Mac Codrum, the poet. Mr\\nMacpherson asked him the question, Am\\nbheil dad agad air an Fhhine? by which\\nhe meant to enquire, Whether or not he\\nknew any of the Poems of Ossian, relative\\nto the Fingallians? but the terms in which\\nthe question was asked, strictly import-\\ned, Whether or not the Fingallians owed\\nhim any thing? and Mac Codrum, being\\na man of humour, took advantage of the\\nincorrectness, or inelegance, of the Gaelic,\\nin which the question was put, and an-\\nswered, That really, if they had owed", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0138.jp2"}, "137": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 105\\nhim any thing, the bonds and obligations\\nwere now lost and he believed any at-\\ntempt to recover them, at that time of\\nday, would be unavailing. Which sally\\nof Mac Codrum s wit seemed to have hurt\\nMacpherson, who cut short the conversa-\\ntion.\\nOf Mr Macpherson s comparatively slight\\nknowledge of the Gaelic language, other\\nproofs will be brought in their proper place\\nbut even the above may lead to a suspicion,\\nthat, however well he could write in Eng-\\nlish prose, he was unqualified to write ten\\nverses of Gaelic poetry, in the style of the\\nspecimens furnished by himself. Indeed,\\nwhen we speak of purity of language and\\nidiom, it seems certain, that, if we could\\nsuppose a learned modern, placed in the Fo-\\nrum of ancient Rome, to address, in Latin,\\nthose very audiences which had listened to\\nCicero, he could imitate the style of that\\ncelebrated orator, with more ease and sue-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0139.jp2"}, "138": {"fulltext": "106 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ncess than it is possible for a Highlander, ver-\\nsed as Mr Macpherson was, in the ancient\\nand modern languages of Europe, to ap-\\nproach the genuine idiom of the Gaelic. Of\\nthis genuine idiom, we have beautiful ex-\\namples in the seventh book of Temora, pub-\\nlished, at an early period, by Mr Macpher-\\nson himself; and, in some of the purer\\nfragments of Gaelic poetry, given by Dr\\nSmith. These poems bear, throughout, the\\nstamp of antiquity. Some foreign, and even\\nsome modern terms sometimes occur, of the\\nintroduction of which, I shall afterwards, as\\nI hope, be able to give a satisfactory ac-\\ncount. But still the Gaelic idiom is main-\\ntained, and the purity of its structure pre-\\nserved inviolate.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0140.jp2"}, "139": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 10T\\nSECTION IV.\\nOf particular Terms and Expressions which occur in\\nthese Poems, and which Mr Laing argues to have\\nbeen borrowed from other Languages. The Opi-\\nnion of Mr Pinkerton and of the Edinburgh\\nReviewers examined, with regard to the Gallic\\nInvaders of the Italian Territory. The Copious-\\nness of the Gaelic, in Expressions, to denote the\\nAppearances of external Nature, and the Feel-\\nings and Passions of the human Mind. Esti-\\nmate of Mr Laing s alleged Instances of borrowed\\nExpressions,\\nThe language, in which any work is writ-\\nten, and the particular expressions and allu-\\nsions that may occur in it, undoubtedly afford\\na very obvious criterion of the period and\\nstate of society to which it is to be referred.\\nBut, in order to be qualified to appreciate this", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0141.jp2"}, "140": {"fulltext": "108 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nkind of evidence justly, it would seem indis-\\npensibly requisite, that the person, who ven-\\ntures to offer verbal or etymological criti-\\ncisms, on any work, should possess some\\nknowledge of the language, in which that\\nwork is composed. Without this know-\\nledge, it is idle to lay down canons of criti-\\ncism however just they may be, when ab-\\nstractly considered; it is only the application\\nof them that can give them any value.\\nMr Laing s attempt to attain some ac-\\nquaintance with the Gaelic language was\\nsurely laudable; but with the very imper-\\nfect knowledge of it, which he had acqui-\\nred, it was, at least, a hazardous attempt to\\noffer a critical and etymological discussion\\nof the fragments of our poetry, which had\\nfallen under his eye.\\nHis remarks, on this part of the subject,\\nhowever trivial and ill-founded, may have\\nsome weight with persons, who are still less\\nqualified than himself, to judge of this mat-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0142.jp2"}, "141": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. iOG\\nter. Some slight notice of these, therefore,\\nappears necessary.\\nWithout ascending, with Mr Laing, to\\nthe circles of Gomar, or tracing, with Giral-\\ndus, the aborigines of the British isles to the\\nemigrations from Egypt, or Troy it may be\\nremarked, on the most authentic evidence\\nof history, that the ancient inhabitants of\\nCeltic Gaul, from whom, as is most pro-\\nbable,* Britain derived its first population,\\nwere a powerful and numerous people, long\\nbefore the Romans had obtained any dis-\\ntinction among the nations of Europe. We\\nare informed, on the unquestionable autho-\\nrity of Livy, that, even in the reign of Tar-\\nquinius Priscus, the Gauls crossed the Alps,\\novercame the Tuscans, built the city of Mi-\\nlan, and occupied all the territory from the\\nPo to the Alps. He adds, that successive\\nhordes of the same people arriving from time\\nSee Baeda, Hist. Eccles. Aiigl. c. 1. already cited.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0143.jp2"}, "142": {"fulltext": "110 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nto time, they at length extended their settle-\\nments as far as the Appenines.*\\nWe again find this numerous race, when\\nthe Roman territory had been just augment-\\ned with the accession of Veii, a city not more\\nthan thirty leagues distant from Rome, send-\\ning forth, from the superabundance of their\\npopulation, an army of three hundred thou-\\nsand men one branch of which ravaged\\nItaly, and sacked Rome itself; whilst the\\nother, penetrating by Illyricum, entered\\nGreece, laid waste its cities, and formed a\\nsettlement on the banks of the Euxine.f\\nWe learn, from Justin, that, about that pe-\\nriod, almost all Italy was occupied by the\\nGauls; J and Plutarch tells us, that the\\nCelts, at an early period, possessed the best\\npart of Italy. The name of Cisalpine Gaul\\nLiv. lib. v. c. 34. 35.\\nt Just. lib. xxiv. c. 4. Liv. lib. v.\\nJust. lib. xxviii. c. 2.\\nPlut. in Mario.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0144.jp2"}, "143": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIxiN S POEMS. Ill\\nremained to that territory, even to the la-\\ntest periods of the Roman empire and we\\nhave good reason to believe, that the reli-\\ngion and rites of the Gauls were practised\\nthere, at least, as late as the siege of Aqui-\\nleia.*\\nWith this extensive influence of the Gal-\\nlic arms and name, at a period when Rome\\nwas yet in her infancy, and her language\\nscanty and unpolished; and with the exten-\\nsion of this influence, through every period\\nof the empire, is it credible, that the lan-\\nguage of Gaul acquired no currency in Italy,\\nand even in Greece If, even in the time of\\nClaudius, the Dmidical rites were publicly\\npractised at Rome, by the numerous Gauls\\nwho inhabited that city, is it to be suppo-\\nsed, that the language of Gaul was not also\\nspoken there f\\nHerodian, lib. viii. c. 7.\\nt Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. 30. 31. Suetonius, in Claudio,\\nc. 25. and Aurelius Victor.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0145.jp2"}, "144": {"fulltext": "112 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIt seems, indeed, to be highly probable,\\nthat the Latin has borrowed as many terms,\\nat least, from the Celtic, as the Celtic has\\nfrom the Latin. It was the opinion of the\\nlearned Leibnitz, that the Latin language\\nwas formed of the Celtic and of the Greek;\\nand that its origin is best illustrated by\\nthe genuine remains of the ancient Celtic,\\nsuch as it was spoken in the days of Julius\\nCsesar, which, he presumes, are to be stu-\\ndied in the language of the Irish.\\nI am aware, that it has been maintained,\\nby many learned men, that the Gauls, who\\ninvaded Italy, were not Celtic, but German\\nGauls. Mr Pinkerton has supported this\\nopinion and it has been argued, with much\\nacuteness and learning, by an ingenious wri-\\nter, in an early number of a literary journal,\\nwhich does honour to Scotland.^ It is main-\\ntained, that the enumeration and descrip-\\nCited by Dr Smith, Append. Report, p. 264.\\nt Edinburgh Review, No. IV. Art. 7.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0146.jp2"}, "145": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 113\\ntion, given by Polybius, of their difTer-\\nent tribes, puts it beyond a doubt, that\\nthey were German Gauls. He particularly\\nnames, it is added, the Veneti, Sem-\\nnones, and Boii.\\nThis, I would observe, is a question of\\nvery considerable importance, not only with\\nregard to our present enquiry; but, as the\\nlearned journalist very properly remarks, it\\nis intimately connected with the researches\\nand speculations of the philosopher.\\nI begin by observing, that the only account\\nof the boundaries and extent of Celtic Gaul,\\non which we can rely, is that of Julius Cae-\\nsar. It is very singular, that Strabo, in the\\nvery passage in which he treats of this sub-\\nject,f whilst he professes particularly to fol-\\nlow Caesar s account, really advances one\\nwhich is totally different; so that the learned\\nEdinburgh Review, No. IV. p. 366.\\nf Strabo, lib, iv. ad init.\\nH", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0147.jp2"}, "146": {"fulltext": "114 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nCasaubon, in his animadversions on that pas-\\nsage, remarks, that Strabo had either not\\nread Csesar when he wrote, or that the\\nCommentaries were then different from\\nthose which we have now amongst our\\nhands. Accordingly, Strabo appears to\\nhave committed many mistakes, in his ac-\\ncount of the Celtic Gauls.*\\nOmitting, then, his account of the Celtic\\nterritory, we find its boundaries precisely de-\\nfined by Caesar, f Besides informing us, that\\nthe Celts are the same people who are called\\nGauls by the Romans, he tells us, that\\nthe Garonne divides them from the Aqui-\\ntani, and the Marne and Seine from the\\nBelgae. Again, he says, that part of\\nGaul, which they (the Celts) possess, begins\\nwith the Rhone (i. e. on the east it is\\nbounded by the Garonne, the ocean, and\\nStrabo assigns the institution of the Druids, which,\\nby the consent of all, is Celtic, to the Belgae.\\nt Caes. de Bell. Gall. lib. i. c. 1.\\n1", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0148.jp2"}, "147": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 115\\nthe territory of the Belga? (i. e. on the\\nwest and north;) it reaches from the coun\\ntry of the Sequani and Helvetii to the\\nRhine it verges northwards. By this ac-\\ncount of one, who will surely be considered\\nas the highest authority on this subject, it\\nappears, that Celtic Gaul comprehended by\\nfar the most extensive and the richest third\\nof France and that it included all that ter-\\nritory which lies between the Garonne, the\\nRhone, and the Seine, from their sources to\\nthe sea, on the one hand and the Atlantic\\nOcean, and the British Channel, on the\\nother.\\nThe accounts of the most respectable wri-\\nters of antiquity concur in assigning great\\nextent of territory and of influence to the\\nCelts. Dion Cassiusf writes, that the\\nnations on both sides of the Rhine were\\ncalled Celts of old, long before Cassar s\\nSee the Maps of ancient Geography by Cellarius.\\nt Lib. xxxix.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0149.jp2"}, "148": {"fulltext": "116 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ntime. Diodorus Siculus* says, that all\\nthe nations bordering on the Alps and\\nPyrenees, as far as Scythia, were Celts;\\nand Polybius,f that the Gauls, Germans,\\nand the greatest part of Spain, were dis-\\ntinguished by the name of Celts.\\nAdverting, then, to the position of the\\nlearned journalist, which he founds on the\\nauthority of Polybius, u that theVeneti, the\\nSemnones, and Boii, who invaded Italy,\\nunder Brennus, were German tribes, I\\nobserve,\\nWith regard to the Veneti, that we\\nread, in ancient authors, of two powerful\\ntribes, who went under that denomination\\nthe one were theVeneti of Gaul, who occu-\\npied Brittany, in the bosom of the Celtic\\nterritory, and formerly called, by a Celtic\\nname, Armoric Gaul. With regard to them,\\nLib. v. c. 9.\\nt Lib. iii.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0150.jp2"}, "149": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. Ul\\nCaesar informs us, that their authority was\\nthe most extensive of all on the sea coast\\nof those regions that they had a numer-\\nous navy, with which they were wont to\\nsail to Britain; that in skill and experi-\\nence in naval affairs, they excelled all\\nothers and that, hence, they held all, who\\nnavigated those seas, as their tributaries.\\nThe other tribe were the Veneti of Italy, si-\\ntuated on the Adriatic. With regard to\\nthese, Justin says, that they came from\\nTroy, after it was taken, under Antenor/ f\\nBut Strabo, with much greater probability,\\nasserts, that they were descended from the\\nVeneti of Gaul. J Thus, then, it appears\\ncertain, that the Veneti, who invaded Italy\\nunder Brennus, were not Germans and there\\nis even a high probability, that they were\\ndirectly from Armoric Gaul.\\nCses. Bell. Gall. lib. iii. c. 8.\\nf Just. lib. xx. c. 1.\\nX Strabo, lib. iv.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0151.jp2"}, "150": {"fulltext": "118 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\n2. With regard to the Semnones, I must\\nremark, that Polybius no where mentions a\\ntribe of that name, amongst the invaders of\\nItaly. Tacitus, indeed, makes mention of\\nthe Semnones, as a tribe of the Suevi;t but\\nno author, that I know of, states them to\\nhave invaded Italy. The invaders of Italy,\\nof whom Polybius speaks, were the Senones,\\na people of Celtic Gaul, whose capital was\\nAgendicum, now Sens; and who, after their\\ninvasion of Italy, settled in the fertile plains\\nof Lombardy, and gave the name of Seno-\\ngallia to that district.^ But the matter is\\nplaced beyond all question by Livy, who\\nenumerates the Senones amongst those tribes\\nof Celtic Gaul, (as he expressly states them,)\\nwho invaded Italy, in the reign of Tarquini-\\nThe name does not occur, at least, in the edition\\nbefore me, Amstelodami ap. Janssonium, 1 670.\\nt Germ. c. 39.\\nCluverii Introd. Geog. pp. 68. ISO. 18 4-.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0152.jp2"}, "151": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 119\\nus Priscus and, it is certain, that they\\nwere the same tribes who, in after ages, con-\\ntinued to make similar incursions.\\n3. Concerning the Boii, Tacitus informs\\nus, on the authority of Cassar, that the\\nGallic states were more powerful in for-\\nmer times; and that it is credible, that the\\nGauls passed over into Germany there-\\nfore, he adds, the Helvetii occupied be-\\ntween the Hercynian forest, the Rhine, and\\nthe Maine and the Boii, further on both\\nof them Gallic tribes. The name of Boi-\\nemi (Bohemians) still remains, denoting the\\nancient memory of the place, though the\\ninhabitants are now changed. It ap-\\npears, from another passage of the same au-\\nthor, that the Boii were expelled, from\\ntheir newly acquired settlements, by the\\nf Marcomanni. 1 J But whatever may have\\nLiv. Hist. lib. v. c. 34.\\nf De Mor. Germ. c. 28.\\nt lb, c. 42.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0153.jp2"}, "152": {"fulltext": "120 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nbecome of those emigrants from Gaul, we\\nknow, that the Boii, the stock from which\\nthey sprung, were situated in the Celtic ter-\\nritory, on the western side of the Liger, in\\nthe vicinity of the iEdui, unquestionably a\\nCeltic tribe. Tacitus places the Boii in this\\nsituation, and speaks of them expressly as\\nthe neighbours of the iEdui.\\nI have only further to remark, with re-\\ngard to the inference drawn by the learned\\njournalist, from the name of the leader of\\nthose invaders, Boiorix, that it does not ap-\\npear to be well founded he observes, that\\nit is evidently of Gothic structure. If\\nany conclusion, however, can be drawn from\\nobscure etymologies, it would seem, that\\nthis name bears more of Celtic than of Go-\\nthic character. The Dumnorix of Caesar\\nwas an iEduan, a Celt, and a native of the\\nbosom of Celtic Gaul. Vercingetorix, ano-\\nTacit. Hist. lib. ii. c. 61.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0154.jp2"}, "153": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 121\\nther name of similar formation, appears also\\nto be Celtic, from the initial ver, or fer, a\\nman.\\nUpon the whole, then, it seems certain,\\nthat the Gauls, who invaded Italy, from the\\nperiod of Tarquinius, to that of the sacking\\nof Rome, were really of Celtic stock and,\\ntherefore, it might be expected, that their\\nlanguage would influence that of the Ro-\\nmans, in a very material degree hence, it\\nfollows, that no legitimate argument, against\\nthe authenticity of Ossian s Poems, can be\\nderived from the similarity that may be\\ntraced between certain Latin and Gaelic\\nterms.\\nIt may be remarked, on this part of the\\nsubject, that no language abounds more than\\nthe Gaelic in expressions to denote the dif-\\nferent appearances of external nature, with\\nall the varieties of which they are suscep-\\ntible, in a region of such unequal surface and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0155.jp2"}, "154": {"fulltext": "122 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nclimate as Scotland. The almost endless\\nvariety that occurs in the height, and struc-\\nture, and figure of mountains; in the ex-\\ntent, and current, and windings of rivers\\nand streams; in the form and distribution\\nof woods and lakes and especially in the\\nchanges and appearances of the atmosphere,\\nhave, in the Gaelic, more copious and ap-\\npropriate denominations than in any other\\nlanguage with which I am acquainted.\\nThis language also abounds in terms to\\nexpress the feelings and passions of the hu-\\nman mind, as joy, grief, melancholy, or sad-\\nness, hope, fear, anger, hatred, c. and\\nalso to denote the ordinary circumstances\\nand relations of society, and of individuals,\\nas love, courtship, marriage, kindred, birth,\\ndeath, prosperity, and adversity for terms\\nto denote these two great classes of objects,\\nthe Gaelic has no need to have recourse to\\nany language whatever.\\nThe terms of art to be found in this Ian-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0156.jp2"}, "155": {"fulltext": "GF OSSIAN S POEMS. 123\\nguage are few; but there are terms to de-\\nnote the few arts and instruments, which\\ntheir circumstances rendered necessary to\\nthe Caledonians, and which we know them\\nto have possessed; as a sword, a spear, the\\nupper garment of a warrior, a smith, iron, a\\nboat, sails, c.\\nBut it is important to remark, that it is of\\nthose two classes of terms, which I have\\nstated to abound in the Gaelic, almost the\\nwhole mass of language, in which the frag-\\nments of Ossian, which have been publish-\\ned in the original, consists. Descriptions of\\nscenery, of the appearances of the atmo-\\nsphere, and of the changes of the seasons;\\nan account of the operation and effects of\\nthe feelings and passions of mankind, toge-\\nther with reflections on the ordinary cir-\\ncumstances of society and of individuals,\\nconstitute, almost exclusively, the Poetry of\\nOssian.\\nWherever, then, any of these terms occur,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0157.jp2"}, "156": {"fulltext": "124 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwhich appear, as in a few instances is the\\ncase, to bear a resemblance to corresponding\\nterms in another language, there is, when\\nwe consider the undoubted antiquity of the\\nlanguage of Gaul, just as much reason to\\nconclude, that it is originally Celtic, as that\\nit is originally Latin, or Saxon. We have\\nan example, in point, in the title Vergubre-\\ntuSj which, Csesar tells us, was given, by the\\nGauls, to the temporary judge, or chief,\\nwhom they chose upon extraordinary emer-\\ngencies and, even to the extravagance\\nof a Celtic etymologist, it will not be de-\\nnied, that this term signifies, literalty, a\\nman to judge. Whether the ver, oxfer,\\nof the Celts, or the mr of the Romans, be\\nthe original, it is needless to enquire. In\\nwhatever way the matter be decided, we\\nhave the term sufficiently early for the use\\nof Ossian,\\nFer, a man,--- gu, to, breth, judge, is Gaelic at this*\\ndav.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0158.jp2"}, "157": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 125\\nIn the same manner, though cloidhe, a\\nsword, bears some resemblance to the gla-\\ndius of the Latins, it does not follow, that\\nthe former has been borrowed from the\\nlatter. We know, from Tacitus, that the\\nCaledonians wore long swords seventeen\\nhundred years ago and, there is good rea-\\nson to conclude, that, four hundred years\\nbefore that period, Brennus and his troops\\nleft, with the Romans, such an impression\\nof their swords, as might serve to perpetuate\\ntheir name for that instrument. The same\\nremark may be applied to saighid, ail arrow,\\nresembling the Latin sagitta, and to many\\nsimilar instances of resemblance.\\nIndeed, of the terms which are found to\\nhave this resemblance in the Celtic and in\\nthe Latin, and to which the former seems\\nto have as just a claim as the latter, the\\nnumber is very considerable, and seems to\\njustify the observation of Leibnitz, already\\ncited, that the origin of the Latin is best", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0159.jp2"}, "158": {"fulltext": "126 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nillustrated by the genuine remains of the\\nancient Celtic. David Powel, in his An-\\nnotations on Giraldus Cambrensis Descrip-\\ntion of Wales,* gives a long list of Welsh\\nterms, which resemble the Latin in sound,\\nas well as in signification. He adds, that\\nhe could have produced six hundred more\\nof such terms, not, says he, recently\\nintroduced, but used, even by the vulgar,\\nmore than a thousand years ago.\\nFor the amusement of those, who may be\\ncurious in this kind of literature, I subjoin\\na few terms, from Powel s list, adding the\\nGaelic and the English of each.\\nWelsh.\\nLatin.\\nGaelic.\\nEnglish.\\nAradr,\\nAratrum,\\nArar, (com)\\nA Plough.\\nArneu,\\nArm a,\\nArm,\\nArms.\\nAur,\\nAurum,\\nOr,\\nGold.\\nAwr,\\nHora,\\nUair,\\nAn Hour.\\nBer,\\nVeru,\\nBir,\\nA Spit.\\nCambrise Descriptio, c. 15. Powel wrote in, 1585.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0160.jp2"}, "159": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS.\\n127\\nWelsh.\\nLatin.\\nGaelic.\\nEnglish.\\nCar,\\nCarrus,\\nCarbad,\\nA Chariot, or\\nCar.\\nCasw,\\nCaseus,\\nCais,\\nCheese.\\nCely,\\nCelare,\\nCeil,\\nTo Conceal.\\nDilyw,\\nDiluvium,\\nDil,\\nA Deluge, or\\nFlood.\\nLhin,\\nLinum, item\\nLin, or Linn,\\nFlax, or a Ge-\\nLinea,\\nneration.\\nLhuric,\\nLorica,\\nLuireach,\\nA Coat of Mail.\\nLhyver,\\nLiber,\\nLcabhar,\\nA Book.\\nMel,\\nMel,\\nMil,\\nHoney.\\nMor,\\nMare,\\nMuir,\\nThe Sea.\\nMynyth,\\nMons,\\nMona\\nA mountain.\\nNos,\\nNox,\\nN ochd,\\nNight.\\nPawl,\\nPalus,\\nPoll,\\nA Pool.\\nPorth,*\\nPortus,\\nPort,\\nA Harbour.\\nSych,\\nSiccus,\\nSec,\\nParched.\\nTarw,\\nTaurus,\\nTarbh,\\nA Bull.\\nTir,\\nTerra,\\nTir,\\nLand.\\nTyst,\\nTestis,\\nTeist,\\nA witness.\\nIt were an easy matter to add another six\\nhundred, to Mr PoweFs six hundred words,\\nof which it is equally probable that the ori-\\nSee Cambden, p. 227.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0161.jp2"}, "160": {"fulltext": "128 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ngin was Celtic, as that it was Latin. I have\\nseen a specimen of an intended work, on\\nthis subject, by an ingenious friend, the Re-\\nverend Mr Donald Macintosh, Gaelic secre-\\ntary to the Highland Society of Scotland,\\nwhich, for the sake of literature, it were to\\nbe wished he would yet accomplish. From\\nsuch a work, ably executed, it would be\\nseen, how much the languages of Europe\\nowe to the Celtic.\\nAfter what has been advanced, it seems\\nunnecessary to advert to Mr Laing s obser-\\nvations on the Gaelic, talla, a, kail or, more\\nproperly, a recess. Mac Talla nan Creag\\ni. e. iC the Son of the Recesses of the Rock y\\nis the epithet which has always been, and is\\nstill, given by the Highlanders to Echo.\\nSpeur, the sky, resembles, indeed, as he\\nremarks, the sphcera of the Greeks; but it is\\ncertain, that the term, with us, is ancient;\\nit might have been introduced into Gaul by\\nthe Phocean colony, or it might have been", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0162.jp2"}, "161": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 139\\nintroduced into Greece by the Celtic inva-\\nders.\\nTaking Mr Laing s objections in the order\\nin which they lie, I cannot help adverting\\nto his solemn trifling on the wings of the\\nwind of Ossian; and on the term cliadh,\\nused, in Malvina s dream, to denote the hu-\\nman chest* The wings of the wind, says\\nthe learned gentleman, is to be found only,\\nwhere it was unavoidable, in Buchanan s\\nPsalms\\nLevibus \u00e2\u0080\u00a2ventorum adremigat alis.\\nHas Mr Laing forgotten the\\nMadidis notus evolat alls\\nof his old school-book Ovid and might he\\nnot even have recognized the origin of Bu-\\nchanan s unavoidable expression in the\\nRemigium alarum 7 of Virgil\\nCliadh says Mr Laing, is an antici-\\nM pation of the English idiom, and is liter-\\ni", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0163.jp2"}, "162": {"fulltext": "130 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nally the same with cista? Now, I must\\nbe permitted to inform the learned gentle-\\nman, that cliadh is neither literally nor me-\\ntaphorically the same with cista. Cliadh\\nsignifies, literally, a basket of osiers, wo-\\nven upon ribs; an obvious and just image,\\nit will probably be admitted, to represent\\nthat part of the human body, which, in the\\nEnglish language, is called the chest. How\\nthe English term (I do not, with Mr Laing,\\ncall it the English idiom) arose, and whether\\nit be more appropriate than the basket of the\\nCelts, is, at present, out of the question.\\nOf a great number of the terms adduced\\nby Mr Laing, as bearing a near resemblance\\nto the Latin, besides the general considera-\\ntions on this subject, which have been al-\\nready offered, I must say, that the percep-\\ntion of their similarity eludes my eye and\\nmy ear. He adduces the similarity of phosda\\nand sponsalia, (marriage); samhla, pronoun-\\nced saiila, (appearances,) and similis (like);", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0164.jp2"}, "163": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 131\\nj eachda, and fights. It is true, there is a let-\\nter or two common to the Gaelic, and the\\nLatin or English words. There is an s in\\nsamhla, and there is an s in similis there is\\nanfimfieachcla, and in fights; but all this is\\nsheer Fluellenism. There is a river in Ma-\\ncedon, and there is a river in Monmouth,\\nand there are salmons in both.\\nLoingheas and long, a ship, says Mi-\\nlling, are undoubtedly derived from the\\nnaves longce of the Romans. Cambden,\\nhowever, informs us, that Hong is the Bri-\\ntish, or Welsh, term for a ship and it pro-\\nbably was so as far back as the period of\\nOssian; so that it is of little consequence\\nwhence it has been derived.\\nI shall conclude this part of the subject,\\nwhich must appear so uninteresting to ge-\\nneral readers, by adverting to Mr Laing s\\ncriticisms on the term fiasach, a desart,\\nBritannia, p. 227.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0165.jp2"}, "164": {"fulltext": "132 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwhich occurs so frequently in the Poems of\\nOssian. The desart, he observes, is a\\ncorrelative term, suggested by its contrast\\nwith peopled and cultivated fields; but, as\\nall places were equally desart to a tribe of\\nhunters, who subsisted in the desart, there\\nwas no relative to suggest the idea or the\\nname.\\nThis criticism is, at least, specious; but it\\nis founded on a misconception of the term\\nwhich is criticised. The adjective^,?, and\\nthe substanti vtfasach, which is derived from\\nit, really signifies waste, desolate, in opposi-\\ntion to peopled, or inhabited, and not in op-\\nposition, or contrast, to cultivated. In every\\ncountry, then, where there are dwellings of\\nmen, this term has its obvious correlative.\\nMr Laing objects, on the same ground, to\\nthe term autumn. I shall afterwards shew,\\nthat Mr Macpherson has introduced this\\nterm, where there is no expression or idea\\nin the original, by which it might be even", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0166.jp2"}, "165": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 133\\nsuggested. That season of the year, how-\\never, which we denominate autumn, is fre-\\nquently mentioned by Ossian; but in no in-\\nstance whatever, as relative to com, and\\ncrops, and the operations of husbandry.\\nThat season is uniformly mentioned by Os-\\nsian, in relation to the appearances which\\nNature then presents, when the day shortens,\\nwhen vegetables decay, when the leaves\\nfall, and when the dark season (dulach) ap-\\nproaches.\\nIt is, at the same time, proper to observe,\\nthat there is a circumstance that has not hi-\\ntherto been attended to, which may have,\\nin some degree, affected the language of\\nthe remains of this ancient poetry, which\\nare still preserved. Though the language\\nof the Caledonians has continued, from the\\ncauses, of which notice has been taken al-\\nSee the annexed new translation of the Seventh Book\\nof Temora, ver. 367.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0167.jp2"}, "166": {"fulltext": "134 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nready, less influenced by foreign mixture\\nthan any other language of Europe; yet,\\nwith the lapse of ages, it must have happen-\\ned, that a few terms should become obsolete;\\nand that others, of more recent origin,\\nshould be introduced in their stead. Of this\\nsubstitution of modern terms, for others,\\nwhich had, in some measure, become obso-\\nlete, I had a striking instance, under my\\nown observation Robert Macneill, an old\\nman, still alive, and residing in my neigh-\\nbourhood, recited to me, within these few\\nyears, the long poem of Manos, as it is to\\nbe found in the Perth Collection, (p. 18.)\\nin thirty- seven quatrains, which I took\\ndown in writing. I remarked, that when\\nany term occurred, which I did not rea-\\ndily understand, and of which I required an\\nexplanation, he always adopted a method,\\nwhich seemed to be easier to him than to\\ngive an explanation. He immediately began\\nthe stanza anew, and dextrously substitu-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0168.jp2"}, "167": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 1S5\\nted a more modern term, of similar import,\\nand, what shewed considerable presence of\\nmind, of the same measure but this sub-\\nstitution extended only to a few particu-\\nlar terms the sentiment was in no instance\\naltered.\\nThus ajezv, and but a few, questionable\\nterms may have been introduced into these\\nrecitations and thus their introduction may\\nbe accounted for. But, whatever may have\\nbeen the origin of some of those terms, on\\nwhich Mr Laing animadverts, it is certain,\\nthat Mr Macpherson had no share in the\\ncoinage of any one of them. Indepen-\\ndently of the Poems of Ossian, we have, in\\nother Gaelic poems of undoubted antiqui-\\nty, and also in the fragments of ancient\\nWelsh and Irish poetry, abundant proof of\\nthe use of those terms, from a very remote\\nperiod. For this proof, I refer to all the\\ncollections of Irish and Welsh poetry, to\\nGiraldus Cambrensis, and to Cambden. In", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0169.jp2"}, "168": {"fulltext": "136 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nan ancient war song, which we know to\\nbe of A. D. 1411, we have the term borb,\\nbarbarous on which Mr Laing remarks\\nso exulting! y.\\nSee MacdonalcTs Collection, p. o\\\\", "height": "3381", "width": "2259", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0170.jp2"}, "169": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 1ST\\nSECTION V.\\nMr Laings alleged Imitations of ancient and mo-\\ndern Authors considered. Avowed Imitations,\\nand accidental coincidences of Thought and Ex-\\npression, in Authors who could not possibly have\\nhad any Communication with each other. Ca-\\nnons of Criticism, applicable to this Subject, with\\nExamples.\\nThere is no part of his Dissertation which\\nMr Laing has laboured more, and on which\\nhe seems to lay greater stress, than his alle-\\nged detection of Ossian s imitations of cer-\\ntain passages in the sacred scriptures, and\\nin the ancient classics and though the best\\njudges of this subject, with whom I have\\nhad occasion to converse, agree, in account-\\ning this part of his Treatise the most incon-\\nclusive, yet I have reason to believe, that", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0171.jp2"}, "170": {"fulltext": "138 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\non a number of his readers it has made a\\nconsiderable impression.\\nIt must be acknowledged, that this is a\\ntopic which will naturally occur, in the dis-\\ncussion of the present question, as affording\\na very obvious criterion of originality. Mr\\nJames Macpherson was brought up in the\\nbosom of polished society; he received an\\nuniversity education; his mind was enrich-\\ned with the stores of ancient and modern li-\\nterature he was familiarized, from an early\\nperiod of life, to the modes of acting, and\\nthinking, and expressing himself, which cha-\\nracterize the scholar of the present times.\\nThat a person of such education, and of\\nsuch habits of thinking, should so com-\\npletely divest himself of all his previous ac-\\nquisitions in literature, and science, and of\\nevery idea rendered familiar to him by long\\nuse; and that he should be able to write,\\nwith uniform consistency, in the character\\nof a person who is supposed to have lived", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0172.jp2"}, "171": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 139\\nfourteen hundred years ago, and in a state\\nof society so different from the present or-\\nder of things in* short, that a modern Eu-\\nropean should produce such a work, as the\\nPoetry of Ossian, distinguished, exclusively,\\nby the ideas peculiar to a people in the most\\nsimple state of society, all these, I confess,\\nI must consider as efforts beyond the reach\\nof humanity.\\nFrom what we know of human nature,\\nand of what the human mind can perform,\\nit would seem impossible to exclude, from\\nsuch a work of a modern, every idea that\\nbelongs to the present times, and every al-\\nlusion to the peculiar habits, and discove-\\nries, and relations of modern Europe. One\\nshould expect, that, in every page, the tones\\nof modern polished society would introduce\\nthemselves, and produce a discordant note;\\nthat the ideas of agriculture, of commerce,\\nand, especially, the ideas of Christianity,\\nwhich, in these times, occupy so much space", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0173.jp2"}, "172": {"fulltext": "140 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nin every mind, would, from time to time,\\nrush in, and give their own colouring, even\\nto the picture of the life of wanderers and\\nhunters. Though you expel Nature with\\na fork, said one who knew mankind well,\\nshe will always return upon you. The\\npeculiar habits of modern polished life, are,\\nto us, a second nature, and we can by no ef-\\nfort entirely divest ourselves of them. To\\ninvent, like Psalmanazar, a new language, to\\ncombine the letters of the alphabet in an\\nunheard of form, and to ring a chime of un-\\nheard of inflections on those combinations,\\nwere nothing to this. It might be done by\\nSw r ift s Laputan table. But did Psalmanazar\\nventure to commit himself, by giving us a\\ncontinued composition in this new lan-\\nguage; a pretended original production of\\na Formosan, with all its peculiarities of idi-\\nom, of local allusion, and habits of think-\\nHorace.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0174.jp2"}, "173": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 141\\ning and expression? He was too wise for\\nthis.\\nIf we find, in Ossian, clear and unequivo-\\ncal evidence of allusion to modern ideas,\\nmanners, or events if we discover the pe-\\nculiar modes of thinking, or of expression,\\nwhich belong to modern times or if we de-\\ntect palpable imitations of ancient authors,\\nwith whom he could not possibly have been\\nacquainted, this poetry must be modern,\\nand Ossian must be abandoned. But, on the\\nother hand, if we discover nothing but what\\nit was natural for Ossian to say and think,\\nin the period and country in which he lived;\\nif we rind the peculiar manners of that state\\nof society, in which he is said to have flou-\\nrished, uniformly and consistently support-\\ned, together with a total absence of every\\nthing that is foreign and modern, -justice\\nand truth require, that these poems should\\nbe referred to the person and to the age to\\nwhich they have been ascribed.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0175.jp2"}, "174": {"fulltext": "142 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIn order to judge truly, with regard to in-\\ntended imitation, upon the one hand, and\\nnatural coincidences of thought, upon the\\nother, it seems necessary, that certain dis-\\ntinctions should be made, and certain undis-\\nputed rules of criticism established. There\\nare certain parallelisms of sentiment and ex-\\npression, which occur in writers, so avowed\\nand palpable, that we cannot hesitate to pro-\\nnounce the one an imitation, or transcript,\\nof the other. But we meet, at the same\\ntime, with coincidences in authors, who\\ncould not possibly borrow from each other,\\nand which are yet so striking, that we can\\nonly pronounce them to have originated in\\nour common nature, and in the common\\naspect which belongs to human affairs.\\nThus, when I see Homers story of Pro-\\nteus copied almost literally by Virgil, I\\nOdyss. lib. iv. v. 384.\\nt Georg. lib. iv. v. 415.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0176.jp2"}, "175": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. U3\\ncannot possibly entertain any doubt of the\\nimitation. The\\n2ualis in Eurota ripis, aut perjuga Cynthi\\nof Virgil, is avowedly an imitation of Ho-\\nmer s\\nC 0\u00c2\u00abJ y AgTtfJUq \u00c2\u00a3K7* X.CCT \u00c2\u00ab\u00c2\u00a3\u00c2\u00a30\u00c2\u00a3 lo^iai^cc.f\\nVirgil s\\nIpsa decoram\\nCcesariem nato genetrix lumenque juventce,%\\nis as unquestionably borrowed from Homer s\\nIn these instances, and in numberless\\nothers, which occur in the Greek and Ro-\\nman writers, there can be no doubt of in-\\nMn. lib. i. v. 502.\\nt Odyss. lib. vi. V. 102.\\nMn. lib. i. v. 593.\\nOdyss. lib. vi. v. 305.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0177.jp2"}, "176": {"fulltext": "144 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ntended and avowed imitation. But there\\nare parallelisms of thought, and of expres-\\nsion, to be met with, in authors, of which\\nwe must make a very different estimate.\\nThus, for instance, we find in Homer, and in\\nthe New Testament, the same image, and the\\nsame thought, expressed in nearly the same\\nterms; and yet who will presume to say,\\nthat the latter is an imitation of the former?\\nHomer says,\\nTtf$ y, co$ ouwofaci ts^ocxB ouyu* amatol ai^E?\\ne f2$ Ttf? yytponq, fyc*\\nThat is As easily as goat-herds sepa-\\nrate large flocks of goats, when they have\\nmixed in the pasture, so, c. and, in\\nthe New Testament, we have, And he\\nshall separate them one from another, as\\nIliad, ii. v. 474.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0178.jp2"}, "177": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 145\\na shepherd divideth the sheep from the\\ngoats.\\nWhat, again, can be more similar, both in\\nthought and expression, than the manner in\\nwhich Jacob describes the situation in which\\nhe shall be placed, should he be deprived of\\nhis favourite son, Benjamin; and that in\\nwhich Priam describes his sorrow over the\\nfate of his favourite son, Hector? Ye will\\nbring down, says the patriarch to the rest\\nof his sons, my grey hairs with sorrow to\\nthe grave. f Priam says, in nearly simi-\\nlar terms,\\nThat is For all these, I lament not so\\nmuch as for Hector alone, my bitter sor-\\nMatt. ch. xxv. ver. 32.\\nf Genesis, ch. xliv. ver. 29.\\nt Iliad, xxii. v. 424.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0179.jp2"}, "178": {"fulltext": "146 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nrow for whom will bring me down to the\\ngrave. And yet who will say here, that\\nHomer copied the expressions of Jacob\\nThe truth is, that just criticism, as well as\\ncommon sense, furnish us with certain un-\\nequivocal canons, by which to judge of\\ndesigned imitation, and accidental coinci-\\ndence in authors. Some of these, which\\nseem to be applicable to this subject, I shall\\nnow take the liberty to suggest, and to il-\\nlustrate.\\nI. As external nature presents, in every\\nage, the same features, varied only by the\\ndifference of climate, and the limited opera-\\ntions of man, accurate observers of nature\\nwill describe those appearances, in every\\nage, and in every country, by nearly similar\\nimages, and in nearly similar language.\\nThe revolutions of the seasons, the growth\\nand decay of vegetables, the phenomena of\\nthe atmosphere, and the various aspects un-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0180.jp2"}, "179": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 14T\\nder which the scenery of nature appears, are\\npermanent; they will strike all mankind\\nwith corresponding emotions, and will, con-\\nsequently, be described by all, without re-\\ngard to age or country, in a corresponding\\nmanner. It is true, the scenery of Arabia,\\nand its productions, differ widely from those\\nof Caledonia and it is from these instances\\nof difference, that the poetry and eloquence\\nof those countries have received their dis-\\ntinctive and peculiar colouring. But, in\\nArabia, as well as in Caledonia, vegetables\\nare covered with leaves, and flowers, and\\nfruit, which, in their seasons, unfold them-\\nselves, ripen, and decay. In both those\\ncountries, flowers are fragrant, birds sing,\\nfields are verdant in spring, and streams flow\\ndown declivities. These objects and ap-\\npearances, therefore, will be described, in\\nnearly the same terms, and nearly under the\\nsame images, of whatever age or country\\nthe describer be.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0181.jp2"}, "180": {"fulltext": "148 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nAccordingly, there occur, as might be ex-\\npected, in Homer and in Ossian, poets who\\nflourished in nearly similar circumstances of\\nsociety, many corresponding images and ex-\\npressions. If Homer describes his vrfapm\\nX*^?? 00 his winter s torrent, or his\\nZD-0T\u00c2\u00ab/A\u00c2\u00ab10 \u00c2\u00a3E\u00c2\u00a30pa\\nOksocvh-\\nThat is, the torrent of ocean s tide, Os-\\nsian, in almost the same words, has, in a\\npassage cited above, (p. 95.) his\\nBuime-shruthf reothairt geamhraidh.\\nThat is,\\nThe torrent of a winter s tide.\\nWe have, in Homer,\\nIliad, xiv. v. 24-5.\\nf lb. i. v. 34.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0182.jp2"}, "181": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 149\\nthat is By the shore of the sea of many\\nsounds. Ossian, in Malvina s dream, has,\\nCuan mor-shruth nan iomafuaim;\\nthat is, as nearly as it can be rendered in\\nthe English idiom,\\nf The swelling ocean of many sounds.\\nBut who will affirm that Ossian copied Ho-\\nmer, in these descriptions of natural and or-\\ndinary appearances? Will not the poet of\\nCaledonia describe the grand features of na-\\nture, with which he has had an opportunity\\nto be conversant, the sea, a mountain, a ri-\\nver, or lake or those particularly striking\\nobjects, the sun, the moon, the morning,\\nand the morning or evening star, just as\\nJob, or Moses, or Homer, or Hesiod did\\nII. As the grand features of external na-\\nture are universal and permanent, so, with a\\nfew variations, arising from accidental cir-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0183.jp2"}, "182": {"fulltext": "150 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ncumstances, the leading features of the hu-\\nman mind have been found to be nearly\\nsimilar, in every age and country. All man-\\nkind, of whatever period or nation, are not\\nonly affected in nearly the same manner, by\\nthe feelings of love and hatred, desire and\\naversion, hope and fear; but they generally\\nexpress those feelings in similar language,\\nand by similar symbols. Not to multiply\\nexamples, without necessity, in proof of so\\nundeniable a position, I shall only instance\\nthe manner in which the feelings of grief\\nhave been expressed, in very distant ages\\nand countries.\\nWe find Job, in his sorrow for the severe\\nloss of his children, rending his mantle,\\nand shaving his head. His friends, too,\\njoined in his grief, rending also their\\nmantles, and sprinkling dust upon their\\nheads towards heaven. The king of\\nJob, ch. i. ver. 20. and ch. ii. ver. 12.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0184.jp2"}, "183": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS, 151\\nNineveh expressed his sorrow for his sins,\\nand those of his people, by laying his robe\\nfrom him, by putting on sackcloth, and\\nby sitting in ashes. f\\nIt is by symbols, precisely similar, that\\nHomer describes Achilles mourning over his\\nbeloved friend Patroclus\\nKivolto y.ocx, v.ztyalwq.\\nK\u00c2\u00abto.\\nThat is And taking up, with both his\\nhands, the black dust, (or ashes,) he threw\\nit on his head and he lay, stretched,\\nwith his mighty length, in the dust.\\nIII. We may trace, in every country, and\\nin every period of society, a striking same-\\nt Jonah, ch. iii. ver. 6.\\nI Iliad, xviii. y. 23.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0185.jp2"}, "184": {"fulltext": "152 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nness in the general course of human affairs,\\nas well as in the circumstances and fortunes\\nof individuals. It belongs to the universal\\nnature of human affairs, that the morning of\\nyouth should be cheerful, lively, and buoy-\\nant with hope that more advanced life\\nshould be enterprising and daring and that\\nold age should be infirm, querulous, and dis-\\nconsolate. It is in the nature of human af-\\nfairs, that even the good and brave should\\nsometimes be overwhelmed with misfortune;\\nthat the best concerted enterprises should fail\\nand that the unworthy should sometimes be\\ncrowned with prosperity and success.\\nOn all these striking circumstances of hu-\\nman affairs, accordingly, it may be expect-\\ned, that observing minds will make similar\\nreflections and that they will express those\\nreflections by similar images, and in similar\\nterms. Thus, speaking of the miseries of\\nhuman life, Job observes, That man is\\nborn unto trouble man, that is born", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0186.jp2"}, "185": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 153\\nof a woman, is of few days, and full of\\ntrouble. And, in the same style, says\\nHomer,\\nAvrvivoiai (Air uvfycto-t,\\n\u00c2\u00b0Ov [jiev yap Tt Er# Irtf oifypwlspov uv^og,\\nTlavlwv ocraa. re yoaav iwin iei rs y.oci IgTrei.f\\nThat is With the miserable race of\\nmen; for there is nothing more wretch-\\ned (full of trouble) than man, of all that\\n6 breathe and move upon the earth.\\nTo every thing, says Solomon, there\\nis a season a time to keep silence, and a\\ntime to speak. Homer has the same\\nreflection, in almost the same words\\nThe Psalmist describes the concord of\\nJob, ch. v. ver. 7. and ch. xiv. ver. 1.\\nf Iliad, xvii. v. 445.\\nj Eccles. ch. iii. ver. 1. and 7.\\nOdyss. xi. v. 378.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0187.jp2"}, "186": {"fulltext": "154 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nbrethren, by the following very beautiful\\nimages Behold how good and pleasant\\nit is for brethren to dwell in unity it is\\nlike the dew of Hermon, and as the dew\\nthat descendeth on the mountains of\\nZion.\\nHomer, on a kindred subject, the recon-\\nciliation of Menelaus and Antilochus, de-\\nscribes the emotions of the former, by images\\nsimilar to those of the King of Israel\\nh$\\nvpo\\nlav\u00c2\u00ae*), utret re -srepi TOt^vea-aiv Ufcm\\nThat is And his mind was gladdened,\\nas when the dew moistens the ears of the\\ngrowing corn.\\nNumberless other parallelisms, both of\\nthought and expression, occurring in the\\nPsalm cxxxiii.\\nt Iliad, xxiii. r. 597.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0188.jp2"}, "187": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS.\\nsacred scriptures, and in the more ancient\\nGreek writers, might be produced, in which\\nthere can be no suspicion of imitation, but\\nwhich naturally arise, from the similarity of\\nthe objects, and of the circum stances which\\nare described. To seize the distinguishing\\ntraits of external nature, and of human cha-\\nracter, is the high privilege of genius. It is\\nof little consequence whether the poet be of\\nSyria, or of Greece, or of the Highlands of\\nScotland he will stamp the character of his\\ngenius on the scenes and events which he\\ndescribes, and they will come forth from his\\nbrain, clothed with the drapery and colour-\\ning which belong to them.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0189.jp2"}, "188": {"fulltext": "156 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nSECTION VI.\\nParticular Examination of Mr Laing s alleged Imi-\\ntation of ancient and modern Authors. Addresses\\nto the Sun, Moon, and Evening Star, Imita-\\ntions of Pope, Job. Maxims of the Highland-\\ners concerning the Course of Human Affairs.\\nImitations, continued in Mr Laing f s Order, of\\nVirgil, Catullus, Homer, Milton.\\nVV hen we turn our attention from these\\nparallelisms, of which the resemblance is so\\nclose and striking, and which can be thus\\neasily accounted for, to the vague similari-\\nties, adduced by Mr Laing, between certain\\npassages of Ossian, and of the ancient or\\nmodern classics, we cannot help perceiving a\\nforced adaptation of images and expressions,\\nwhich either have nothing in common be-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0190.jp2"}, "189": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 15T\\ntween them, or which may be easily ac-\\ncounted for, on the principles which I have\\nendeavoured to establish.\\nWhere, even supposing Mr Macpherson s\\ntranslation to be just, is the resemblance be-\\ntween Ossian s Loveliness was around her\\nas light; her steps were the music of songs,\\nand Milton s\\nGrace was in all her steps, heaven in her eye,\\nIn every gesture dignity and love,\\nexcept the single term steps? let any\\neye or ear judge concerning farther resem-\\nblance.\\nDid we not know Mr Laing to be serious,\\nit would seem, that he had intended a bur-\\nlesque upon criticism, when he maintains,\\nthat the\\nt\u00e2\u0082\u00ac Sen solvit crines, fusis decet esse capillis\\nof Tibullus, which, literally, is If she", "height": "3868", "width": "1997", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0191.jp2"}, "190": {"fulltext": "158 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nlooses her hair, it becomes her to have\\nflowing locks, has furnished the original\\nof Ossian s If on the heath she moved,\\nher breast was whiter than the snow of\\nCana. Or, when again he maintains, that\\nTibullus\\nSeu compsit, cotrtptis est veneranda comis\\nUrit seu nivea, writ seu tyria\\nThat is If she adorn her hair, she is\\ngraceful with adorned locks she in-\\nflames, whether she is in white, or in\\npurple, is the original of Ossian s If\\non the sea-beat shore, than the foam of\\nthe rolling ocean. In these alleged imi-\\ntations, I can discern nothing common, ex-\\ncept the particle seu, in the Latin, and if, in\\nthe English and I must beg leave again to\\nenter my dissent against the logic of honest\\nCaptain Fluellen.\\nOssian s Her dark hair flowed round it", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0192.jp2"}, "191": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 159\\nin streaming clouds, is again, with Mr\\nLaing, Tibullus\\nFusis decet esse capillis.\\nSurely Mr Laing supposes, that his readers\\ncannot translate Tibullus, or that they are\\ntoo indolent to compare the alleged resem-\\nblances.\\nIn the poem of Cath-Loda, Mr Laing spe-\\ncifies, as what he calls unintelligible bom-\\nbast, the following sentence of Ossian:\\nWhence is the stream of years Whither\\ndo they roll Where have they hid in mist\\ntheir many-coloured sides I confess,\\nthat all this imagery appears to me beautiful\\nand appropriate. The lapse of time, and\\nthe course of human affairs, are expres-\\nsions, in ordinary use, in every language;\\nthey convey the same idea, and are founded\\non a similar metaphor with that of the\\nstream of years. But who does not per-\\nceive, that all these figures of speech origi-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0193.jp2"}, "192": {"fulltext": "160 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nnate naturally, in every reflecting mind,\\nfrom the common observation of human life?\\nMust we wait to find their origin in the truly\\nadmirable verses of Mr Blair\\nSon of the morning, whither art thou fled\\nWhere hast thou hid thy many spangled head\\nI should not have been surprised, had Mr\\nLaing traced the above-mentioned imagery\\nof Ossian to a source, which, had it occur-\\nred to him, he might, in the humour in\\nwhich he wrote, have been disposed to deem\\nmore appropriate. In the chronological chart\\nof Dr Priestley, the extent and duration of\\nempires, are represented by a stream, small\\nand circumscribed in its beginnings, but\\nswelling as it advances; and occasionally,\\nas was the fate of empires, disappearing, and\\nlost in the mist of time. In this same\\nchart, he might have detected even the\\nmany coloured sides of Ossian he might", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0194.jp2"}, "193": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 161\\nhave seen one empire distinguished in blue,\\nanother in red, and another in green.\\nLeaving the supposed imitations of Scrip-\\nture for future consideration, I remark, in\\np. 413, the following quotation from Os-\\nsian Comest thou, O maid, over rocks,\\nover mountains, to me This Mr Laing,\\ncompares to the verse of an old ballad\\nOver hill, over dale, over high mountains.\\nI most willingly concede to the learned\\ngentleman any advantage which may be de-\\nrived from this elegant morsel of criticism.\\nI come now, however, to consider a sub-\\nject of higher import, the assertion of Mr\\nLaing, (p. 414.) that ostentatious addres-\\nses to the sun, moon, and evening star,\\nII are, alone, a detection of modern poetry,\\nto which they are peculiar. If the learn-\\ned gentleman had been able to establish this\\nposition in any other manner, than by his\\nL", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0195.jp2"}, "194": {"fulltext": "162 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nordinary manner of gratuitous assertion, it\\nwould have afforded, at least, a very import-\\nant conclusion, though not a complete proof\\nof his argument. Disclaiming the epithet\\nostentatious, whether applied to those\\naddresses that occur in Ossian, or to those\\nwhich I shall adduce from Greek and Ro-\\nman antiquity, I cannot help expressing my\\nsurprise, that the gentleman should have ha-\\nzarded such an assertion, when he knows,\\nor, at least, before he made it, should have\\nknown, that such addresses abound in the\\npoetry of Greece and Rome.\\nI must premise, however, that the Greeks\\nand Romans were influenced, in those ad-\\ndresses, by a very different mythology from\\nthat of our Caledonian ancestors and that,\\nconsequently, they assumed, with each, a\\nsomewhat different form. The Greeks and\\nRomans considered the sun, the moon, and\\nthe evening star, as constituting, as they ac-\\ntually do, distinct departments of inanimate\\n1", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0196.jp2"}, "195": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 163\\nnature, but directed, each of them, by an\\nintelligent being, a divinity, who presided\\nover them, and influenced all their energies.\\nThe presiding divinity of the sun was Apol-\\nlo, or Phoebus of the moon, Diana and of\\nthe evening star, Hesperus. To those pre-\\nsiding powers, accordingly, these addresses\\nwere most usually directed.\\nThe Celts, again, as shall afterwards be\\nshewn, paid divine honours to the sun chief-\\nly, of all the celestial luminaries. But they\\ndo not seem to have considered the sun as\\nunder the influence of a local divinity, like\\nthe Greeks. They appear, indeed, to have\\nregarded that luminary as the beneficent pa-\\nrent of light, and life, and heat, to this\\nearth; but as, itself, under the controul of\\nDestiny, having a beginning, and liable,\\nlike every other creature, to decay and de-\\nstruction. If we attend to the account\\nSee the opening of the beautiful fragment of Tra-\\nthul, in Smith s Collection, where we have an address to", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0197.jp2"}, "196": {"fulltext": "164 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwhich Caesar and others have given us of\\nthe religion of the Druids, it would seem,\\nthat the Celts worshipped the sun, only as\\nthe representative and emblem of that Power\\nwhich made and governs all things.\\nThough, in the Greek and Roman poets,\\nthe more prevailing titles of the addresses\\nin question, are to Apollo, to Diana, and to\\nVenus; yet instances are by no means want-\\ning of addresses to the sun, moon, and even-\\ning star, and other striking objects of na-\\nture, in the very same style and spirit in\\nwhich they are introduced by Ossian.\\nNot to mention, then, the odes of Horace,\\nof Anacreon and Sappho, addressed to the\\nimmortals of Olympus, I observe, that we\\nmeet with addresses, in the manner of Os-\\nsian, in that of Juno to Sleep, Iliad, xiv. ver.\\n180; to the same, in the Orestes of Euri-\\npides, ver. 211; to Night, Orestes, ver. 174;\\nthe sun, which I consider as equal, if not superior, to that\\nwhich occurs in Macpherson s Carthon.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0198.jp2"}, "197": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 165\\nto the Air, Aristophanis Nubes, ver. %63\\nand to the Earth, Sophoelis Philoctetes, ver.\\n403. All these addresses, though not direct-\\ned to the sun, moon, or evening star, are\\nmade to similarly striking objects of nature,\\nand are in the same style of personification\\nwith those of Ossian they shew, at least,\\nthat this manner of writing does not belong,\\nexclusively, to modern poetry. But I pro-\\nceed to observe, that the ancients furnish us\\nwith direct addresses to the sun, the moon,\\nand the evening star.\\nIn the Carmen Nuptiale of Catullus, two\\nmost beautiful addresses to the evening star\\nwill be found; the one beginning,\\nHespere, qui codofertur crudelior ignis;\\nand the other,\\nHespere, qui ccelo lucetjucundior ignis\\nIn the hymns ascribed to Homer, and\\nwhich, whether they be Homer s or not, are", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0199.jp2"}, "198": {"fulltext": "166 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nunquestionably of great antiquity, there is\\nan address, or hymn, to the sun, Eis Hmok,\\nand another to the moon, E/? ^ikww both\\nof which Mr Laing, should he take the trouble\\nto peruse them, would, perhaps, be disposed\\nto regard as ostentatious.\\nBut I would observe, that it is in the\\nchoruses of Seneca, the tragedian, that we\\nhave the most frequent and appropriate ad-\\ndresses to the sun and moon, in the manner\\nof Ossian. Thus, in his Hyppolitus, act ii. f\\nto the moon\\nRegina nemorum, sola quce montes colis\\nEt una solis montibus coleris dea\\nmagna sylvas inter et lucos dea\\nClarumque cceli sidus, et noctis decus,\\nCujus relucet mundus alterndface\\nThat is, literally O queen of the forests,\\nwho, solitarily, inhabitest the mountains\\nand who alone art worshipped as a goddess\\non the solitary mountains O mighty god-\\ndess, amidst the woods and groves, bright", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0200.jp2"}, "199": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 167\\nluminary of heaven, and ornament of night,\\nby whose alternate torch the world is en-\\nlightened.\\nAnd in Hercules Furens, act iii., we have\\nan address to the sun which begins,\\nlucis alme rector, et corti decus,\\nQui altema curru spatia Jiammifero ambiens,\\nIllustre Icetis exeris terris caput tyc.\\nI would especially point out the address\\nto the sun, in Thyestes, act iv., as possessing\\nmany ideas in common with the beautiful\\naddress to that luminary, given by Dr Smith,\\nin his fragment entitled Trathul. Seneca s\\nbegins with,\\nQuo terrarum supemumque parens,\\nCujus ad ortus, noctis opacce\\nDecus omnefugit, quo vertis iter/* fyc.\\nWhich is, literally Whither, O parent of\\nearth, and of the powers above, at whose\\nrising every ornament of the dusky night\\nretires, whither dost thou turn thy course?", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0201.jp2"}, "200": {"fulltext": "168 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIn this address, Seneca has again,\\nQuid te atherio pepulit cursu\\n2uc\u00c2\u00a3 causa tuos limite cerlo\\nDejecit equosf*\\nThat is: What hath driven thee from thy\\nethereal course What cause hath pushed\\nthy steeds from their regular track\\nOssian, in the fragment alluded to, has,\\nin his address to the sun,\\nThe storms of the tempestuous\\nShall never blow thee off from thy course.\\nThe steed, in his strength, who finds\\nhis companions in the breeze, and tosses\\nhis bright mane in the wind, is, says Mr\\nLaing, a literal and wretched transcript\\nfrom Pope s,\\nHis head, now freed, he tosses to the skies\\nHis mane, dishevelled, o er his shoulder flies\\nHe snuffs the females on the distant plain,\\nAnd springs, exulting, to his fields again.\\nAs to the wretchedness of the transcript,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0202.jp2"}, "201": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 169\\nI shall offer no remark but, as to its being\\nliteral, every reader may judge. If Os-\\nsian s steed be allowed to have a mane, his\\nmane will toss in the wind but what is\\nthere in common between a bright mane\\nand a dishevelled mane? By the way, it\\nis his head that is tossed by the horse of\\nthe English poet, and not his mane.\\nAll this trifling might have been spared,\\nhad it been considered, that, in both these\\npassages, the description relates to a striking\\nobject of nature the horse and hence, ac-\\ncording to the principles already laid down,\\nsimilar circumstances will be introduced in-\\nto the description, of whatever period or\\ncountry the describer be. Referring, as be-\\nfore, to original sources, I observe, that we\\nhave an instance of this, altogether in point,\\nin the descriptions of this noble animal,\\nwhich have been given in the book of Job,*\\nJob, ch. xxxix. ver. 19.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0203.jp2"}, "202": {"fulltext": "170 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nand in the Iliad of Homer, where many of\\nthe most striking images are common to the\\ntwo authors and the expression is, in some\\ninstances, also the same. The vrthoio x/ o-\\noliyoy of Homer is, literally, the paweth\\nu in the valley, of the Oriental writer the\\nxvlioav and dfhoanqi sre7ro/(W, of Homer,\\nis, the rejoiceth in his strength, of Job.\\nBut who will maintain, that Homer, in this\\ndescription, imitated Job\\nThe description of Moina s ghost, says\\nMr Laing, suggested confessedly (who has\\nconfessed this?) by Virgil s Dido, is un-\\nexpectedly improved.\\nThis is a mighty concession, indeed. But\\nI confess, I can discern no similarity in the\\ndescriptions, except the common, the obvi-\\nous, and the natural, image of the moon\\nseen through mist. Has Virgil so appro-\\nIliad, xv. v. 263.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0204.jp2"}, "203": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 171\\npriated to himself this very familiar image,\\nthat it cannot occur, and must not be em-\\nployed by any other poet?\\nIn the same manner, though it should\\nseem, that nothing is more obvious than to\\ncompare the sun, or the moon, to a shield,\\nyet, as Milton and Home have occupied\\nthis image, it must be denied to Ossian be-\\ncause Milton makes his stars hide their\\ndiminished heads, Ossian s stars, which have\\nbeen probably oftener obscured by clouds\\nthan Milton s, must not hide them selves\\nupon any account; because Milton s sun has\\nsole dominion ascribed to him, Ossian\\nmust take care that his sun shall not move\\nalone but must find a companion in his\\ncourse. This seems to be strange criti-\\ncism.\\nThat the oaks of the mountains fall;\\nand that the mountains themselves decay\\nwith years, is, says Mr Laing, a philo-\\nsophical, or scriptural allusion, remote from", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0205.jp2"}, "204": {"fulltext": "172 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe sphere of Ossians observation. I\\nwould observe, that the sphere of his obser-\\nvation, and his talent for observing, must\\nhave been very circumscribed and mean in-\\ndeed, if, in such a country as the Highlands\\nof Scotland, he had not remarked the decay\\nof aged oaks, and the wasting of the moun-\\ntains by winter s torrents, and by the fall of\\nrocks. These are things to be observed every\\nday.\\nHere I may be permitted to remark, that\\nthe Highlanders are distinguished, to this\\nday, by the shrewdness of their observations,\\nand by the propriety of their maxims, on the\\nordinary course of human affairs. The pre-\\nvalent colouring of these maxims, and obser-\\nvations, is a certain pleasing melancholy,\\nfostered probably by the sublimity, mixed\\nwith gloominess, of the scenery with which\\nthey are conversant, together with the fre-\\nquency of disasters occurring to individuals,\\nfrom accident, or from the inclemency of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0206.jp2"}, "205": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 173\\nthe elements. The shortness and uncertain-\\nty of human life, and the prevalence of mis-\\nfortune in the world, are the frequent topics\\nof their reflections, and of their discourse.\\nTo illustrate this, besides referring to a\\nvery valuable collection of Gaelic proverbs,\\npublished by the Reverend Mr Donald Mac-\\nintosh, I shall beg leave to adduce a few\\npassages from the Sean-dana of Dr Smith,\\nwhich I shall translate literally.\\nFor ten and twice twenty seasons, in the vale,\\nOver Shithamha, withered the oak\\nu Behold our days declining,\\n(Said he, at times, to his friend,)\\nLike the leaf of the oak, like the grass of the\\nhill:\\nOne withers away after the other.\\nLike is the period of life, and of our years\\nTo the quick rushing of a stone along a pre-\\ncipice.\\nLosga Taura, p. 288.\\nHow quickly pass the days of the hero\\nHe sweeps the heath, in the morning", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0207.jp2"}, "206": {"fulltext": "174 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nBut, before descends the night of clouds,\\nNothing but his cold corpse is to be found.\\nDark, short, without a sunbeam on the heath,\u00e2\u0080\u0094\\nThe life of the hero is like a day of winter.\\nCom, p. 266.\\nLike a gleam of the sun, in winter,\\nRushing rapidly over the heath of Lena\\nte Such are the days of the Fingallians,\\nLike the sun between showers, departing.\\nCathula, p. 158.\\nMalvina, mourning after her sisters, says,\\nI am like the star of the morning,\\nPale-visaged, after all the luminaries of night:\\nBrief is the course of her light,\\nAs she travels after them, mournful.\\nThe maiden arises to the mountain s chace\\nBut she beholds not her aspect above.\\nWe shall depart in our own season,\\n(Says she, with tears, to her companions.)\\nLosga Taura, p. 305.\\nThe parallelisms, founded on the blind-\\nThat is, of the star of morning.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0208.jp2"}, "207": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 175\\nness of Ossian, and that of Homer and Mil-\\nton, are surely nothing else than the natural\\nexpression of the feelings of persons placed\\nin similar circumstances. Because Homel-\\nand Milton were blind, must no other poet\\nbe so and to all men, who are blind, is not\\nli the sun dark? to them does he not shine\\nin vain But that Mr Laing should dis-\\ncover the hall to which the moon retires,\\nat her change, in Milton s vacant inter-\\nlunar cave, is a stretch of imagination,\\nand a discovery in astronomy, which are far\\nbeyond my powers.\\nOf the parallelism of Virgil s\\nQuale per incertam Lunam, sub luce maligna fyc.\\nand Ossian s glimmering light of the moon,\\nwhen it shines through broken clouds, I\\nwould only say, that it amounts to nothing\\nmore than that men of genius, as I have al-\\nready suggested, in describing the ordinary\\nappearances of nature, will seize, in com-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0209.jp2"}, "208": {"fulltext": "176 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nmon, on the most prominent features, and\\nnecessarily produce a similar picture. Os-\\nsian was not, perhaps, as good an astrono-\\nmer as Virgil but he had probably as many\\nopportunities, as the courtly inhabitant of\\nRome, of observing the picturesque scenery\\nof moon-light and, perhaps also, he had as\\npowerful a talent in describing it.\\nThe same remark extends also to Ossian s\\nflower of the rock, that lifts its fair head\\nunseen; and strews its withered leaves on\\nthe blast. It may even be observed, that\\nOssian s image surpasses that of Catullus,\\nFlos in septis, secretis nascitur hortis*\\nin point of appropriate elegance but it\\nmay, perhaps, be allowed to be inferior to\\nGray s\\nFull many a flower is born to blush unseen,\\nAnd waste its fragrance on the desart air.\\nHad Ossian, or his translator, been merely", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0210.jp2"}, "209": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 17T\\nimitators, in this instance, they would pro-\\nbably have chosen strews fragrance, in-\\nstead of strews withered leaves. The\\nimage, in all these instances, is beautiful;\\nbut it is obvious and natural it has occur-\\nred to thousands, though, perhaps, it has\\nnot, by any others, been so well expressed.\\nOscar s soliloquy, when alone, in Caros,\\nsays Mr Laing, is written in emulation of\\nUlysses soliloquy in the Iliad. By parity\\nof reason, we must conclude, that every\\nother soliloquy of a hero, left in distress,\\nmust be written in emulation of the same\\nHomeric model. It is to be remarked, that\\nMr Laing does not, in this instance, allege\\nthe most distant shade of imitation.\\nLike the noise of a cave, when the sea\\nof Togormo rolls before it, it will pro-\\nbably be admitted, is an image very natu-\\nral and obvious to an inhabitant of the west-\\nern coast of Scotland, where this grand fea-\\nture of nature is so frequently exhibited on\\nM", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0211.jp2"}, "210": {"fulltext": "It8 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe most magnificent scale. But, accord-\\ning to Mr Laing, Ossian must have borrow-\\ned it from Milton s\\nw When hollow rocks retain\\nThe sound of blustering winds, which, all night long,\\nHad raised the sea.\\nA very slight analysis will satisfy us,\\nthat the learned gentleman has been peculi-\\narly unfortunate in this example of imita-\\ntion. In Ossian, it is evidently the reverbe-\\nration of the roaring of the waves, from a cave\\non the shore, which is spoken of; in Milton,\\nit is the sound of the winds retained in the cave\\nitself.\\nAnother instance of classical imitation is\\ngiven very pompously; that Ossian should\\ncompare the generations of men to leaves,\\nwith Horace; or to the annual succession\\nof leaves, with Homer, is declared to be\\na supposition too gross for the most cre-\\ndulous to believe.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0212.jp2"}, "211": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 179\\nWithout recurring to the remarks, which\\nI have formerly offered, and endeavoured to\\nexemplify, on the frequency and apposite-\\nness of the maxims of the Highlanders, con-\\ncerning the uncertainty of the condition of\\nman in this world, (maxims probably deri-\\nved from the philosophy of the Druids;) I\\nshall only observe, that, to men, who are ca-\\npable of the slightest reflection, the progress\\nof human beings, from their birth to their\\ndeath, cannot be more obviously or fitly sug-\\ngested, than by images borrowed from the\\ngrowth and decay of the subjects of the ve-\\ngetable kingdom, which is, at all seasons,\\nunder our observation. Accordingly, we\\nfind, that images, derived from this source,\\nhave been adopted, and abound in the poetry\\nof all nations. This imagery is far more an-\\ncient than Horace, and is to be met with in\\nauthors who had no communication with\\nHomer. Men, says the Psalmist, are\\nlike grass that groweth up in the mom-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0213.jp2"}, "212": {"fulltext": "180 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ning, it flourisheth, and groweth up in the\\nevening, it is cut down, and withereth.\\nAs for man, his days are as grass, as a\\nflower of the field, so he flourisheth for\\nthe wind passeth over it, and it is gone,\\nand the place thereof shall know it no\\nmore. f\\nIn the description of Swaran, tall as a\\nrock of ice^ and his spear like a blasted\\npine, Mr Laing recognizes Milton s spear\\nof Satan,\\nTo equal which, the tallest pine, c.\\nHere, again, it would appear, that the\\nlearned gentleman has not attended to the\\nwell known principle, that all men are dis-\\nposed to represent nature under the com-\\nmon aspect which she presents in every age\\nand country. Pines grow still in Scot-\\nPsalm xc. ver. 5.\\nt Psalm ciii. ver. 15.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0214.jp2"}, "213": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 181\\nland, and they grew formerly in more abun-\\ndance. Ossian had probably occasion to\\nsee taller pines than the Poet of England\\nhad ever beheld; but Milton s imagination\\nwas assisted by the description of the ce-\\ndars of Lebanon. When, therefore, they\\nhad occasion to describe an enormous length\\nof spear, what was more natural, than that\\nthe one should borrow his image from the\\nstateliest tree of which he had read, and the\\nother, from the stateliest tree which he had\\nseen\\nIt appears almost unnecessary to take no-\\ntice of Mr Laing s parallel between the de-\\nscription of a battle in Ossian, and that of\\none in Pope s Homer, The only common\\ntraits that occur in these descriptions, anxi-\\nously marked in italics, are echoing hills;\\nstreams pouring, in Ossian, from the\\nhills; and, in Pope, along the plain,\\nand roaring as they pour. It is unneces-\\nsary here to enter into a physical argument", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0215.jp2"}, "214": {"fulltext": "182 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nto prove, that, when sounds are emitted,\\nhills, if they are near enough, must echo;\\nthat streams, in every age and country, pour\\ndown from hills and that, as they pour,\\nthey roar.\\nWhere, again I would ask, is the resem-\\nblance between the following sentences\\nCuchullin s sword was like the beam of\\nheaven, when it pierces the sons of the\\nc vale the people are blasted, and fall,\\nand all the hills are burning around f and\\nPope s\\n(t Less loud the woods, when flames in torrents pour,\\nCatch the dry mountain, and its shades devour?\\nor Virgil s\\nAc veluti immissi diversis partibus ignes\\nArentem ad sylvam\\nDoes not every one, who understands the\\nlanguages in which these sentences are writ-\\nten, perceive, that Ossian s is the compari-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0216.jp2"}, "215": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 18S\\nson of a hero s sword to lightning, which is\\nwell known frequently to produce conflagra-\\ntion; whilst, in the two last, there is no^\\nthing of a sword, or lightning, but only of\\nan ordinary conflagration?\\nThe conformity of the imagery employ-\\ned in describing Cuchullin s encounter with\\nSwaran, and that of Milton s combat of Sa-\\ntan and Death, is adduced, by Mr Laing,\\nas another proof of Ossian s plagiarism. Let\\nany impartial reader compare the passages,\\nand, if he can discover any other similarity,\\nbesides the comparison of the respective\\nheroes to two clouds, as Ossian has it or\\nto two black clouds, as Milton, I shall,\\nat least, yield up this instance. Mr Laing,\\nI observe, would insinuate, by his italics,\\nanother point of resemblance Ossian, as\\nbefore, compares his hero s sword to light-\\nning and Milton describes his two black\\nclouds as fraught with heaven s artillery.\\nIs this imitation? Is it resemblance?", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0217.jp2"}, "216": {"fulltext": "184 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nIt is, I must confess, a very irksome task\\nto pursue, through all their light shades,\\nthose empty phantoms of resemblance, which\\nthe learned gentleman conjures up to his ex-\\nhibition, with such extreme facility. By this\\nsame method, any composition whatever may\\nbe assimilated to any other, without end; if\\na single expression, or image, however na-\\ntural and obvious, occurring, in common, in\\ndifferent authors, be deemed sufficient to\\nestablish the charge of plagiarism.\\nWeep not on thy rock of roaring winds,\\nO maid of Innistore, is, with Mr Laing,\\nOn Norway s coasts, the widowed dame\\nMay wash the rocks with tears.\\nOssians bend thy fair head over the\\nwaves, is,\\nMay lang look o er the seas.\\nSurely the learned gentleman does not ima^", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0218.jp2"}, "217": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 185\\ngine, that this will make any impression, or\\nthat it requires refutation.\\nMr Laing (p. 424.) triumphs in a sin-\\ngular detection. In the episode of Cair-\\nbar and Brassolis, Mr Macpherson had trans-\\nlated, Here rests their dust; and these two\\nlonely yews sprung from their tombs, and\\nwished to meet on high. This, being\\nreprobated by Dr Blair, was altered, it ap-\\npears, into the lonely yews sprung from\\ntheir tombs to shade them from the\\nstorm.\\nI have already shewn the futility of Mr\\nLaing s argument to prove the non-existence\\nof the yew-tree in Scotland and, as to the\\nalteration made, in the expression of this\\nsentence, in a later edition, by Mr Macpher-\\nson, it is what may be very easily accounted\\nfor, if we consider, for a moment, the man-\\nner in which he, and Dr Smith, and indeed\\nall collectors of poetry from oral tradition,\\nnot excepting Lycurgus himself, did, and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0219.jp2"}, "218": {"fulltext": "186 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nnecessarily must, proceed in arranging the\\ndifferent recitations which they meet with.\\nI have seen an extract of a letter (as far as I\\nrecollect) of the late Reverend Mr Maclagan\\nof Blair in Atholl, inserted by way of a note,\\non a page of one of the volumes of Duncan\\nKennedy s Collection of Gaelic Poetry, now\\nin the possession of the Highland Society of\\nScotland, from which it appears, that Mr\\nMacpherson possessed, at least, three differ-\\nent recited editions of one of the poems\\nwhich he published that he did not adhere\\nimplicitly to any one of them; but that, by\\nexercising his taste and judgment, in select-\\ning, and in arranging, he has presented an\\nedition more perfect than any of them sing-\\nly could have furnished. In the exercise of\\nthis judgment and taste, indeed, in selecting,\\nand in arranging, I have always considered\\nMr Macpherson s chief merit to consist.\\nDr Smith, too, in his Gleanings of Gaelic\\nPoetry, some of which possess very high", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0220.jp2"}, "219": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 18T\\nmerit, has avowedly pursued the same plan.\\nHe frequently suppresses passages ordinarily\\ngiven in recitation because he does not\\nconsider them as properly belonging to the\\npoem, and subjoins them in a note, as in\\nTiomna Ghuill, p. 69. See also, pp. 232.\\n272. 309, c. And, where he has occasion\\nto hesitate, with regard to the preferable\\nedition, he gives the one in the text, and\\nthe other in a note, as in p. 59- Besides, I\\nobserve, that, in almost every page of the\\nSeandana, we have whole lines, at the bot-\\ntom of the page, in the style of Bentley s va-\\nrious readings.\\nBut I anticipate a subject, which will\\ncome to be considered afterwards, when I\\nshall endeavour to shew, that, except the se-\\nventh book ofTemora, and a few of the purer\\npassages of Dr Smith s Collection, no part\\nof Ossians poetry, which has yet been pre-\\nsented to the public, is a fair object of criti-\\ncism. The expressions, the imagery, and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0221.jp2"}, "220": {"fulltext": "188 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\neven the sentiments, have undergone such a\\nchange, in the translations, that the genuine\\nstyle of Ossian is not easily to be recognised.\\nf Crugafs ghost of mist is insinuated, by\\nMr Laing, to be the offspring of the shade\\nof Patroclus, the yvn kolttvoq of Homer,\\nwith an acknowledged improvement. But\\nthis, the gentleman must be informed, is\\nsacred ground. We, Highlanders, claim\\nas extensive an acquaintance with the race\\nof ghosts, as any persons whatever we in-\\ndeed claim, in them, an almost exclusive\\nproperty. Nor is the construction of our\\nghosts less elegant than those of Homer.\\nWe, as well as he, believe them to be airy,\\nunsubstantial forms, which sometimes render\\nthemselves visible, like mist, or the conden-\\nsed breath of animals.\\nOf the allusions to frost, which occur in\\nthese Poems, I have taken notice already.\\nThe heroes, says Ossian, stood on the\\nheath, like oaks, with all their branches", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0222.jp2"}, "221": {"fulltext": "OF OSSTAN S POEMS; 18#\\nround them, when they echo in the stream\\nof frost; and their withered branches are\\nrustling in the wind,\\nThe original of this is found, by Mr\\nLaing, in Milton s\\nStood,\\nTheir glory withered, as when Heaven s fire/\\nc.\\nTheir stately growth\\nStands on the blasted heath.\\nAnd, again, Ossian has They stood like\\na half-consumed grove of oaks, when we\\nsee the sky through its branches, and the\\nmeteor passing behind. This, says Mr\\nLaing, is Milton s\\nSatan alarmed,\\nCollecting all his might, dilated stood,\\nLike Teneriffe, or Atlas, unremoved\\nHis stature reached the sky, and on his crest\\nSat horror plumed.\\nIn order to refute the charge of plagia-\\nrism, in these instances, nothing further", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0223.jp2"}, "222": {"fulltext": "190 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nseems requisite, than to place the passages\\nbeside each other, and to request the read-\\ner s attention to the alleged resemblance.\\nCuchullin stood before him, like a hill\\nthat catches the clouds of heaven the\\nwinds contend on its head of pines the\\nhail rattles on its rocks but firm, in its\\nstrength, it stands, and shades the vale of\\nCona. This, Math Mr Laing, is Virgil s\\na Horrendumque intonat armis,\\nQuantus Athos, aut quantus Eryx, aut ipse coruscis,\\nCum fremit ilicibus quantus, gaudetque nivali\\nVenice, se attollens pater Appeninus ad auras.\\nThere are, indeed, in these passages, some\\nslight shades of resemblance, such as must\\noccur in the compositions of men of genius,\\ndescribing natural scenes of the same kind\\nbut these passages, at the same time, pre-\\nsent strong lines of difference. In Virgil, a\\nhero, rustling in his armour, is very well\\nMn. lib. xii. v. 700.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0224.jp2"}, "223": {"fulltext": "OF OSSlAN S POEMS. 191\\ncompared to a mountain, resounding under\\nthe storm: in Ossian, again, we have an\\nimage, frequently employed by poets, of a\\nhero, firm in his strength, like the hill that\\ncatches the clouds of heaven, and resists the\\nhail rattling on its rocks.\\nPerhaps the most egregious imitation,\\nsays Mr Laing, is that of Milton s sun in\\nan eclipse. Ossian has, the darkened\\nmoon, when she moves in a dun circle,\\nthrough the heavens, and dreadful change\\nis expected by men This, says Mr Laing,\\nis Milton s moon\\nIn dim eclipse, (which) with fear of change,\\nPerplexes monarchs.\\nSurely Mr Laing is not ignorant, that all\\nrude nations have entertained awful forebo-\\ndings of evil, from the eclipses of the celes-\\ntial luminaries. Some nations imagine, that,\\nwhen the sun or moon are in eclipse, they\\nare assailed by a hideous dragon; and they", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0225.jp2"}, "224": {"fulltext": "192 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nbeat drums and kettles, in order to terrify\\nthe monster. In all periods of rude society,\\nthese phenomena have been supposed to\\nprognosticate the disasters of nations, and\\nthe downfal of empires. It would have been\\nstrange, if our Caledonian ancestors had af-\\nfixed no such notions to those appearances.\\nThe only other coincidence of Ossian with\\na classical writer, of which I shall take no-\\ntice, is his comparison of a hero to a rock\\nin a sandy vale the sea comes with its\\nwaves, and roars against its hardened sides\\nits head is covered with foam, the hills are\\nechoing around. This, says MrLaing,\\nis Virgil s\\nIlle velut pelagi rupes immota resistit;\\ntit pelagi rupes, magno veniente fragore\\n2uce sese, multis circum latraniibus undis,\\nMole tenet Scopuli nequicquam et spumea circum\\nte Saxa fremunt\\nIt is wonderful, that Mr Laing should not\\nhave perceived, that this is a simile founded", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0226.jp2"}, "225": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 193\\non appearances so obvious and natural, that\\nthey must necessarily occur to all observers,\\nwho have had an opportunity of beholding\\nthem and it may be remarked, that Ossian\\nhad, at least, as many opportunities of see-\\ning a rock beat by the waves of the sea as\\nVirgil. After all, the only common traits, in\\nthe two similes, are the foam and the\\nroaring of the waves.\\nN", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0227.jp2"}, "226": {"fulltext": "194 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nSECTION VII.\\nAlleged Imitations of sacred Scripture considered.\\nRhyme occurring in Ossian. Proof of the Use\\nof Rhyme, in Wales, before the Twelfth Cen-\\ntury, from Giraldus Cambrensis. Conclusion of\\nRemarks on Mr Laing s Criticism.\\nMr Laing, in proof of Mr Macpherson s\\nbeing the author of these poems, has addu-\\nced a long list of supposed imitations of the\\nstyle and imagery of sacred Scripture. And\\nhere, indeed, it must be acknowledged, that\\nwe find certain coincidences much more\\nstrongly marked than those which we have\\nbeen lately considering. But is not this just\\nwhat might have been expected, that Os-\\nsian, living in an early period, and in a\\nsimple state of society, should abound in\\n10", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0228.jp2"}, "227": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 199\\nthat boldness of imagery, which particularly\\ncharacterizes the earlier writers of every\\ncountry Dr Blair, who, it will probably be\\nallowed, notwithstanding the sneer of Mr\\nLaing, was as well entitled to lay down\\ncanons of criticism as any man, since the\\ndays of Quintilian, has observed, that Ori-\\nental poetry might be termed, w T ith the\\nsame propriety, Occidental, as it is charac-\\nteristic rather of an age, than of a country,\\nand, in some measure, belongs to all na-\\ntions, in a rude and early state. Hence,\\naccordingly, it is, that, in figurativeness of\\nexpression, and abruptness of transition, the\\nstyle of Ossian bears a greater affinity to\\nthat of Moses, and Solomon, and Homer,\\nthan to that of Virgil or Ovid.\\nIt is on this principle, without having re-\\ncourse to imitation, that we may easily ac-\\ncount for the slight resemblance that is to\\nPage 409.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0229.jp2"}, "228": {"fulltext": "196 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nbe found in the Queen of Sheba s address to\\nSolomon, and Ossian s Happy are thy\\npeople, O Fingal thou art the first in\\ntheir danger the wisest in the days of\\ntheir peace. The parallelisms, between\\nsome passages in the Song of Solomon and\\nthose cited from Ossian, are also striking,\\nand one of them is pointed out by Mr Mac-\\npherson himself; a certain indication of the\\nlight in which he considered them. But, if\\nwe examine these parallelisms attentively,\\nwe shall find, that they all consist of images\\nborrowed from common and obvious objects;\\nas, the roe and the hart; the passing off\\nof the storm, or of the winter, or of rain.\\nWill any person say, that, because Solomon\\nhas employed these images, they could not\\noccur to the poet of another country, not\\ndissimilar to Palestine in its scenery, and in\\nits natural productions Must Ossian be\\ncharged with plagiarism, when he says, I\\nwill bring thee to my fathers house; be-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0230.jp2"}, "229": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 19T\\ncause Solomon had said, I will bring thee\\nto my mother s house Because the King\\nof Israel, in describing female beauty, se-\\nlects those traits which, in every age, and\\nin every country, have been deemed the\\nconstituents of beauty, must Ossian, if he\\npretends to speak of female loveliness, be of\\na different taste from Solomon, and Homer,\\nand Anacreon, and make beauty consist in\\nsomething else than what was ever account-\\ned beautiful before\\nIn the description of Cuchullin s car, Mr\\nLaing recognizes Solomon s chariot, and\\nOvid s chariot of the sun. That the Cale-\\ndonians, of that period, had their cars, we\\nknow from the testimony of Greek and Ro-\\nman history. But, I fancy, it will be a diffi-\\ncult matter to identify Solomon s bottom\\nof gold, his covering of purple, and paving\\nof love, with Ossian s seat of bone, and\\nthe bottom the footstool of heroes or\\nthat of Ovid s golden pole, his chryso-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0231.jp2"}, "230": {"fulltext": "198 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nlyths and gems, with Ossian s simple\\nbeam of polished yew, and embossment\\nof native stones.\\nTo call the grave a house, or dwelling,\\nis, I believe, a metaphor to be found in all\\nlanguages. It is called, in scripture, the\\n(t house appointed to all living. Ossian s\\ndark and narrow house is, according to\\nMr Laing, a transcript of this Scripture\\nexpression. Had he consulted his classics,\\nhe might have found a much more apposite\\noriginal in Horace s Domus exilis Pluto-\\nnia;-\\\\ and, in the same passage, he might\\nhave seen how frequently common and ob-\\nvious objects are described under the same\\nimages, by writers of very different ages and\\ncountries, without any possible ground to\\nThe expression occurs in the original of the Seventh\\nBook of Temora. It is, Tigh caol gun leus that is,\\nliterally, The narrow house without a torch.\\nt Hor. Carm. lib. i. ode 4 The narrow house of\\nPluto.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0232.jp2"}, "231": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 199\\nsuspect that the one had imitated or copied\\nthe other. In the ode of Horace, which has\\nbeen alluded to, we find death, just as in the\\nstyle of Scripture, termed night and the\\nshortness of human life described in almost\\nthe same words with those of the Psalmist.\\nThe vitce summa brevis of Horace, is the\\nfew have the days of the years of my life\\nbeen, of the patriarch Jacob, or the thou\\nhast made my days as an handbreadth, of\\nKing David. It were, indeed, an insult to\\nthe understanding of the reader to multiply\\nexamples of such coincidences of thought\\nand imagery, which occur in writers, who\\ncould not possibly have had any mutual com-\\nmunication of ideas.\\nOn this principle, I consider it as altoge-\\nther unnecessary to enter into a more mi-\\nnute discussion of the other resemblances\\nbetween certain passages of Scripture and\\ncertain passages of Ossian, where, indeed,\\namidst much dissimilarity, there are to be", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0233.jp2"}, "232": {"fulltext": "200 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nfound some ideas and terms which coincide;\\nand I must again add, that, until we have\\nthe whole original of Ossian before us, as\\nwe have the Seventh Book of Temora, or,\\nat least, a faithful and literal translation, we\\nare not in a condition to institute a satisfac-\\ntory comparison. Mr Macpherson, as I shall\\nafterwards endeavour to shew, has, on many\\noccasions, like other translators, adopted\\nphrases, and turns of expression, which, from\\nhis acquaintance with the ancient classics,\\nand particularly from his acquaintance with\\nScripture, (acquired, probably, as Mr Laing\\ninsinuates, during his studies in the Divinity\\nHall,) were familiar to his own mind. But\\nare any of these phrases to be traced in Os-\\nsian Are any of them to be found in the\\noriginal of the Seventh Book of Temora\\nThis will be seen in the sequel.\\nThe imagery employed by Ossian, in de-\\nscribing the fall of Balclutha, is compared, by\\nMr Laing, with some descriptions of deso-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0234.jp2"}, "233": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAJTS POEMS. 201\\nlation which occur in Scripture. But who\\ndoes not perceive, that thorns, and thistles,\\nand rank weeds, with the intrusions of the\\nfox, and other wild animals, on the desert-\\ned dwelling, must necessarily enter into\\nthe description of such a scene, to whatever\\nage or country the poet may belong\\nThe last of Mr Laing s objections to the\\nauthenticity and antiquity of these Poems,\\nwhich shall now be noticed, is expressed as\\nfollows (p. 436.) Rhyme, 1 says he, is a\\ncorruption of Greek and Latin poetry, first\\nintroduced, on account of its extreme fa-\\ncility, into monkish verse and adopted,\\nin Italian poetry, in the ninth century\\ninto Saxon, in the eleventh and into\\nScandinavian poetry, in the beginning of\\nthe thirteenth century. In Welsh poetry,\\nit was unknown to Giraldus Cambrensis,\\nin the twelfth century. The introduction\\nof Rhymes, in Ossian, five hundred years\\nu before they were known in Europe, and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0235.jp2"}, "234": {"fulltext": "202 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\none thousand years before they were used\\nin Wales, is alone a detection.\\nThis objection, were it enforced by ade-\\nquate proofs, would, no doubt, have very\\ngreat weight. It had been obliging, how-\\never, if the learned gentleman had directed\\nhis readers to the precise passage, in which\\nGiraldus asserts, that rhymes were unknown\\nin Wales in the twelfth century. I have\\nsearched, in vain, for any which can, by the\\nmost remote implication, be understoodto con-\\nvey such an idea. But, unfortunately for Mr\\nLaing s argument, there occurs a well known\\npassage, in which Giraldus expressly affirms,\\nthat the Welsh excelled in rhymes M In\\ncantilenis rythmicis, et dictamine, tarn subtiles\\ninveniuntur, tit miraz et exquisites inventionis,\\ntarn verborum, quam sententlarum projerant\\nexornationes wide et poet as (quos Bardos\\nmeant) ad hoc deputatos multos invenias,\\nCambriae Descriptio, c. xii.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0236.jp2"}, "235": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 203\\nThat is They are found so polished in\\nrhyming ditties, f and in expression, that\\nthey produce beauties of words and senti-\\nment, of wonderful and exquisite inven-\\ntion whence you may find poets amongst\\nc( them (whom they call Bards) appointed for\\nthis purpose.\\nThe passage is important it shews not\\nonly how unfounded is the assertion of Mr\\nLaing, but that, from the nicety (subtiks)\\nand perfection to which the Welsh had, in\\nthe days of Giraldus, carried the invention\\nof rhyme, its use amongst them must neces-\\nsarily have been of great antiquity. Indeed,\\nwere this the proper place for such a disquisi-\\ntion, it might not be difficult to shew, that\\nrhyme had its first origin amongst the nations\\nof Celtic stock. When we consider the ac~\\nf It is admitted by a learned journalist, (Edinburgh\\nReview, No. VII. p. 206.) that rythmicis is the adjective\\nagreeing with cantilenis.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0237.jp2"}, "236": {"fulltext": "20* ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ncount of Caesar and of Mela, already cited,\\nthat the disciples of the Druids, during a\\ncourse of study, which sometimes was\\ncontinued for twenty years, learned a vast\\nnumber of verses, which they committed\\nto memory, it appears highly probable,\\nat least, that, in order to facilitate the reten-\\ntion of such a mass of verse, they found it\\nnecessary to have recourse to rhyme, an in-\\nvention evidently calculated to ease the la-\\nbours, and to promote the accuracy, of the\\nBardic recitations.\\nI have now done with my observations on\\nthe criticisms of Mr Laing. I hope that on\\nno occasion, in considering his arguments,\\nhave I said any thing inconsistent with the\\nrespect which I bear to his abilities, and to\\nhis honourable profession. Mr Laing depre-\\ncates abuse I trust, that I shall not be\\ndeemed to have given him any. But I can-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0238.jp2"}, "237": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 205\\nnot help expressing something more than\\nregret, when he allows so many intemperate\\nexpressions to escape himself, in speaking of\\nsuch respectable characters as Dr Blair, Lord\\nKarnes, Dr Smith, c. Speaking of those\\ngentlemen of the Highlands, who have at-\\ntested the authenticity of Mr Macpher-\\nson s translations, he says, had Mr Mac-\\npherson, instead of an epic poem, pro-\\nu claimed the discovery of a new Gospel, I\\nverily believe, he would have obtained the\\nsame attestations. I must beg leave to\\ntell Mr Laing, in return to the indecent flip-\\npancy of this remark, that there are, in the\\nHighlands of Scotland, persons who, whilst\\nthey believe the poems ascribed to Ossian to\\nbe ancient and authentic, are able also to\\nform a proper estimate of the infinitely more\\nimportant objects of their religious faith and\\nwho, whilst they can innocently amuse them-\\nselves in perusing a page of Homer or of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0239.jp2"}, "238": {"fulltext": "206 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nOssian, with as much taste as the learned\\ngentleman, know, and value, the Sacred Vo-\\nlume too highly u to receive another Gospel,\\nthough it were preached to them by an\\nangel from heaven.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0240.jp2"}, "239": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. SOT\\nSECTION VIII.\\nEstimate of the different Collections of Gaelic Poetry,\\nwhich have been made, by Mr Jerome Stone,\\nMr Duncan Kennedy, and Dr John Smith,\\nIt would seem, that there is no method bet-\\nter calculated to elucidate the subject of the\\nauthenticity of these poems, than a particu-\\nlar enquiry into the manner in which the\\ndifferent collections of them have been con-\\nducted and given to the world. Of these\\ncollections, that of Mr Macpherson undoubt-\\nedly claims our principal attention; but it\\nis not foreign to our argument to notice,\\nshortly, those of Mr Stone, Dr Smith, and\\nMr Kennedv.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0241.jp2"}, "240": {"fulltext": "208 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nI. Jerome Stone.\\nMr Jerome Stone, formerly, I believe, a\\nschoolmaster at Dunkeld, seems to have been\\nthe first, who drew the attention of the pub-\\nlic to the ancient poetry of the Highlands.\\nIn 1756, he published, in the Scots Maga-\\nzine, a translation, in verse, of Bas Fhra-\\noich, (the Death of Fraoch,) under the title\\nof Albin and Mey. The original appears to\\nbe a poem of very great antiquity and pos-\\nsesses much merit and interest. It is given,\\nby Mr Mackenzie, in the Appendix to the\\nReport of the Committee, (p. 99.) with\\nStone s version, and a literal one subjoined,\\nin thirty-three stanzas of four lines each.\\nMr Mackenzie has given it from Mr Stone s\\nown copy, which he procured, with some\\ntrouble, from Mr Chalmers of London. It\\napproaches nearer to the style of the Gaelic", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0242.jp2"}, "241": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 209\\nfragments of Ossian, that are before the\\npublic, than any thing I have yet met with.\\nWith regard to this poem, I have to men-\\ntion, as an additional proof of the actual\\ntransmission of very ancient Gaelic poetry,\\nby oral tradition, through a long period of\\ntime, that there is an old woman, now alive,\\nand residing at Kirktown of Aberfoyle, Sarah\\nMaclachlane, a native of Ardgour, in Loch-\\naber, who lately repeated to me this long\\npoem, as given by Mr Mackenzie, verse for\\nverse, with the exception of the transposi-\\ntion of a few stanzas but with the omission\\nof none. She can repeat no other ancient\\nGaelic poem but is well acquainted with\\nthe historical tradition of the burning of\\nTaura, the palace of Fingal, with all the\\nwives of the Fingallians a story which\\nforms the subject of one of the poems given\\nin Dr Smith s Collection, entitled Losga\\nTaura.\\nThough Mr Macpherson be the next, in\\no", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0243.jp2"}, "242": {"fulltext": "210 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\npoint of time, and by far the most eminent\\nin the importance of his collections, it seems\\nmore convenient, reserving the consideration\\nof his Ossian till the last, to discuss the me-\\nrits of the inferior collections of Dr Smith,\\nand of Mr Kennedy,\\nIT. Duncan Kennedy.\\nOf these two gentlemen, Mr Kennedy,\\nformerly a schoolmaster in Argyleshire, now\\nan accountant in Glasgow, appears to have\\nbegun to collect Gaelic poetry first that is,\\nsomewhat prior to the year 1780. He has\\ngiven an account of the names and residence\\nof the persons, from whose oral recitation he\\ncollected these poems, which is published in\\nthe Appendix to the Committee s Report,\\nNo. xvi. Art. 2.\\nHis collection consists of three thin folio\\nvolumes, in manuscript, which were purcha-\\nsed, some years ago, by the Highland Society\\n5", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0244.jp2"}, "243": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 211\\nof Scotland, and are now in the possession\\nof the Society. I have seen them, a few\\nyears ago, by the favour of Mr Mackenzie,\\nin the hands of the late Dr Donald Smith.\\nAs the share which it appears Mr Ken-\\nnedy had in framing that collection is no\\nlonger a secret, and especially as his preten-\\nsions, on this occasion, have, with those to\\nwhom they are yet unexplained, tended to\\nconfirm their scepticism, on the subject of\\nOssians Poems, I consider it as my duty to\\ninvestigate this point minutely, and, at the\\nsame time, with the utmost impartiality.\\nIn October 1805, an opportunity occur-\\nred to me of opening a correspondence with\\nMr Kennedy, on the subject of Ossian s\\nPoems, of which I shall now give a faithful\\naccount.\\nIn return to his letter, of October 18.\\n1805, in which he obligingly expresses his\\nreadiness to answer any queries which I\\nmight propose to him on the subject, I", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0245.jp2"}, "244": {"fulltext": "212 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwrote to him, and pointed out to him a pas-\\nsage in one of Dr Smith s letters to Mr Mac-\\nkenzie, which is as follows I have to\\nmention, says Dr Smith, that, on my\\nobserving the beauty of one or two pas-\\nsages of these poems, the person who gave\\nit me (Mr Kennedy) said, these were of his\\nown composition. This assertion I then placed\\nto the account of his vanity but I think\\nit right to state it to vou as I had it, and\\nleave you to think of it as you please.\\nI then proceeded to state, to Mr Kennedy,\\nhow much it concerned his honour to\\ntake notice of this charge at the same\\ntime, strongly expressing my suspicions,\\nthat it was, in some measure, well found-\\ned that I did not consider it as impro-\\nbable, that he, versed from his earliest\\nyears in the traditional poetry of his coun-\\ntry, and smitten with the love of ancient\\nReport of the Committee, App. p. 89.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0246.jp2"}, "245": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 213\\nsong, might have been tempted, in the ar-\\ndour of youthful fancy, to imitate Ossian,\\nand to add his own compositions to the\\ncollection that, if this was indeed the\\ncase, as I suspected it to be, it was far\\nmore honourable for himself, and even\\nhighly proper, in the present state of men s\\nminds on this subject, to come forward,\\nand make a fair acknowledgment of the\\nshare which he had in the business, of\\nwhich I engaged myself to be the vehicle\\nto the public.\\nMr Kennedy, in a letter of the 25th Oc-\\ntober, 1805, consisting of fourteen pages\\nfolio, and containing much extraneous mat-\\nter, which it does not appear necessary, at\\npresent, to adduce, writes: I have still\\nmy fears, that it will lead both parties,\\nengaged in this controversy, into a dread-\\nful warfare and that it will give grounds\\nto critics and sceptics to cavil, and will\\nconfirm, in part, what they have, for many", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0247.jp2"}, "246": {"fulltext": "214 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nyears, laboured to prove, and to admit,\\nthat Dr Smith has told the truth, when\\nhe avers, that both are partly in the right,\\nand partly in the wrong. But the mate-\\nrial fact ought and will be supported, that\\nFingal fought, and Ossian sung; and that\\nthe latter has immortalized the fame of his\\nfather, and of the seven legions, or batta-\\nlions, (seachd cathain na Feinne^) who\\nfought many battles under his sun-beam,\\nor gile-greine.\\nAs the rage of both parties must soon\\nsubside, a fair division of property ought\\nto take place, and poetical justice distri-\\nbuted between Ossian and the fabrica-\\ntors. It will, therefore, be admitted, at\\nleast by me, that Macpherson has inter-\\npolated;* that Smith has composed; and\\nThat Macpherson has interpolated is only a mat-\\nter of opinion and the public will judge how far Mr\\nKennedy s opinion should weigh in this matter. Of\\nwhat Dr Smith has done, perhaps he knew something", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0248.jp2"}, "247": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 215\\nthat Kennedy, with much reluctance, is\\nforced to come forward and confess, that\\nhe has ventured to make some verses,\\nwhich perhaps his vanity may deceive\\nhim,* but he is inclined to think, ap-\\nproach the nearest to the genuine strains\\nof Ossian that have yet been produced in\\nthe Gaelic language.\\nWant of time will not, at present, per-\\nmit me to answer your long and polite\\nletter further, than to glance over it, and\\nto reply to the few queries which you have\\nput to me. The first being, i How far did\\nDr Smith fabricate the poems which he\\npublished under the title of Seandana? If\\nyou will have the goodness to send me\\nthe copy you have of what he calls Sean-\\nof what he has done himself, he has not formed a just\\nestimate.\\nIt will be seen, in the sequel, with what justice Mi-\\nKennedy has formed this estimate of his own poetical\\npowers.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0249.jp2"}, "248": {"fulltext": "216 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ndana, composed by Ossian, Orran, Ullin,\\nc. I will, in so far as I am able to judge,\\npoint out to you, distinctly, what of them\\nare Ossian s, what I believe to be the Doc-\\ntor s, and what are mine, on the margin,\\nand return it to you in a fortnight, through\\nany conveyance you please to direct.* It\\nis difficult to discriminate the composi-\\ntions of the different composers any other\\nway distinctly, especially since I want my\\npoems, and have forgot the most of them.\\nI should indeed be glad to have a peru-\\nI have to observe, that I did send my copy of the\\nSeandana to Mr Kennedy, within ten days of his writ-\\ning; but so far has he departed from his promise, that I\\ngot it out of his hands, only a few months ago, after re-\\npeated applications. And, after he had retained it for\\nmore than a year, I find it defaced about half way\\nthrough the volume, with certain dots and marks on the\\nmargin, to which, it appears, that he had added a key,\\non a blank leaf of the book. But this he cut out, before\\nhe returned it. What may have been Mr Kennedy s\\nmotives in all this, I cannot guess, nor is it of much im-\\nportance to enquire.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0250.jp2"}, "249": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 21t\\nsal of the three manuscripts, given to the\\nHighland Society, to enable me to quote\\noff every stanza composed by myself; j as\\notherwise, after a lapse of more than tvren-\\nu ty years, I cannot be correct. I think I\\ndo not exaggerate, in supposing, that I\\nhave composed about a sixth or a seventh\\npart of what these manuscripts contain.\\nThe rest I certainly believe to belong to\\nOssian, and the other Fingallian Bards,\\nand were picked up by me, from oral tra-\\ndition, from the persons mentioned in my\\nreport to the Society.\\nI hope, adds Mr Kennedy, you will\\nnot form the same opinion of me, in de-\\ndaring myself a piece of a poet, that Dr\\nSmith has done, or when I, on honour, as-\\nsure you, that the Death of Carril is en-\\nt This opportunity Mr Kennedy enjoyed, in 1806;\\nhaving been examined on the subject before a Commit-\\ntee of the Highland Society, to whom he gave an ac-\\ncount, in writing, of every line to which he lays claim.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0251.jp2"}, "250": {"fulltext": "218 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ntirely my own, which I composed from\\nthe story related to me, as annexed to the\\npoem. The most of Bas Ossian I also\\nclaim and considerable portions of the\\nDeath of Diarmid, Goll, Oscair, Garbh,\\nLatha na Leana, Liur, c. c. The most\\nof these additions Dr Smith has never\\nseen, being composed in the spring of i785,\\nsome years after his translations had been\\npublished.\\nThe genuine poetry of Ossian, says Mi-\\nKennedy, is, perhaps, inimitable but still\\na good Gaelic scholar, of a good ear, and\\nwell acquainted with his imagery, and the\\nqualifications and names of his favourite\\nheroes, and professed enemies, may com-\\npose verses approximate to the excellence\\nof the original, and which not one in a\\nthousand will be able to distinguish from\\nthe real. It is this that has given rise\\nu to so much dispute, and been productive\\nof so many fabrications.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0252.jp2"}, "251": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 219\\nSuch are the confessions of Mr Kennedy,\\na gentleman, beyond question, well versed\\nin the Gaelic language, and whose idiom\\nwas never contaminated by any other lan-\\nguage than the English. These confessions\\nhe has repeated, with additions, in his exa-\\nmination before a Committee of the Highland\\nSociety of Scotland.\\nThe confessions of Mr Kennedy, it must\\nbe acknowledged, appear, at first sight, to\\nfurnish a strong presumption, that much of\\nthe poetry, which has been ascribed to Os-\\nsian, is also a modern fabrication. If Mr\\nKennedy can compose poetry, which, to use\\nhis own expression, not one in a thousand\\nwill be able to distinguish from the real\\nstrains of Ossian, why might not Mr Mac-\\npherson, a man of far higher acquirements,\\ndo the same\\nThat Mr Kennedy, by interspersing, a-\\nmongst his own compositions, some verses", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0253.jp2"}, "252": {"fulltext": "220 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nand phrases, borrowed from truly ancient\\nand genuine poetry, with which it appears\\nhis memory was stored, may have produced\\npieces, in which there now and then occur a\\nfew truly Ossianic verses and expressions, is\\nnot denied and it is possible, that he may\\nnot himself have been conscious of the pla-\\ngiarism which he committed. But that, be-\\nsides this occasional merit, the poems, which\\nhe has now claimed as his, possess any thing\\nelse, which might approximate them, in\\nthe slightest degree, to the Ossianic poetry,\\ntranslated by Mr Macpherson, will be main-\\ntained only by the self complacency of the\\nauthor. I must add, that the entire failure\\nof Mr Kennedy, in imitating the strains of\\nOssian, affords the most complete example,\\nthat could be adduced, of the insuperable\\ndifficulty of rivalling the Caledonian bard.\\nIt is a very easy matter for Mr Kennedy,\\nor for any man, to say, I have invoked", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0254.jp2"}, "253": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 221\\nthe spirit of Ossian I have been heard,\\nand inspired. This is just Owen Glen-\\ndower s\\nI can call spirits from the vasty deep.\\nWhy, so can 1 (says Hotspur,) or so can any man\\nBut will they come when you do call for them f\\nConcerning the answer to Mr Kennedy s\\ninvocation, let us now enquire. I shall take\\nthe two first pieces, which he claims in his\\nletter, Carril and Bas Ossian, which, be-\\nsides being the first in the order of the au-\\nthor, are probably also the highest in merit,\\nfrom the circumstance of their having been\\nselected by the learned Chairman of the So-\\nciety s Committee, in his report, as speci-\\nmens of Mr Kennedy s Collection. As this\\nis a point of much consequence to our argu-\\nment, it is proposed to enter into a short\\nanalysis of these pieces,\\nt Shakespeare s Henry IV. act iii. scene I.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0255.jp2"}, "254": {"fulltext": "222 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\n1. Mr Kennedys Poem of Carril.\\nWith regard to the poem of Carril,* Mr\\nMackenzie observes, that, with a simpli-\\ncity bordering upon rudeness, it is ex-\\ntremely striking in the Gaelic; but very\\ndifficult to be translated. It is given en-\\ntire, adds he, in the Appendix, No.\\nin Kennedy s own orthography, and with\\nthe preamble, or argument, with which he\\naccompanied the copy he sent to the Com-\\nmittee, literally given. From the first, the\\nGaelic scholar may form an opinion of the\\ncollection from the second, the English\\nreader may estimate the literary abilities of\\nthe collector.\\nI may be permitted to observe, that the\\nlearned reporter has judged well. This poem,\\nwith its argument, appears to furnish a very\\nSee Report, App. p. 336.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0256.jp2"}, "255": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 223\\njust criterion, by which we may judge of\\nMr Kennedy s powers. Of the argument,\\nI shall say nothing; perhaps the extracts,\\nwhich have been given of his letters, may\\nsuffice on this head.\\nAs to Mr Kennedy s original Gaelic, it\\nwill not be difficult to prove, that it bears\\nupon itself the manifest stamp of modern\\ncomposition. The character of modern Gae-\\nlic poetry is well enough known. To pile\\nup a string of epithets to range, in succes-\\nsion, a row of adjectives, or verbs, of nearly\\nsynonimous import, constitutes, in the taste\\nand judgment of our modern composers, the\\nperfection of Gaelic song. It is not one\\nline only, which is occupied with this un-\\nmeaning amplification but the\\nMonstrum horrendum, informe, ingens\\nstalks along through whole quatrains. I re-\\nfer, for examples, which it were needless\\nhere to adduce, to all the late collections of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0257.jp2"}, "256": {"fulltext": "224 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nGaelic poems and songs, from Macdonald s\\nto Macintyre s, not excepting the modern\\nparts of Gillies Perth Collection. This fal-\\nsetto in style, so totally unknown in the ge-\\nnuine strains of Ossian, is the characteristic\\nof modern Gaelic poetry and it is the cha-\\nracter of the Death of Carril, and, in a\\ngreat measure, of the Death of Ossian\\nthe former of which Mr Kennedy, in his\\nletter, claims entirely as his and the latter,\\nin the greatest part.\\nAs an instance of Mr Kennedy s (probably\\nunconscious) plagiarism, I observe, in the\\nthird stanza of Carril,\\nClachan agus talamh trom,\\nThrcachailte le m buinn le stri\\nThat is,\\nStones and heavy earth\\nWere dug up by their heels in strife.\\nAlmost the veiy same words occur in a", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0258.jp2"}, "257": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 225\\npoem of unquestionable antiquity, the Fi-\\nonn and Manos of the Perth Collection,\\np. 23., and in the copy I took down of R.\\nMacneill s recitation of the same poem. In\\nthese last, it is,\\nBha clachan agus talamh trom,\\nMosgladh fuidh spairn an cos; 3\\nThat is,\\nu Stones and heavy earth\\nWere moved under the strife of their feet.\\nThis single instance may furnish a key to\\nMr Kennedy s imitations of Ossian. Where-\\never a line, or an expression, of any merit\\noccurs, it may be easily traced to originals\\nof real antiquity, to which Mr Kennedy is\\nno stranger. But, wherever he appears as\\nan original, he betrays, at once, the charac-\\nter of the Gaelic poetry of the eighteenth]\\ncentury.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0259.jp2"}, "258": {"fulltext": "326 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nThus, we have,\\nSt. 5. They twined, and pulled, and drew.\\nAgain\\nSt. 7. u Carril, mild, brave, and elegant,\\nFell breathless under the press of valour;\\nMischievous, ruinous, barbarous was the stroke.\\n8. My darling, my child, my love\\n9. O Carril, my son, my delight\\n13. Chearful, courageous, and merry,\\nWast thou in Teamhra, (Temora,) amongst hun-\\ndreds.\\n18. The hero, vigorous, strong, and tall,\\nIs without motion, arms, or dress.\\n20. Hero, mild, chearful, affectionate,\\nEloquent, strong, active, wounding (or skilled\\nto wound.)\\nIt is presumed, that the simple exhibition of\\nthese verses will satisfy every person, who\\nhas felt and admired the beauties of Mr Mac-\\nI do not adopt Dr Donald Smith s translation in the\\nReport; it appears to be somewhat ornamented. I trans-\\nlate literally and faithfully.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0260.jp2"}, "259": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 227\\npherson s translations, of the incalculable\\ninferiority of these imitations, if imitations\\nthey can be called.\\n2. The Death ofOssian, by Mr Kennedy.\\nOf the Death of Ossian, a large ex-\\ntract is given, by the Committee, in the\\nAppendix, No. 20. with this remark, That\\nit is a beautiful and affecting poem but\\ndebased by a pretty long passage, which\\nseems evidently an interpolation, contain-\\ning a piece of ribaldry, put into the mouth\\nof Connar s wife. Taking into account\\nthe probability, that this interpolation, so\\njudiciously rejected by the Committee, is the\\nproduction of Mr Kennedy, I must observe,\\nthat the greatest part of the specimen of this\\npoem, given in the Report, bears undoubt-\\ned marks of antiquity and to this it is pre-\\nsumed, that Mr Kennedy will lay no claim,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0261.jp2"}, "260": {"fulltext": "328 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nThe introduction is precisely the same with\\nthat of Dr Smith s Diarmid\\nSmith. Cia tiamhaidh thu n ochd a ghleann Caotkan,\\nGun ghuth gaothalr thu, s gun cheol f*\\nKennedy. S tiamhaidh bhi nochd ann gleann Caothan,\\nGun ghuth gaidhir ann, gun cheol!\\nThat is,\\nu How mournful to-night is the vale of Cona,\\nWithout voice of hound, and without music\\nWill Mr Kennedy say, that this, and the\\nbulk of the remaining part of this specimen,\\nis his Let it be remembered, that, in his\\nletter to me, cited above, he says, that\\nmost of these additions (i. e. Carril, the\\nDeath of Ossian, c.) Dr Smith had never\\nseen, being composed in spring 1785,\\nsome years after his (Dr Smith s) transla-\\ntions had been published. But, if Dr\\nSmith had never seen them, it was impos-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0262.jp2"}, "261": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 229\\nsible that he could have borrowed from them.\\nThe coincidence can only be accounted for,\\nby allowing, that both have derived these\\nverses from tradition.\\nStill, however, it must be remarked, that,\\neven in these verses from Bas Ossian, Mr\\nKennedy appears to have some claims, suffi-\\nciently marked by a modern hand. He ap-\\npears to have debased this passage, by seve-\\nral interpolations, which declare their author,\\nby the same false taste that reigns through-\\nout his Carril. He introduces the heroes\\nMusical, elegant, comely, brave,\\nWith wine, and conversation, and flesh\\nEsteemed enough; and we knew not falsehood.\\nThe heroes mild, brave, friendly,\\nOf much kindness; and extensive was their fame,\\nGenerosity, hospitality, c\u00e2\u0080\u009e\\ni\\nNow, let any person thus take, at ran-\\ndom, six verses, from the original of the\\nSeventh Book of Temora, and translate it li-\\nterally, or freely, at his pleasure, if he can", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0263.jp2"}, "262": {"fulltext": "f30 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nproduce so bald a piece of poetry, as the\\nabove, I shall allow, that Mr Kennedy can\\nimitate Ossian with some effect. But I\\nthink it will be granted, by every person of\\njust taste, that the specimens adduced are\\nNo more like Ossian,\\nThan I to Hercules.\\nIII. Dr Smith.\\nDr John Smith, now Minister of the Gos-\\npel at Campbelton, a gentleman well known\\nto the public for his worth, erudition, and\\nknowledge of the Gaelic language, appears\\nto have been employed in collecting the an-\\ncient poetry of the Highlands nearly about\\nthe same time with Mr Kennedy. He had\\nthe use of Mr Kennedy s manuscripts and\\nthere is reason to believe, that he transcribed\\nfrom them, into his own collection, what-\\never he conceived to possess merit. In 1780,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0264.jp2"}, "263": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 231\\nDr Smith gave this collection to the public,\\nin a translation; and, in 1787? he published\\nthe originals of these translations, in an oc-\\ntavo volume of 348 pages, under the title of\\nSeandana. It is important, however, to ob-\\nserve, that Mr Kennedy, in his letter above\\ncited, declares, with regard to his manu-\\nscripts, now in the hands of the Highland\\nSociety, That Dr Smith had never seen the\\nmost of the additions, (in which he claims\\na property,) having been composed in\\nspring 178.5, some years after Dr Smith s\\ntranslations had been published.\\nMr Kennedy has, in his letter, directly\\ncharged Dr Smith as the composer of a part,\\nat least, of the Seandana and Mr Kennedy\\nhimself, having avowed the^share which he\\nhas had in the fabrication of his own collec-\\ntion, the charge has, in the minds of many,*\\nSee Mr Laing s Dissertation, and Edinburgh Review,\\nNo. XII. Art. 15.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0265.jp2"}, "264": {"fulltext": "232 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nseemed t. receive considerable confirma-\\ntion.\\nWhat share Dr Smith may have had in\\nthis business, I shall not presume to say.\\nEntertaining, as I do, and have always done,\\nthe highest respect for his well known abi-\\nlities and virtues, I took the liberty (24th\\nMarch, 1806,) of addressing him upon the\\nsubject; Intimating to him my intention\\nto publish on the question and stating to\\nhim the confessions of Mr Kennedy his\\ncharge against Dr Smith of similar fabri-\\ncation; and his voluntary promise of mark-\\ning, on the margin of my copy of the Se-\\nandana, what he believed to be Ossian s,\\nwhat he believed to be Dr Smith s, and\\nwhat was his own. I suggested, that, as\\nthe name of Dr Smith must always hold a\\nrespectable rank in the discussion of this\\nquestion, I should be unavoidably led to\\nintroduce it and requested, with as much\\ndelicacy as I could, that he would have", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0266.jp2"}, "265": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 233\\nthe goodness to point out to me the man-\\nner in which I might do so without of-\\nfence.\\nWhilst I cannot help regretting, that the\\nreverend gentleman declines taking any share\\nin this dispute, I hope he will forgive me\\nfor giving to the public his letter, which I\\nhad in return to my application it will be\\nfound replete with good sense and it sug-\\ngests a very obvious criterion, by which we\\nmay judge of the pretended imitations of\\nMr Kennedy, or of any other person what-\\never.\\nCampbelton, 28th April, 1806.\\nREVEREND SIR,\\nOn the subject of your\\nletter, which I have but now received, I\\nhave long ago said all I have to say, and\\ntake no further concern in the question.\\nIf any allege he passed on me as ancient\\npoetry what was his own composition, I have\\nno interest in disputing his allegation. If", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0267.jp2"}, "266": {"fulltext": "234 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nI had, I would try if he could write such verses\\nas he claims, (no doubt the best,) on any other\\ngiven subject and examine whether these pas-\\nsages were not furnished by a dozen or score\\nof other contributors. Unfortunately for me,\\nnot only one, but every contributor, dead or\\nalive, must renounce his right, before I can\\ntake the merit of a verse or line, if vanity\\ndo not prompt me to take the contribution\\nof such as are dead, and unable to dispute\\nmy claim. But this, I think, I shall leave to\\nothers and, if they claim the translation, as\\nwell as the original, I will not dispute it,\\nnor care who may believe, and who may\\ndoubt. The stopping of my plough, by a\\nshower of rain, now coming on, gives me\\nmore concern than either. I am glad, how-\\never, that you find amusement in what once\\namused myself. I am, Reverend Sir,\\nYour most obedient humble servant,\\n(Signed) John Smith.\\nDr Graham, Aberfoyte.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0268.jp2"}, "267": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 235\\nThe reverend gentleman having thus aban-\\ndoned his publications on this subject with\\nsuch complete indifference, it now appears\\nthe less necessary to be scrupulous in analy-\\nsing their merits. It is well known, that\\nDr Smith s collections of Gaelic poetry met\\nwith little notice from the public, either in\\nthe original, or in the translation. He speaks\\nfeelingly, on this subject, in one of his let-\\nters to Mr Mackenzie The (supposed)\\nprofits, he says, of his publication, were\\nonly a serious loss. I could never since,\\nhe adds, think of Gaelic poetry with plea-\\nsure, or with patience, except to wish it\\nhad been dead before I was born.\\nIt must, at the same time, be observed,\\nthat, notwithstanding the great neglect\\nwith which the public has, from the begin-\\nning, treated the collections of Dr Smith,\\nthey unquestionably contain many morsels\\nof the most exquisite poetry, pieces as beau-\\ntiful, as perfect, and as sublime, as any that", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0269.jp2"}, "268": {"fulltext": "236 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nhave ever passed through Mr Macpherson s\\nhands. Of this, besides the examples which\\nhave been already adduced, others will be\\nbrought in the course of this enquiry.\\nWhence is it, then, it will naturally be\\nasked, that the Ossianic poetry, given by\\nMr Macpherson, has been so universally ad-\\nmired that it has passed through so many\\neditions and been translated into so many\\nforeign languages whilst that published by\\nDr Smith, which exhibits, from time to time,\\ncompositions of a similar strain, and fre-\\nquently of equal merit, are, in a great mea-\\nsure, unknown and neglected\\nThere are two circumstances attending\\nthe collections of Dr Smith, which, it is pre-\\nsumed, will sufficiently account for the fate\\nwhich they have experienced.\\n1. Dr Smith, on all occasions, translates\\nin a careless and slovenly manner; whilst\\nMr Macpherson, though sometimes, as shall", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0270.jp2"}, "269": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 237\\nbe shewn, he translates falsely, and often\\nengrafts his own bombastic phrases on the\\nsimplicity of Ossian, yet adheres closely, for\\nthe most part, to his original, and often imi-\\ntates its sententious brevity with singular\\nsuccess. A few examples of Dr Smith s man-\\nner of translating will, it is hoped, place this\\nsubject in a just point of view.\\nA beautiful passage, from the Death of Di-\\narmad, is, literally, as follows A husband,\\nlamenting over his deceased wife, says,\\nLasting was our abode together,\\nDuring two generations, that departed like the leaves.\\nThe sapling, that the foot would have crushed,\\nHave we beheld, with age, decaying;\\nu Streams shifting their channels;\\nNettles in the abode of mighty kings:\\nGreat was our joy our days were happy\\nTo us, the winter was not cold, or the night dark\\nMinella was a light that did not wane\\nBut that ray is now departed.\\nSeandana, p. 104.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0271.jp2"}, "270": {"fulltext": "2$8 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nThis passage Dr Smith thus translates, or\\nrather paraphrases f\\nMany were our days on the heath we\\nf have seen one race, like the leaf of autumn,\\npass we have seen another lift, in its\\ni place, its green head, and grow old we\\n1 have turned away our foot from trees, lest\\nwe should crush them in youth, and we\\n1 have seen them again decay with years\\nwe have seen streams change their course,\\n1 and nettles growing where feasted kings.\\nAll this while, our joy remained, our days\\ni were glad. The winter, with all its snow,\\n1 was warm the night, with all its clouds,\\nwas bright. The face of Mjnalla was a\\nlight which never knew a wane, an unde-\\n1 caying beam around my steps; but now\\nshe shines on other lands. When, my\\nlove, shall I be with you\\nt Gaelic Antiquities, p. 191.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0272.jp2"}, "271": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 239\\nAgain, on the Death of Armor, in Dan an\\nDeirg,* it is, literally,\\nI behold thy father, under his load of years,\\nIn vain expecting thy arrival\\nHis trembling hand on his spear,\\nAnd his gray, bald, head, like the aspin in the storm.\\nu Every cloud deceives his dim eye,\\nAs he expects to see thy bark.\\nA gleam of the sun comes across his aged countenance,\\nAnd he cries out to the youth, I behold the vessel!\\nu The children look out towards the main\\nThey see the mist sailing along.\\ne( He shakes his gray head,\\nHis sigh is sad, his visage mournful.\\nM I behold Crimina, with a faint smile,\\ne Imagining, in her dream, that she sees him on the shore.\\nHer lips, in her slumbers, salute thee\\nf And with joyful arms she embraces thee.\\nAh young woman, vain is thy dream,\\nThe noble hero no more shalt thou behold\\nFar from his home fell thy love;\\nIn Innisfail tarnished is his beauty.\\nThou shalt awaken, Crimina,\\nAnd shalt see that thy dream is deceitful.\\nSeandana, p.- 23.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0273.jp2"}, "272": {"fulltext": "240 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nBut when shall he awake from his slumber\\nOr when shall the sleep of the grave terminate\\nThis affecting passage, abounding in truly\\nOssianic imagery and expression, Dr Smith\\nthus translates\\nI see his father bending under the load\\nof years his hand trembles on the point-\\nless spear, and his head, with its few gray\\nhairs, shakes like the aspen leaf. Every\\ndistant cloud deceives his dim eye, as he\\nlooks in vain for thy bounding ship. Joy,\\nlike a sun-beam on the blasted heath, tra-\\nvels over his face of age, as he cries to the\\nchildren at their play, I behold it coming\\nThey turn their eye to the blue wave, and\\ntell him they see but the sailing mist.\\nHe shakes, with a sigh, his gray head, and\\nthe cloud of his face is mournful. I see\\nCrimoina smiling, in her morning dream\\nshe thinks thou dost arrive in all thy\\nt Gaelic Antiq. p, 111.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0274.jp2"}, "273": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 241\\nstately beauty her lips, in half- formed\\nwords, hail thee in her dream, and her\\njoyful arms are spread to clasp thee. But\\nalas, Crimoina, thou only dreamest. Thy\\nlove is fallen, never more shall he tread the\\nshore of his native land. In the dust of\\nInisfail his beauty sleeps. Thou shalt\\nawake from thy slumber, Crimoina, to\\nknow it. But when shall Armor awake\\nfrom his long sleep? When shall the heavy\\nslumber of the tenant of the tomb be end-\\ned?\\nI shall add only one other short example\\nof Dr Smith s mode of translating.\\nIn the Seandana, p. 112, we have, liter-\\nally,\\nI will not listen to the song of the thrush,\\nIn the fine morning of the first season, (i. e. May.)\\nDr Smith translates, (p. 197.)\\nIt (i. e. my grief,) will not listen to all\\nthe larks that soar in the lowly vale, when\\nQ", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0275.jp2"}, "274": {"fulltext": "242 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe dewy plains rejoice in the morning of\\nsummer.\\nIt were easy to multiply instances of the\\nloose and paraphrastic manner in which Dr\\nSmith translates these fragments they oc-\\ncur in every page and it is not wonderful,\\nthat, in such translations, the public has not\\nrecognized the spirit of Ossian. But, I ob-\\nserve,\\n2. That the great and leading circumstance,\\nin the general neglect which this collection\\nhas experienced, is, that, with many frag-\\nments of unquestionable beauty and merit,\\nand which bear upon them the genuine\\nstamp of antiquity, the volume consists, in\\na great measure, of modern fabrications and\\ninterpolations. I shall not attempt to say in\\nwhat manner, or by what persons, these\\nhave been introduced. Perhaps it may be\\nenough to call to recollection the well-known\\nand acknowledged circumstance, that Dr", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0276.jp2"}, "275": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 243\\nSmith borrowed a great proportion of his\\ncollection from Mr Kennedy s manuscripts,\\nsuch, at least, as they were prior to 1785,\\nwhen, as in their last stage, they were, no\\ndoubt, filled with much of his own spurious\\nverse. It is also not improbable, were we\\nwarranted to judge from Dr Smith s transla-\\ntions, that he may have been led to deter-\\nmine hastily, concerning the merits of some\\nof the poems which he has published; and,\\nregulating our opinion by the same criterion,\\nit seems almost certain, that he has seldom\\nemployed the same labour, and judgment,\\nand taste, in arranging his editions of these\\npoems, as Mr Macpherson appears almost\\nalways to have done.\\nBe this as it may, it is undeniable, that\\nthough there are fragments, of the greatest\\nbeauty and elegance, to be met with, occa-\\nsionally, in this collection, the poems are,\\nupon the whole, of such unequal merit and\\nthe incongruous shreds of ancient and mo-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0277.jp2"}, "276": {"fulltext": "244 pN THE AUTHENTICITY\\ndern composition are so clumsily patched\\ntogether, that no person can, with patience,\\nperuse any one of them from the beginning\\nto the end.\\nConsidering the great merit of many pas-\\nsages in the Seandana, and no doubt, too, of\\nsome passages in Mr Kennedy s manuscripts,\\nit may be permitted to remark, by the way,\\nthat it were worth while to purge the vo-\\nlume of the interpolations of modern fabri-\\ncators, and to preserve only what appears,\\non good grounds, to be unquestionably an-\\ncient. Nor would this be a very difficult\\ntask. Mr Kennedy has already given a\\npretty sufficient key to what he claims as-\\nhis and it would not be difficult, with the\\nexercise of a little critical acumen, (could one\\nresolve to wade through this volume,) to as-\\nsign to every other modern his proper share.\\nIt is true, the volume would be reduced, by\\nthis refining process, by more than one-half\\nof its contents but the remainder, acconv", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0278.jp2"}, "277": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 245\\npanied by a faithful translation, would be\\nfound to be of sterling value.\\nThus we are enabled, in some degree, to\\nform an estimate of the part which has\\nbeen taken by the only collectors of Gaelic\\npoetry, besides Mr Macpherson, whose names\\nhave obtained any celebrity in this question.\\nWhat Mr Kennedy claims, so far as the jus-\\ntice of his claims can be ascertained, is, com-\\npared with what Mr Macpherson has produ-\\nced, the very bathos of Gaelic poetry. Da-\\nSmith s volume, notwithstanding many ex-\\nquisite reliques of ancient poetry, which it\\nundoubtedly contains, is, from some cause\\nor other, f nearly intolerable. And now,\\nwith regard to Mr Macpherson, the most re-\\nspectable evidence can be adduced of his\\ncomparative ignorance of the Gaelic lan-\\nf One of these causes we are enabled to ascertain, his\\nhasty adoption of the materials of Mr Kennedy s manu-\\nscripts.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0279.jp2"}, "278": {"fulltext": "846 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nguage. In his knowledge of the idiom of\\nthis tongue, he appears to have been far in-\\nferior to Dr Smith, and even to Mr Kenne-\\ndy, the author of Carril and yet we have,\\nthrough the hands of Mr Macpherson, be-\\nsides some smaller fragments of Gaelic poetry,\\nthe whole of the Seventh Book of Temora\\n(as he has chosen to denominate that poem)\\nin the original, consisting of four hundred\\nand twenty-three lines, in a style of classical\\nchasteness, of elegant and harmonious versi-\\nfication, and of sublime sentiment and ima-\\ngery, which boldly challenges the keenest\\neye of criticism. This precious fragment of\\nOssianic verse, whilst it may be truly consi-\\ndered as inferior only to a book of the Iliad\\nor Odyssey, is, in our present circumstances,\\nwith regard to the originals, almost the only\\nportion of this ancient poetry which is a fair\\nobject of critical investigation.\\nTo develope this part of the argument, so\\nimportant in the present question, and to", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0280.jp2"}, "279": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 247\\nstate, as far as it is now practicable, the\\npowers of Mr Macpherson, together with the\\npart that he has taken in the translation and\\npublication of a work, from which he deri-\\nved his fame and fortune, will form the re-\\nmaining part of this discussion.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0281.jp2"}, "280": {"fulltext": "248 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nSECTION IX.\\nMr Macpherson s Collections of Gaelic Poetry. E\u00c2\u00abr-\\nly Suspicions of their Authenticity. Strengthen-\\ned by some Expressions used by Mr Macpherson,\\nEstimate of his Abilities. His Highlander,\\nand his Translation of Homer.\\nOf all the collections of Gaelic poetry\\nwhich have, at different periods, been made,\\nthat of James Macpherson, Esq. has deser-\\nvedly excited the greatest interest and, as\\nit was the first, in point of time, so it still\\ncontinues to occupy the foremost rank, in\\npoint of intrinsic value. The poems them-\\nselves, which he has given us, are far more\\nconsiderable in their extent, more finished\\nin their structure, and of far purer style and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0282.jp2"}, "281": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 249\\nimagery than those which have been given\\nby Dr Smith.\\nMr Macpherson, indeed, in collecting\\nthese poems, enjoyed advantages which have\\nnot been, nor can ever henceforth be, enjoy-\\ned by any person, who engages in a simi-\\nlar undertaking. He began his researches\\ntwenty years earlier than any other collec-\\ntor before that generation had yet passed\\naway, in whose memory the knowledge and\\nadmiration of Gaelic poetry was still fresh.\\nHe travelled, by a most extensive route,\\nthrough the Highlands and islands, support-\\ned by a liberal subscription of the friends of\\nCeltic literature and he was introduced\\neverywhere to the gentlemen and clergy of\\nthe Highlands, by the patronage and recom-\\nmendation of the eminent names of Dr Blair,\\nDr Robertson, Dr Carlyle, and Mr Home.\\nUnder such favourable auspices, it was not\\nsurprising that Mr Macpherson succeeded in\\nobtaining almost all that was valuable in", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0283.jp2"}, "282": {"fulltext": "250 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe tradition, or written records of Gaelic\\npoetry. To subsequent collectors, such as\\nDr Smith and Mr Kennedy, who engaged\\nin this undertaking at a later period, on the\\nlimited scale of their own abilities and in-\\nfluence and in the narrow circle, to which\\nthey had personal access, he left, as might\\nhave been expected, only a few meagre\\ngleanings; some of which, however, are of\\nunquestionable antiquity, and of undeniable\\nmerit.\\nFrom the high rank which Mr Macpher-\\nson s collections have been allowed to hold\\nin the scale of poetic merit, contrasted with\\nthe supposed state of society in which they\\nwere said to have been composed, and the\\nlong period through which they were said\\nto have been handed down by oral tradition,\\nsuspicions of their authenticity came natu-\\nrally to be entertained; especially by persons\\nwho were unable, or unwilling, to take into\\nconsideration the circumstances, which have", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0284.jp2"}, "283": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 251\\nbeen pointed out in the ancient history and\\nmanners of our Celtic ancestors.\\nMr Macpherson himself, having, by cer-\\ntain expressions which have dropped from his\\npen, contributed, in some measure, to give\\nadditional strength to these suspicions,\\nthough perhaps without any such design, it\\nmay be proper here, shortly, to trace the share\\nwhich he has had in these collections, as far\\nas this can now be done, not in the manner of\\nMr Laing, by gratuitous inference and vague\\nconjecture but by an analysis of what has,\\nby himself and others, been long ago made\\npublic to the world.\\nIt appears, from the notices which have\\nbeen given us of Mr Macpherson s charac-\\nter, by those who knew him best, that he\\nwas a man of an ardent and impatient spirit.\\nMr Hume charges him with pride and ca-\\nprice.* He calls him a strange and hete-\\nCommittee s Report, p. 5.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0285.jp2"}, "284": {"fulltext": "252 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nroclite mortal, than whom he never knew\\na man more perverse and unamiable. It\\nappears, at the same time, that Mr Macpher-\\nson possessed a very considerable degree of\\nliterature; and that he had been actuated,\\nfrom a very early period, with an eager pas-\\nsion for literary fame.f Born in a remote\\ncorner of the Highlands of Scotland, he ap-\\npears to have entertained, from his youth, a\\nhigh admiration of the traditional poetry of\\nhis country. In his Dissertation on the An-\\ntiquity of Ossian s Poems, prefixed to his\\nfirst volume, he tells us, that though he\\nadmired the poems, in the original, very\\nearly, and gathered part of them from tra-\\n61 dition, for his own amusement, yet he\\nnever had the smallest hope of seeing\\nthem in an English dress. Dr Blair, ac-\\ncordingly, in his letter to Mr Mackenzie,\\nCommittee s Report, p. Q.\\nt See, in the Report, the letters of Mr Home, Dr\\nCarlyle, c.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0286.jp2"}, "285": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 253\\ntestifies, that, even after Mr Macpherson\\nhad gratified Mr John Home with the\\ntranslation of two fragments of ancient\\nGaelic poetry, which were highly admi-\\nred, when the Doctor urged him to trans-\\nlate the other pieces which he had, and\\nbring them to him, he was extremely reluc-\\ntant and averse to comply with his request;\\nsaying, that no translation could do jus-\\ntice to the spirit and force of the original\\nand that, besides injuring them by transla-\\ntion, he apprehended, that they would be\\nvery ill relished by the public, as so very\\ndifferent from the strain of modern ideas,\\nand of modern connected and polished\\npoetry. It was not, adds he, till after\\nmuch and repeated importunity, that I\\nprevailed upon him, c.|\\nAnxious as he appears to have been, from\\nan early period, to acquire literary reputa-\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0f See Report, Append, p. 56.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0287.jp2"}, "286": {"fulltext": "254 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ntion, he published, about 17^8, a poem, en-\\ntitled, The Highlander, the remembrance of\\nwhich has been revived in the present con-\\ntroversy, by the industry of Mr Laing The\\nwork itself had sunk into oblivion immedi-\\nately on its first publication and, notwith-\\nstanding many excellencies which it unques-\\ntionably possesses, and of which a very na-\\ntural account may be given, it will probably\\nbe admitted by his warmest friends, that the\\nsentence of the public was, in this instance,\\njust.\\nIn about four years afterwards, Mr Mac-\\npherson having travelled, as has been said,\\ninto the Highlands, under the patronage of\\nsome persons of distinction and taste, for the\\npurpose of collecting Gaelic poetry, gave to\\nthe world, successively, the poems of Fin-\\ngal and Temora, with some lesser pieces of\\nsimilar merit and, if we attend to this pro-\\ngress, we shall, it is presumed, find it diffi-\\ncult to conceive, that he should thus emerge", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0288.jp2"}, "287": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 255\\nat once from the mediocrity of the neglected\\nHighlander, to all the acknowledged splen-\\ndour of genius, which is displayed in the\\npoetry ascribed to Ossian.\\nMrLaing remarks, very justly, on this sub-\\nject, that the style and imagery of the Fin-\\ngal occur in every page of the Highlander.\\nBut what is the inference which should follow\\nfrom this remark? Is it not, that Mr Macpher-\\nson, when he wrote his Highlander, with a\\nmind amply stored with those ancient poems,\\nwhich, as he himself tells us, he had admi-\\nred in the original very early, and part of\\nwhich he had gathered from tradition, for\\nhis own amusement, was naturally led\\nto transfer to his work those images and ex-\\npressions, which, in the poetry of his coun-\\ntry, had taken such a powerful hold of his\\nyouthful fancy What is more natural than\\nthat Macpherson, deeply enamoured of this\\npoetry, which he had never the smallest\\nhope of seeing in an English dress and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0289.jp2"}, "288": {"fulltext": "256 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nto which he was convinced that no transla-\\ntion could do justice, should, however, avail\\nhimself, as much as he could, of his acquaint-\\nance with it, in his own poetical effusions\\nMr Macpherson seems uniformly to have\\nmistaken his own powers, when he attempt-\\ned an original work but when he did make\\nthe attempt, with a mind deeply tinctured\\nwith the strains of Ossian, might it not have\\nbeen expected that he should transfuse some\\nof their beauties into his performance and\\neven that the poetry which had been the de-\\nlight of his early years, should give its tone\\nand colouring to every page that he wrote\\nWill it here be argued with Mr Laing,\\nthat, with a taste somewhat more matured,\\nhe transferred the beauties of the Highland-\\ner into his Ossian, and thus forced the pub-\\nlic to peruse his neglected poem, as Sterne\\nobliged the world to read his sermon, by\\nmaking Corporal Trim the rehearser of it?\\nMr Laing knows very well that this is not,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0290.jp2"}, "289": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 257\\nnor has it been, the ordinary developement\\nand progress of genius. It appears from the\\nhistory of literature, that the Jirst efforts of\\na mind, powerfully seized with the idea of\\na favourite subject, have ever been the most\\nvigorous, and the most successful. Homer\\ncomposed his immortal Iliad, before he\\nslumbered 1 over the Odyssey and the\\nParadise Lost had exhausted the genius of\\nMilton, before he sat down to compose his\\nParadise Regained.\\nThe success of Mr Macpherson s transla-\\ntions of the poetry ascribed to Ossian was\\nvery great. The sensation which was pro-\\nduced in the minds of literary men, was, in\\nthe highest degree, striking. That there\\nshould have existed such a body of truly\\nclassical verse amongst the Highlanders of\\nScotland, and that it should have been hand-\\ned down through so many ages of barba-\\nrism, was undoubtedly new, and well cal-\\nculated to excite suspicion, as well as sur~\\nR", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0291.jp2"}, "290": {"fulltext": "258 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nprise. In the mean time, these poems were\\ntranslated again into several foreign lan^\\nguages; the illustration of their beauties oc-\\ncupied several eminent critics and, what\\nwas to Mr Macpherson of the greatest con-\\nsequence, his fortune and independence were\\nestablished.\\nIt has been alleged, that Mr Macpherson\\nhas, by several insinuations thrown out in\\nhis later years, seemed to claim these poems\\nas his own. This idea, however, we can as-\\ncertain not to have been in his mind in 1762,\\nwhen he says in his Dissertation, That his\\ntranslation is literal; and that the transla-\\ntor, as he claims no merit from his ver-\\nsion, wishes that the imperfect semblance\\nwhich he draws, may not prejudice the\\nworld against an original, which contains\\nwhat is beautiful in simplicity, or grand\\nin the sublime.\\nIn an advertisement prefixed to Fingal, he\\ntells us, that some men of genius advised", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0292.jp2"}, "291": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 259\\nhim to print the originals by subscription,\\nrather than deposit them in a public li-\\nbrary. I have accordingly seen, in the\\nLondon Magazine, (on which I cannot now,\\nhowever, lay my hands) for the year j 784, or\\n1785, an advertisement, published on the oc-\\ncasion of the indecent controversy between\\nDr Johnson and Mr Macpherson, by Becket,\\nthe bookseller in the Strand, certifying, that\\nthe originals of Ossian had lain at his shop for\\nsubscription at some former period (as far as I\\nrecollect, 1774, or 1775) for the space of a\\nwhole year; but that the number of subscrip-\\ntions being inadequate to the expence of publi-\\ncation, the manuscripts had been withdrawn.\\nBecket, it is true, was no judge of the ori-\\nginality of those manuscripts. But the cir-\\ncumstance proves, that, at that period, Mr\\nMacpherson was disposed to give what he\\ncalled the originals of Ossian to the public.\\nAnd can it be supposed, that, in London,\\nwhere there were then, as there are still,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0293.jp2"}, "292": {"fulltext": "260 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nmany learned Highlanders, well versed in the\\nlanguage and antiquities of their country,\\nand rendered anxious, by recent circum-\\nstances, for the honour of their national\\npoetry, Mr Macpherson would have ventu-\\nred to expose, during so long a period, a\\nmass of spurious verse, as the genuine pro-\\nduction of the Celtic Bard\\nMr Macpherson appears, however, at an\\nearly period, after the success of his transla-\\ntions had been ascertained, to have allowed\\nsome expressions to escape him, which have\\ngiven rise to suspicions of fabrication, and\\nwhich have been understood to imply an in-\\ntention of appropriating this poetry to him-\\nself. After the strong and pointed assertions\\nof their originality, which he had advanced\\nin his prefaces and dissertations prefixed to\\nthe earlier editions, it was a matter of much\\ndelicacy, and of some risk, to attempt to\\nturn the tide of public opinion from Osslan\\nto the author of the Highlander. Without", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0294.jp2"}, "293": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 261\\npretending to guess the extent of his mean-\\ning, I find it necessary to examine those ex-\\npressions of his, which have been represent-\\ned by Mr Laing and others, as evidences of\\nhis attempt to claim this poetry as his own.\\nMr Macpherson, in one passage, throws\\nout the idea, that those, who have doubt-\\nedhis veracity, have paid a compliment to\\nhis genius and even were the allegation\\ntrue, he adds, my self-denial might have\\natoned for my fault. can assure my anta-\\ngonists, that I should not translate xvhat I\\ncould not imitate. And again, in a simi-\\nlar vein, he says, the translator, who can-\\nnot equal his original, is incapable of ex-\\npressing its beauties.\\nWithout undertaking to ascertain the full\\nextent of Mr Macpherson s meaning, in\\nthese pretensions, just criticism and truth\\nrequire, that I should observe, that he him-\\nself has fortunately put it into our power to\\nestimate his abilities as a translator, bv a", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0295.jp2"}, "294": {"fulltext": "262 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nvery unequivocal test. In his miserable\\ntranslation of Homer, he has enabled us to\\nform a fair judgment of these pretensions;\\nand it may not appear improbable, that the\\nname of a man, who had never produced\\nany acknowledged work of merit, would have\\nbeen buried, long ere now, with his own\\nHighlander, had not Ossian lent his arm\\nof might to rescue him from the gulf.\\nI would by no means be understood to\\ndetract from the merits of Mr Macpherson,\\nor to maintain, that he had formed any deli-\\nberate design of appropriating this poetry to\\nhimself. Mr Macphersons merits, compar-\\ned with that of the persons who followed\\nhim, were immense, both as an indefatigable\\ncollector, and as a spirited and elegant trans-\\nlator. But it is to be regretted, that in\\nsome moments of that caprice, which has\\nbeen ascribed to him by those who knew\\nhim well, he should have been tempted to\\nallow any expression to escape him, which", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0296.jp2"}, "295": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 263\\ncould be interpreted, by the most remote\\nimplication, as claiming this poetry as his\\nown. As such expressions, however, occur\\nin his later publications, it appears indispen-\\nsibly necessary, on this occasion, to advert\\nto them.\\nWithout increasing his genius, says Mr\\nMacpherson, in one of his prefaces, the\\nauthor may have improved his language,\\nin the eleven years that the poems have\\nbeen before the public. Errors in diction\\nmay have been committed at twenty-four,\\nwhich the experience of a riper age may\\nremove, and some exuberances of imagery\\nmay be restrained with advantage, by a\\ndegree of judgment acquired in the pro-\\ngress of time. In a convenient indiffer-\\nence to literary fame, the author hears\\npraise without being elevated, and ribald-\\nry without being depressed. The writer s\\nfirst intention was to have published in\\nverse and as the making of poetry may", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0297.jp2"}, "296": {"fulltext": "264 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nbe learned by industry, he had served his\\napprenticeship, though in secret, to the\\nf{ Muses.\\nThis language, it must be admitted, seems\\nto involve an avowed claim to these Poems,\\non the part of Mr Macpherson and so, no\\ndoubt, it has been understood by a great\\npart of the public. That he should speak\\nthus explicitly of himself, as the author,\\nand that he should talk of restraining ex-\\nuberances of imagery, which is the proper\\nprovince of the author, appears to be a style\\nill suited to the office of a mere translator,\\nwhose duty it is to adhere to his original,\\nand to give a faithful representation of it,\\nwithout detraction or embellishment.\\nWe are enabled, however, from other un-\\nquestionable specimens, to form a tolerably\\njust estimate of Mr Macpherson s powers,\\nand of his pretensions, should he be deemed\\nto have made any, to that body of poetry\\nwhich he has ushered into the world. When", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0298.jp2"}, "297": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 265\\nwe consider the rest of his literary efforts,\\nwith an impartial eye, it is presumed, that\\nthey will all be found to exhibit an inferio-\\nrity of genius, and a mediocrity of talent,\\naltogether unequal to the splendid poetry\\nwhich, under the name of Ossian, has at-\\ntracted the admiration of Europe.\\nOf his Highlander, we have spoken al-\\nready. Conscious, it would seem, after the\\nfate of that poem had been sealed, of the\\nprecise extent of his own powers, he never\\nappears afterwards to have soared above the\\nhumble department of a collector and com-\\npiler of the works of others. To collect\\nand arrange the papers of the House of\\nStuart, and to collect and translate the\\npoetry of the Highlands of Scotland, were\\nefforts of the same kind, and w T hich required\\nprecisely the same turn of mind.\\nHe says, that the making of poetry may\\niC be learned by industry; and informs us,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0299.jp2"}, "298": {"fulltext": "266 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthat he had served his apprenticeship,\\nthough in secret, to the Muses. But it\\nmay be asked, whether the poetry of the\\nHighlander was a secret to the world\\nAnd, even though Mr Macpherson found it\\nno difficult matter to make such poetry,\\nwill it be alleged, that the fire of genius,\\nwithout which verse is not poetry, is to be\\nacquired by industry f\\nDr Johnson has said well, in a letter ad-\\ndressed to Mr Macpherson, Your abilities,\\nsince your Homer, are not so formidable.\\nIndeed, there is nothing which serves to\\nset Mr Macpherson s character and powers\\nin a stronger light, than his egregious at-\\ntempt to render the great Father of Poetry\\ninto prose, however natural it might have\\nbeen for him to have made this attempt, af-\\nter his success in doing the same office to\\nOssian. But here the public had before\\nthem the unrivalled original, with an ele-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0300.jp2"}, "299": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 26?\\ngant translation by Pope and Mr Macpher-\\nson s prose was immediately dispatched to\\nthe same shades which had, long ago, over-\\nwhelmed his Highlander.\\nHow, it will naturally be asked, has he\\nsucceeded so well in his translation of Os-\\nsian, whilst he, who would not deign to\\ntranslate what he could not imitate, or\\neven equal has failed so miserably in his\\ntranslation of Homer? The solution is easy.\\nThe public had not the original of Ossian\\nbefore them nor had they another transla-\\ntion, by which they might have been en-\\nabled to form a comparative estimate. They\\nwere, therefore, under the necessity of re-\\nceiving Ossian in the dress, and under the\\nform, in which he was presented to them\\nand it has happened, that his intrinsic merit\\nhas supported him, even under the disad-\\nvantages of a translation. Let us put the\\ncase, that the poetry of Homer had been", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0301.jp2"}, "300": {"fulltext": "f\u00c2\u00a98 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\npresented to us under the same circum-\\nstances the original lost, or withheld, and\\nnothing remaining to us but Mr Macpher-\\nson s translation, still there is no doubt\\nthat Homer, even thus mutilated and disgui-\\nsed, would have commanded the respect\\nthat is due to his transcendent genius.\\nAdd to all this, that it is hoped it will\\nbe made to appear, in the sequel of this ar-\\ngument, that Mr Macpherson, in his transla-\\ntion, has also done injustice to Ossian; and\\nthat, when certain writers have amused them-\\nselves with criticising some phrases and\\nimages, which occur in his work, it is not\\nOssian, but his translator, who is the subject\\nof their animadversion. Though this, in-\\ndeed, is a topic which cannot receive its full\\nweight, till we have before us the whole ori-\\nginals, or a translation, on the fidelity of\\nwhich we can rely, still, it may be observed,\\nthat we are already in possession of suffi-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0302.jp2"}, "301": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 269\\ncient materials, to enable us to judge of the\\ninternal evidence which these Poems afford\\nof their authenticity and to conclude, that\\nthe Gaelic of Ossian has suffered as much\\nunder Mr Macpherson s hands as the Greek\\nof Homer.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0303.jp2"}, "302": {"fulltext": "SKI ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nSECTION X.\\nInternal Evidence of the Authenticity of these Poems.\\nExemplified by a literal Translation of the Se-\\nventh Book of Temora, published, in the Origi-\\nnal, by Mr Macpherson, at an early Period, com-\\npared with his own Translation. That Mr Mac-\\npherson has, in many instances, in his Translation,\\nsuppressed and added; and that he has frequently\\nmisunderstood his Original. Testimonies of his\\nhaving been but very imperfectly skilled in the\\nGaelic Language.\\nThe peculiar circumstances in which we\\nstand, with respect to the great bulk of the\\nGaelic poetry which has been translated by\\nMr Macpherson, render it extremely difficult\\nto form a just estimate of the amount of that\\nevidence which might be deduced from the\\nstyle, the manners, and the imagery which", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0304.jp2"}, "303": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 271\\npeculiarly characterise these Poems. We\\nhave the translation before us but without\\nthe original, with which to compare it, it\\nappears to be almost impossible to ascertain\\nprecisely the degree of colouring which it\\nmay have received from the particular taste,\\nthe habits of thinking, and the literary ac-\\nquirements of the translator.\\nMr Macpherson, in one of the earlier edi-\\ntions of these Poems, published the Seventh\\nBook of Temora in the original Gaelic, as a\\nspecimen of the harmony of Ossian s versifi-\\ncation, and, at the same time, as an example\\nof a new mode of spelling that language,\\nwhich he wished to introduce. It consists\\nof four hundred and twenty-three lines. We\\nhave also, through the hands of Mr Mac-\\npherson, Malvina s Dream, of fifty-seven lines,\\na portion of the Poem of Carrickthura, and\\na few other fragments. Besides these, I\\nknow of no other of the poems, translated\\nby Mr Macpherson, that have been given to", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0305.jp2"}, "304": {"fulltext": "272 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthe public, in the original, by himself. But\\nI would congratulate the lovers of Celtic li-\\nterature, on the prospect that is now afford-\\ned of the publication of the entire originals,\\nas left by Mr Macpherson, in the hands of\\nthe late John Mackenzie, Esq. of the Temple,\\nLondon.* By a printed notice, dated Edin-\\nburgh, 1st February, 1806, and signed John\\nSinclair, it is intimated, that these are now\\nto be published, under the auspices of a Com-\\nmittee of the Highland Society of London,\\nconsisting of Sir John Sinclair himself, Sir\\nJohn Macpherson, Sir John Macgregor Mur-\\nray, and others well qualified for this office.\\nThese originals, it is understood, are all in a modern\\nhand, transcribed by Mr Macpherson himself, or by his\\namanuensis. No ancient manuscripts appear, though it\\nis certain that he had the use of some which he never\\nreturned, particularly from the Clanranald family. It is\\nnot improbable, that, with that caprice which has been\\nascribed to him, he might have destroyed, as he copied\\nthem for to copy and arrange them was necessary, pre-\\nvious to his translating them.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0306.jp2"}, "305": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 273\\nEven the scanty portions of the original,\\nhowever, which Mr Macpherson has given\\nus already, are sufficient to enable us to as-\\ncertain, with some precision, the share which\\nhe had in the work and when we compare\\nthem with his own translation, a very singu-\\nlar view of the subject presents itself; which,\\nconsidering it as peculiarly important in this\\nargument, I shall now beg leave to detail.\\nIt is very remarkable, that, compared\\nwith the slovenly translations, or rather pa-\\nraphrases, of Dr Smith, a man of acknow-\\nledged literature, an able author of original\\nworks in English, and well known as an\\neminent adept in the Gaelic language, Mr\\nMacpherson far surpasses him as a transla-\\ntor. Mr Macpherson frequently represents,\\nwith great success, the rapid and sententi-\\nous form of the original; and, in general,\\nhe renders the sense of his author with\\nmuch fidelity. When we take into view", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0307.jp2"}, "306": {"fulltext": "274 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nthese undeniable merits of Mr Macpherson,\\ntogether with the circumstances in which he\\nstood when he produced these translations,\\nhe must appear, in a great measure, excus-\\nable to the public, for any imperfections or\\ninaccuracies which may now appear in these\\ntranslations. It could not, surely, enter into\\nhis mind, that there was any probability that\\nfurther accuracy should ever be required; or\\nthat the only method of ascertaining the au-\\nthenticity of these Poems, which is now with-\\nin our reach, should ever be resorted to, that\\nof comparing his translation with the few\\nfragments which are now amongst our hands.\\nHe gave, in general, the meaning of his au-\\nthor, with a very tolerable transfusion of his\\nspirit. When we take into account the per-\\nformances of others, from whom more might\\nhave been expected, we may, perhaps, be air\\nlowed to conclude, that few persons could\\nhave been able, for the first time, to have of-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0308.jp2"}, "307": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 275\\nfered such an elegant translation of Ossian\\nas Mr Macpherson has done.\\nIn the present state of the question, how-\\never, when the proper, and once familiar,\\nevidences of Ossians authenticity are now\\nfor ever lost, it becomes necessary to have\\nrecourse to internal characters of truth and\\nit is hoped, that the warmest friends of Mr\\nMacpherson will forgive this investigation,\\nwhich now, alone, is left to us.\\nTo those who understand the original of\\nthe few inimitable fragments which have pas-\\nsed through Mr Macpherson s hands, there\\ncan be nothing more evident, than that he is\\nthe mere translator; and that, with all his\\nacknowledged merits, he has often transla-\\nted ill, A striking instance of this has been\\nalready adduced, in the verses procured by\\nMr S. Cameron, from Highland tradition,\\nand transmitted to me by Professor Richard-\\nson. And it will appear, in the subsequent", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0309.jp2"}, "308": {"fulltext": "276 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\ninvestigation, that, in translating the frag-\\nments, of which he himself has furnished us\\nwith the original, he has suppressed, or lost,\\nmany beauties of the Gaelic, both in expres-\\nsion and in imagery whilst he has unwar-\\nrantably added images and expressions, which\\nare not there to be found additions which,\\nwithout contributing to the beauty of the\\npoem, deprive it of its air of simplicity and\\nantiquity, and give it the appearance of a\\nmodern and sophisticated poem.\\nBut, what is still more decisive, it will ap-\\npear, that he has, on many occasions, mis-\\nunderstood the originals which he had before\\nhim, and translated falsely. I shall produce\\na striking instance of this, from the frag-\\nment of the Poem of Carrickthura, published\\nin the Committee s Report. It is in the de-\\nscription of Fingal s celebrated combat with\\nthe Spirit of Loda. The Spirit having boast-\\ned, that he dwelt, undisturbed, in his plea-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0310.jp2"}, "309": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 277\\nsant plains, in the clouds, Fingal thus re-\\nplies\\nGabhsa comhnuidh na do raoin\\nThuirt righ nach b y fhaoin, Is a laimh air beairt:\\nNeo cuimhnich Mac Cumhail air raon;\\nS lag do thannas s mar mo neart.\\nThis, with the addition of two words in ita-\\nlics, is, literally,\\nTake up thy abode in thy plains of air,\\nSaid the not vain (t. e. the valiant) king, with his hand\\non his weapon,\\nElse remember the son of Comhal, on the plain\\nFeeble is thy shade great is my might.\\nThis whole passage Mr Macpherson trans-\\nlates, in these words Dwell in thy plea-\\nsant fields, said the king let Comhal s\\nson be forgot.\\nHere, it is evident, that Mr Macpherson\\nhas totally misunderstood the term neo, in\\nthe third line, and which here signifies else,\\nor otherwise; translating it as if it were the\\nparticle ?ieo, which, compounded with an ad-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0311.jp2"}, "310": {"fulltext": "278 OX THE AUTHENTICITY\\njective, has, in Gaelic, the force of the Eng-\\nlish particle un, in unfaithful, and converts\\nthe term, to which it is added, into an oppo-\\nsite sense. Thus, the adjective ciontach,\\nguilty, with the particle neo prefixed to\\nit, (neo-chiontach,) signifies not guilty, or\\ninnocent. In consequence of this egre-\\ngious mistake, the translator has completely\\nlost the sense of the original, and makes the\\nundaunted Fingal solicit a compromise with\\nthe Spirit of Loda, altogether unworthy of\\nhis character. It is, as if he had said, Let\\nme go, and I shall let thee go. But to\\nmake this sense of the passage tolerable, Mr\\nMacpherson finds himself under the neces-\\nsity of omitting the greatest part of the line\\nimmediately preceding, and the whole of the\\nline which follows.\\nThis being a topic of the greatest conse-\\nquence in this discussion, it is deemed ne-\\ncessary, in order to give it its full force, to\\noffer a new and literal translation of the Se-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0312.jp2"}, "311": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 279\\nventh Book of Temora, compared with that\\nwhich has been given by Mr Macpherson.\\nThis, in the original, has always appeared to\\nme a very perfect and sublime specimen of\\nancient poetry. Though some passages in\\nDr Smith s Seandana are equal to it, in every\\nrespect, yet there occurs, from time to time,\\nin the poems of that collection, a vast infe-\\nriority of merit, as might have been expect-\\ned, from the circumstances which have been\\nstated. Nothing of this inequality is to be\\nfound in the Seventh Book of Temora. It\\nis beautiful, elegant, and dignified through-\\nout. It may be deemed important and in-\\nteresting, then, to enter into a critical exa-\\nmination of this fragment, as it has been\\ngiven us by Mr Macpherson himself. Mr\\nLaing has remarked, with regard to this\\nfragment, that in it the whole mythology\\nof mist is exhibited. I have heard of the\\nmythology of the Egyptians, and of the\\nGreeks, and of various nations; but must", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0313.jp2"}, "312": {"fulltext": "280 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nconfess, that I never heard of the mytho-\\nlogy of mist, and find myself at a loss to\\naffix any precise idea to the expression. I\\nam ready to allow, however, that a just ap-\\npreciation of this important relique of anti-\\nquity, in the original, and in Mr Macpher-\\nson s translation, may enable us, with much\\neffect, to develope some of that mystery, in\\nwhich this subject has been so long in-\\nvolved.\\nIt is a wise ordination of Providence, and\\na very fortunate circumstance for society,\\nthat the line of truth is direct and plain, and\\nthat every one, who moves in it, advances\\neasy and secure whilst the line of deceit, of\\nfalsehood, and of forgery, is the most diffi-\\ncult, and the most dangerous. There are few\\nof those deeds of darkness that refuse to\\nmeet the public eye, which have not been\\nfound to bear upon them certain intrinsic\\ncharacters, which have, at length, betrayed\\nthe imposture.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0314.jp2"}, "313": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 281\\nTo this infallible test let the Seventh Book\\nof Temora be brought, and, I will add,\\nMalvina s Dream, the fragment of Carrick-\\nthura, and some of the purer passages of Dr\\nSmith s collection; and if, in considering\\nthese, it can be shewn, that, independently\\nof the charms of a very harmonious versifi-\\ncation, necessarily lost in the translation, the\\nGaelic is, throughout, the most perfect and\\nfinished composition that it possesses beau-\\nties, which are altogether lost, even in Mr\\nMacphersons version and is adorned with\\nelegancies of imagery and expression, which\\nhave not been, nor can easily be, transfused\\ninto another language and, above all, if it\\ncan be shewn, that, in many instances, Mr\\nMacpherson has misunderstood, and misin-\\nterpreted, the Gaelic, it is presumed, that it\\nwill not be hastily alleged, with Mr Laing,\\nthat Macpherson first wrote his Ossian in\\nEnglish, and that, as he wrote, he transla-\\nted into Gaelic.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0315.jp2"}, "314": {"fulltext": "\u00c2\u00ab82 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nWhat, indeed, can be more incredible,\\nthan that Mr Macpherson should labour the\\nGaelic so much in point of language, and\\nimagery, and versification, the greatest part\\nof which has not yet, and perhaps never\\nshall, meet the public eye, whilst he neglect-\\ned to transfuse so many important beauties,\\nthere to be found, into his translation, on\\nwhich his fame and fortune immediately de-\\npended\\nThere are, it may be observed, other\\ngrounds, besides that of frequent mistrans-\\nlation, which render it more than probable,\\nthat Mr Macphefson was only a mean pro-\\nficient in the Gaelic language. Mrs Gallie,\\nwidow of the late Reverend Mr Gallie of\\nKincardine, in Ross-shire, writes to Charles\\nMacintosh, Esq. that there is not any\\nthing more in her remembrance, than see-\\ning, with Mr Macpherson, when he re-\\nturned from his tour, the Gaelic manu-\\nscripts described by her husband. She re-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0316.jp2"}, "315": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 283\\nmembers Macpherson most busy at the\\ntranslation, and he and Mr Gallie differ-\\ning as to the yneaning of some Gaelic\\nwords.\\nCaptain Morison of Greenock, the friend\\nand coadjutor of Macpherson, in the trans-\\nlation, writes, that he was intimately ac-\\nquainted with his abilities, and knowledge\\nof the Gaelic language he admits, that\\nhe had much merit in collecting, and ar-\\nranging, and translating but that, so far\\nfrom composing such poems as were trans-\\nlated, he assisted him often in understand-\\ning some words, and suggested some im-\\nprovements. f\\nI have further to state, that the Reverend\\nMr Irvine, now minister at Little Dunkeld,\\nin Perthshire, permits me to say, that\\nCaptain Morison was his intimate ac-\\nReport, p. 37.\\nf Report, App. p. 177,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0317.jp2"}, "316": {"fulltext": "284 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nquaintance and friend and that he now\\nu possesses, in the original manuscript, much\\nof the correspondence which passed be-\\ntween Mr Macpherson and Captain Mori-\\nson, during the progress of the collection\\nand translation of Ossian s Poems; (which,\\nit is to be hoped, Mr Irvine will, some time\\nor other, communicate to the public.*) He\\nadds, that Mr Morison assured him, that\\nMr Macpherson understood the Gaelic\\nlanguage very imperfectly that he (Mr\\nMorison) wrote out the Gaelic for him, for\\nthe most part, on account of Mr Macpher-\\nson s inability to write or spell it properly;\\nthat Captain Morison assisted him much\\nin translating and that it was their gene-\\nAs every thing which fell from Mr Macpherson s\\npen, on this subject, is interesting, I shall subjoin a\\ncopy of a letter, which he wrote to his friend Captain\\nMorison, in 1789, relating to the perfection of Gaelic\\nliterature, obligingly communicated by a Reverend\\nfriend.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0318.jp2"}, "317": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 285\\nral practice, when any passage occurred,\\nwhich they did not well understand, either\\nto pass it over entirely, or to gbss it over\\nwith any expressions that might appear to\\ncoalesce easily with the context.\\nSo far Mr Irvine. He furnishes a very\\nimportant key to Mr Macpherson s transla-\\ntions; and, it will be shewn, that, in trans-\\nlating the Seventh Book of Temora particu-\\nlarly, these gentlemen have too often had\\nrecourse to this process of skimming over\\nthe surface, and neglecting to render the\\ntrue sense of the originals before them.\\nConsidering it as of much importance,\\nwith regard to this point, to adduce every\\nauthentic fact that can now be collected,\\nwith regard to Mr Macpherson s conduct in\\nthis matter, I beg leave to give an extract\\nof a letter, from my esteemed friend Dr\\nDuncan Macfarlane, Minister at Drymen,\\n(of June 2, 1806,) stating a conversation", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0319.jp2"}, "318": {"fulltext": "286 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nwhich his late father and predecessor, well\\nknown as an eminent proficient in the Gae-\\nlic language, had, at an early period, with\\nthe translator of Ossian.\\nThe conversation, says the Doctor, be-\\ntween Mr Macpherson and my late father,\\nof which you desire an account, took place\\nin the year 1762. My father had been\\nled to doubt the accuracy of Mr Macpher-\\nson s account of the way in which he ob-\\ntained the materials of what he published\\nas the Poems of Ossian, and even to ques-\\ntion the existence of the ancient manu-\\nscripts, which he pretended to have disco-\\nvered. Meeting him in London, he ear-\\nnestly pressed him to remove these doubts,\\nby publishing all the originals in his pos-\\nsession adding, as I perceive you are\\nvery imperfectly acquainted with the Gaelic\\nlanguage, I shall, if you please, procure\\nyou the assistance of one of the first Gae-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0320.jp2"}, "319": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIANS POEMS. 287\\nlie scholars f in Scotland to revise your\\nmanuscript, and correct the press. Mr\\nMacpherson appeared, at first, disposed to\\nembrace this offer but, at their next in-\\nterview, he had changed his mind, and\\nspoke of depositing his papers in some\\npublic library.\\nThe only inference, that it is intended to\\ndraw from these testimonies, is, that Mr\\nMacpherson was imperfectly skilled in the\\nGaelic language that, in transcribing and\\ntranslating, he made use of the assistance of\\nothers, who were better versed in the lan-\\nguage than himself, such as Mr Gallie, Cap-\\ntain Morison, and Ewan Macpherson, who\\naccompanied him through the Hebrides;\\nf Besides attesting, that I had the account of the above\\nconversation myself, from the late Mr Macfarlane, I can\\nadd, from my own recollection, and from the testimony\\nof his son, that the accomplished Gaelic scholar, whom\\nhe had in view, was the Reverend Mr Alexander Mac-\\nfarlane, then minister at Arroquhar,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0321.jp2"}, "320": {"fulltext": "288 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nand hence, that it is impossible, that he\\ncould be the author even of those scanty,\\nbut highly finished, fragments of Gaelic\\nverse, which he himself has communicated\\nto the public.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0322.jp2"}, "321": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS.\\nNOTICE CONCERNING THE FOLLOWING\\nTRANSLATION.\\nThe following translation of the Seventh\\nBook of Temora is literal, as far as the ge-\\nnius of the different languages will admit.\\nThere is reason to apprehend, that, in many\\ninstances, from an earnest endeavour to ren-\\nder the sense of the original with fidelity,\\nthe translation will appear harsh and inele-\\ngant but it is hoped, that this defect will\\nappear to be compensated, in some measure,\\nby the precision of the idea, which such a\\ntranslation will afford, of the genius and\\nstructure of Gaelic verse. It is even hoped,\\nthat the translator, though translating lite-\\nrally, will be found to have sometimes suc-\\nceeded in presenting to the ear some faint", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0323.jp2"}, "322": {"fulltext": "290 OX THE AUTHENTICITY\\nsemblance of the harmony of Ossian s versi-\\nfication.\\nThere is, at least, one beauty of the origi-\\nnal, which, it is hoped, will be, in some de-\\ngree, represented in this translation, by pre-\\nserving the distinct structure of the verses\\nwhich is found in the Gaelic, but which is\\nentirely lost in the prosaic form of that of\\nMr Macpherson. In the original, we may\\ntrace throughout, in every couplet, a paral-\\nlelism, or balancing, of the sentiment con-\\nveyed in the verses, similar to what Dr\\nLowth has pointed out in the sacred poesy\\nof the Hebrews, and which is probably com-\\nmon to the poetry of every early people. I\\nhave given some instances of this already,\\n(p. 53.) in the verses communicated by Pro-\\nfessor Richardson. We meet with this paral-\\nlelism throughout this book, except where\\nthe narration is rapid, as in Fonnar s song,\\nver. 303. Thus,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0324.jp2"}, "323": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 291\\nVer. 34. Has sleep visited the husband of Clatho?\\nDwells my father in slumbers\\n49. He struck the shield of resounding boss,\\nThe shield that hung high in night.\\n1 80. I have risen, as a light, from the battle,\\nAs a meteor of night from the bursting cloud.\\nI think, that it is impossible, for any per-\\nson of taste, even though unacquainted with\\nthe original, to compare the balanced coup-\\nlets of the literal version, with the curtailed,\\nand often unharmonious, prose of Mr Mac-\\npherson and to entertain a doubt, whether\\nhe was the mere translator, or the author of\\nthis poetry. But even though his version may\\nbe deemed the most elegant, and it is not\\ndenied that it possesses many beauties, still,\\nit is demonstrable, that it is not just; and it\\nwill be allowed, that nothing can compen-\\nsate the want of truth.\\nThere are a few expressions, which, though\\nthey convey a very precise idea to the ear of\\na Highlander, it has been found, in many in-\\nstances, impossible to translate. The only", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0325.jp2"}, "324": {"fulltext": "292 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nexpressions of this kind, however, of which\\nI shall now take notice, are the characteris-\\ntic epithets, which occur so often in this\\nBook, and in all Ossian s Poems, nam bolg\\nand nan colg. These, indeed, with many\\nother expressions, which, from the peculiar\\nidiom of the language, it has been found dif-\\nficult to translate, Mr Macpherson has, very\\nconveniently, omitted altogether, or satisfied\\nhimself, according to the practice ascribed\\nto him by Mr Morison, with glossing them\\niC over, by the first easy phrase that occur-\\nred. The two expressions already mention-\\ned, though they occur more than twelve times\\nin the following poem, have been uniformly\\nomitted by Mr Macpherson, except in, I\\nthink, two instances.\\nColg signifies, literally, bristles, and is\\nused in the poem of Diarmid, in Dr Smith s\\nSeandana, to denote the bristles of the boar.\\nConnan says", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0326.jp2"}, "325": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 293\\nTomhais an tore an aghaidh a chuilg\\nThat is,\\nMeasure the boar against the bristles.\\nS l\\nWe find the people of Fingal, in these\\npoems, generally styled NanColg or the\\nbristled, probably from the fierceness of\\ntheir looks, and their bristled hair and beards.\\nThis term, accordingly, has sometimes been\\nrendered by fierce, or warlike.\\nAnother race of men, mentioned in these\\npoems, particularly those of the south f\\nIreland, and of the southern and eastern\\nparts of Caledonia, are styled Nam Bolg f\\nthe Bokyot of Pausanias and the Belga? of\\nthe Romans. Bolg, in Gaelic, signifies, li-\\nterally, the belly ed, or the corpulent,\\nand might be applied, as a characteristic\\nepithet, to the inhabitants of the richer dis-\\ntricts and Lowlands. This, however, is given,\\nonly in the way of conjecture.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0327.jp2"}, "326": {"fulltext": "294 ON THE AUTHENTICITY\\nThe original Gaelic and the literal trans-\\nlation are placed opposite to each other; Mr\\nMacpherson s translation is placed at the\\nbottom; and a few notes, or observations,\\nare subjoined, wherever they appear neces-\\nsary. The same marks of reference which\\nlead to these notes, are affixed to the paral-\\nlel passages in the Gaelic, in the new trans-\\nlation, and in that of Mr Macpherson.\\nWith regard to the edition of the original\\nGaelic which I have used, it may be proper\\nto say, that I had it, a great many years ago,\\nfrom the late Reverend Mr Hugh Macdiarmid,\\nthen minister of the Gaelic Chapel at Glas-\\ngow, and afterwards minister of Conirie.\\nThat gentleman, who was critically skilled\\nin the Gaelic language, had felt indignant at\\nthe novel mode of spelling, which Mr Mac-\\npherson had attempted to introduce but\\nwhich he, in common with all who are ac-\\nquainted with the Gaelic, considered as de-\\nstructive of the etymological proprieties of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0328.jp2"}, "327": {"fulltext": "OF OSSIAN S POEMS. 295\\nthe language. He, therefore, transcribed\\nthis Seventh Book of Tern or a from Mr Mac-\\npherson s printed copy, into his common\\nplace book, in the usual orthography. The\\npeculiarity of Mr Macpherson s mode of\\nspelling consists in the elision of the quies-\\ncent letters, and in adapting it to the pro-\\nnunciation.\\nThe translator has onlv to add, that it is\\nwith some diffidence that he now presents\\nthis translation to the public, to which that\\nof Mr Macpherson has been so long familiar,\\nthat it has acquired a degree of veneration\\nin its eyes. When, however, it is perceived\\nhow far he has, in many instances, departed\\nfrom his original, how much he has added, and\\nhow much he has suppressed, it will, perhaps,\\nappear desirable to see the venerable Bard di-\\nvested of adventitious ornaments, and exhi-\\nbited as nearly in his own garb as the genius\\nof our language will permit. In such a trans-\\nlation, we might hope, that a glimpse might", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0329.jp2"}, "328": {"fulltext": "296 ON THE AUTHENTICITY, c.\\nbe caught of the spirit of Ossian, as he passes\\nalong, even in the unpropitious garb of a fo-\\nreign idiom and it might even be presum-\\ned, that many, who are strangers to the lan-\\nguage in which these Poems were compos-\\ned, would be induced, by the aid which\\nsuch a faithful version would afford, to cul-\\ntivate the tongue in which Fingai spoke,\\nand Ossian sung.\\nIndeed, were the originals before the pub-\\nlic, as it is earnestly hoped they soon shall\\nbe, a field would be opened up for the hi-\\ntherto neglected study of Celtic literature,\\nwhich, there can be no doubt, would attract\\nthe attention of the learned over all Europe.\\nAnd, supposing these originals to be, through-\\nout, as perfect and elegant as the piece which\\nis now presented, one might even presume\\nto foretell, that the language, in which they\\nare composed, will be studied in Ossian, long-\\nafter it has ceased to be vernacular in any\\ncorner of the British empire.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0330.jp2"}, "329": {"fulltext": "THE\\nSEVENTH BOOK\\nOF\\nT E M O R A,\\nAN EPIC POEM.\\nFIRST PUBLISHED IN\\nTHE ORIGINAL GAELIC,\\nBY JAMES MACPHERSON, ESQ.\\nAND NOW\\nTRANSLATED LITERALLY,\\nWITH\\nMR MACPHERSON S TRANSLATION\\nANNEXED.\\nTO WHICH ARE ADDED\\nNOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0331.jp2"}, "330": {"fulltext": "298\\nTEMORA, BOOK VIL\\n\\\\J Linne doir-choille na Leugo,\\nAir uair, eiridh ceo taobh-ghorm nan tonn\\nNuair a dhuineas dorsa na ti oicke,\\nAir iidair-shuil greine nan speur.\\nDomhail mu Lara nan sruth,\\nThaomas duibh neul, as doirche gruaim.\\nMar ghlas sgiath, roimh thaomadh nan trial,\\nSnamh seachad tha gealach na h? oiche,\\nLe sho eididh taoibhsean o shean,\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nFrom the wood-skirted waters of Lego, ascend, at\\ntimes, gray-bosomed mists, when the gates of the west\\nare closed on the sun s eagle-eye. Wide, over Lara s", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0332.jp2"}, "331": {"fulltext": "299\\nLITERALLY TRANSLATED.\\n_Trom the pool of wood-skirted Lego,\\nAt times, ascend the blue-sided mists of the waves:\\nWhen closed are the gates of night,\\nOn the eagle-eye of the sun of the skies.\\nSwelling around Lara of streams, 5\\nPour black clouds of darkest gloom\\nLike a gray shield, before the bursting of the clouds,\\nSwims along the moon of night.\\nWith this invest the ghosts, of old,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nstream, is poured the vapour, dark and deep. The\\nmoon, like a dim shield, is swimming through its folds.\\nWith this clothe the spirits of old", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0333.jp2"}, "332": {"fulltext": "SOO TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nAn dhi-ghkus* ameasg na gaoith. 10\\nSiad a leumnich o osnadh gn osnadh.\\nAir dubh agliaidh oiche nan sian.\\nAnn taobh oiteig, gu paluin nan seod,\\nTaomidh iad ceathach nan speur\\nGorm-thalla do iliannais nach beo, 15\\nGu am eiridhfonn marhh rami nan teud.\\nTha torman am machair nan crann\\nMR MACPHEKSON S\\ntheir sudden gestures,* on the wind, when they stride\\nfrom blast to blast, along the dusky night, often blende\\nwith the gale, to some warrior s grave, they roll the\\nBesides remarking in Mr Macpherson s translation of the\\nabove passage, that though he, upon the whole, renders the sense\\nof the original with tolerable fidelity, he, at the same time, loses,\\nand, from apparent hurry, suppresses many elegant images, I must\\nobserve, particularly, that the expression, sudden gestures, by\\nwhich he translates dlu-ghleus, is as devoid of meaning, as it\\nis foreign to the sense of the original. The expression, in the ori-\\nginal, evidently alludes to a mythology, (for there is a mythology\\nin Ossian of a very appropriate kind,) which was well known to\\nMr Macpherson, but of which, in this instance, he loses sighf", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0334.jp2"}, "333": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 301\\nTheir close-gathered forms,* amidst the winds. 10\\nAs they pass (leap) from blast to blast,\\nOn the dusky countenance of the stormy nigh I,\\nOn the skirt of the gale, to the dwelling of the brave,\\nThey pour the vapour of the skies\\nA blue mansion to the shades of the deceased, 15\\nTill the season that the death-song rises on the\\nstrings.\\nThere is a rustling; sound in the field of trees\\nTRANSLATION.\\nmist, a gray dwelling to his ghost, until the songs\\narise.\\nA sound came from the desart\\nThe ghosts, or shades, of the deceased are uniformly represent-\\ned, by Ossian, as thin and feeble forms, which were liable to be\\ntossed about by the blast, and even to have their substance, at\\ntimes, torn and dispersed by the winds; an example of which oc-\\ncurs immediately below, at verse 23. It became necessary for\\nthem, therefore, to guard against such accidents, and to gather\\ntheir unsubstantial forms into close array. Having this well known\\nmythology in our eye, the expression, close-gatfiered forms,\\nsuggests a precise and appropriate idea. See below Mr Mac-\\npherson s translation of verse 53,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0335.jp2"}, "334": {"fulltext": "302 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nSe Connar righ Eirin a f ann,\\nA taomadh ceo tannais gu dluth,\\nAir Faolan* aig Lubhar nan smth. e ZO\\nMuladach, suidhefo bhron,\\nDhaom an taibhs ami ceathach an loin.\\nThaom osnadh eisin annfein\\nAch pltill an cruth aluin gu dian v\\nFhill e le chrom shealladh, mall, 25\\nLc ceo leadain, mar skuibhal nan sian.\\nS doilleir sho\\nAt a na sloigh nan suain, san am,\\nIt was Connar, king of Inisfail. He poured the mist on\\nFillan/* at blue winding Lubar. Dark and mournful sat the\\nghost, in his gray ridge of smoke. The blast, at times, rol-\\nFillan, the son of Fingal, had been lately killed. See Book\\nVI.\\nWe have here a fine example of the mythology alluded to\\nin a preceding note. The ghost of Fillan had been rolled together\\nby the blast, but soon resumed its form. Should it gratify any", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0336.jp2"}, "335": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 303\\nIt is Connar, king of Erin,\\nPouring thick the mist of ghosts,\\nOn Fillaii/* at streamy Lubar. 20\\nSad, sitting in grief,\\nDescended the ghost, in the mist of the vale\\n(meadow,)\\nThe blast rolled him together\\nBut the noble form quickly returned into itself-^\\nIt returned, slowly, with downcast look, 25\\nWith locks of mist, like the course of storms.\\nIt is dark\\nThe hosts, meantime, are sunk in sleep,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nled him together: but the form returned again; f it return-\\ned with bending eyes, and dark- winding locks of mist.\\nIt is dark The sleeping hosts were still,\\ncritic to have a similar image pointed out in another poet, I\\nshould refer him to Milton s\\nBut the ethereal substance closed,\\nNot long divisible.\\nParadise Lost, Book vi. ver. 330,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0337.jp2"}, "336": {"fulltext": "304 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nAnn trusgan ciar na Ji oiche.\\nD/i illsich tein an righ, gu Ji a r; 30\\nDhaom e na aonar air swath.\\no\\nThuit coddal mu shuilean a Ghaisgich\\nThanig guth Fhaolain na chluais\\nAn coddal sho don Fhear-posda aig Clatho\\ntc Am bheil comhnuidh dom athair ann suain 35\\nAm bheil cuimhne smi an trusgan nan nial,\\ne Smi m aonar ann am na K oichef\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\niii the skirts of night. The flame decayed on the hill of\\nFingal. The king lay, lonely, on his shield. His eyes were\\nhalf-closed in sleep. The voice of Fillan came Sleeps\\nA striking coincidence, not only of thought, but even of ex-\\npression, will be found between this nightly dialogue of Fillan s\\nghost, and Fingal and a well known passage in the Iliad of Ho-\\nmer, which, however, has escaped the industry of Mr Laing. In\\nthe Iliad, (lib. xxiii. v. 65.) the ghost of Patroclus comes to\\nAchilles, in a dream, and complains, that he is yet left without\\nthe rites of sepulture. The ghost says, almost in the words of\\nFillan,\\nEv etq, uv\\\\ot,% i^mo Kikcce \u00e2\u0096\u00a0ptvoq iirhzv, A^7 hsv", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0338.jp2"}, "337": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 305\\nWrapt in the dusky robe of night.\\nLowered is the flame of the king, on high, 30\\nHe bended, lonely, on his shield.\\nSleep descended on the eyes of the hero.\\nThe voice of Fiilan met his ear s\\nSleeps thus the husband of Clatho\\nH Does my father dwell in slumbers 35\\nDoes he remember me in my vesture of mist,\\nWhilst I am lonely, in the season of night\\nTRANSLATION.\\nthe husband of Clatho Dwells the father of the fal-\\nlen in rest? Arri I forgot in the folds of darkness, lonely,\\nin the season of night\\nThat is: Dost thou sleep, and hast thou forgotten me, Achil-\\nles Achilles replies,\\nThat is: Why, dear friend, hast thou come hither? Who\\ndoes not perceive, that this coincidence is the natural consequence\\nof the superstition concerning funeral rites, which was common to\\nthe most of ancient nations", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0339.jp2"}, "338": {"fulltext": "308 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nu Carson a iha thu am aisiinfein f\\nThuirt Fionghall, s e g eiridh grad\\nAn di-chuimhn dhamhsa mo mhac, 40\\nNo shuibhal teine, air reidhlan nan laoch\\nNi mar sin, air anam an righ\\nThig gniomh seoid aluin nan cruaidh bheum.\\nNi f n dealan iadsa, a theichas ann duibhre\\nNa K oicht s nachfhag a lorg. 45\\ne S cuimhn learn Faolan na shuain\\nTa m 9 anam aig eiridh borb\\nGhluais an righ le shleadh gu grad;\\nBhuail e an sgiath isfuaimnich cop,\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nWhy dost thou mix, said the king, with the\\ndreams of thy father Can I forget thee, my son, or\\nthy path of fire in the field Not such come the deeds\\nu of the valiant, on the soul of Fingal. They are not\\nthere a beam of lightning, which is seen, and is then", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0340.jp2"}, "339": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 307\\nWhy art thou in my dreams f*\\nSaid Fingal, rising in haste,\\nCan I forget my son, 40\\nOr his path of fire, in the field of the brave\\nNot thus, on the soul of the king,\\nu Come the actions of the heroes of hardy deeds,\\n(strokes.)\\nNo flash are they that passes in the darkness\\nOf night, and leaves no trace behind. 45\\nI remember Fillan in his rest\\nMy soul arises furious.\\nThe king advanced with his spear, in haste;\\nHe struck the shield of resounding boss\\nTRANSLATION.\\nno more. I remember thee, O Fillan, and my wrath\\nbegins to rise.\\nThe king took his deathfuli spear, and struck the\\ndeep-sounding shield;\\nThere is nothing of deathful, or dismal, in the origi-\\nnal.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0341.jp2"}, "340": {"fulltext": "308 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nAn sgiath a dK aom s cm oiche ard,\\nBall mosglaidh do chath nan lot, 50\\nAir aomadh duhh nan sliabh,f\\nAir gaoith, theich treud nan taibhs\\nO ghleannan ciar nan iomadk lub,\\nMhosguil guth a bhais. 55\\nBhuail e an sgiath, an dara cuairt;\\nGhluais cogadh an aislin an f shluaigh\\nBhi comhstri nan lann glas\\nA dealradh air anam nan seod\\nCinn-feadhna a druideadh gu catk 60\\nSluagh a teicheadh, gnibmh bu chruaidh,\\nhis shield that hung high in night; the dismal sign of\\nwar Ghosts fled on every side, and rolled their gather-\\ned forms* on the wind. Thrice, from the winding vale,\\narose the voice of deaths. The heaps of the bards, un-\\ntouched, sound mournful over the hill, (probably hall.) He\\nGathered forms is here introduced, where it is wanting in\\nthe original. The sentence printed in italics does not occur in my\\nedition of the Gaelic.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0342.jp2"}, "341": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 309\\nThe shield that hung high in night 50\\nThe instrument that rouzed to the battle of wounds.\\nUpon the dusky slopes of the mountains/}-\\nOn wind, fled the tribes of ghosts.\\nFrom the gray vale of many windings\\nAwoke the voice of death. 55\\nHe struck the shield a second time (round\\nBattles arose in the dreams of the host.\\nThe strife of blue swords,\\nGleamed upon the souls of the heroes\\nChiefs closing in battle 60\\nPeople flying; hardiest deeds,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nstruck again the shield; battles rose in the dreams of\\nthe people. The wide- tumbling strife is gleaming over\\ntheir souls. Blue-shielded kings descend to war. Back-\\nward-looking armies fly, and mighty deeds\\nt This verse, though very beautiful, is omitted by Mr Macpher-\\nson.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0343.jp2"}, "342": {"fulltext": "310 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nLeth^dhoilleir ann dealan an staluin.*\\nN uair dheirich an darafuaim,f\\nLeumfeidh d chos nan cam.\\nChlvjnte an sgreadan sg\u00c2\u00a3 s anfhasaich, 65\\nGach eun air osmigfhein.\\nLeth-eirick siol Albin nam buadh,\\nThog iad suas gach sleagh bu ghlas\\nAchphill samhchair air an f shluagh,\\nSe bK ann sgiath Mhorbheinn namfras 70\\nPhill coddal air suilean nam Fear\\nBu dorcha trom an gleann.\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nare half-hid in the bright gleam of steel.*\\nBut, when the third f sound arose, deer started from\\nthe clefts of the rocks. The screams of fowl are heard,\\nin the desart, as each flew, frighted, on his blast. The\\nIt is needless to remark the liberties taken by Mr Macpher-\\nson, in translating this passage they will appear from the literal\\nversion. There is nothing, in the original, of those rumbling\\nepithets, wide-tumbling, blue-shielded, or backwards flying.\\nThese might be justly styled bombast by any critic.\\ni It appears evident, that Mr Macpherson has entirely mis-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0344.jp2"}, "343": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 811\\nHalf-obscure, in the gleam of steel.\\nWhen the second sound arose/j-\\nDeer started from the caverns of the rocks\\nThere was heard the scream of birds in the desart,\\nEach bird on its own blast; 66\\nHalf arose the race of victorious Albion,\\nThey lifted up their gray spears.\\nBut silence returned upon the host\\nIt was the shield of showery Morven. 70\\nSleep returned upon the eyes of the heroes\\nDark and gloomy (heavy) was the vale.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nsons of Morven half-rose, and half-assumed their spears\\nbut silence rolled back on the host they knew the\\nshield of the king. Sleep returned to their eyes the\\nfield was dark and still.\\ncalculated the different alarms given by the shield of Fingal and\\nhence he finds himself obliged to omit the expression, the second\\ntime, in verse 56, and io mistranslate the expression, the\\nsecond sound, 1 in verse 63. It will appear afterwards, that\\nthe third sound of the shield was not heard till Suilvala comes to\\nCathmor, verse 92.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0345.jp2"}, "344": {"fulltext": "312 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nN im bu choddal duitse s an uair,\\nNighean shuilghorm Chommhoir nam buadh,\\nChual Suilmhala anfhuaim 75\\nDti elrich i san oiche le gruairn\\nTa a ceum gu righ At ha nan colg:\\nJV im mosguil cunart anam borb\\nTrom a sheas i, a suilean sios;\\nTa n speurf arm losgadh nan reul. 80\\nChualas hatha sgiath nan cop:\\nGhluais ghrad sheas an oigh\\nDh y eitich a guth ach dhaom e sios.\\nNo sleep was thine, in darkness, blue-eyed daughter\\nof Conmor. Snilmalla heard the dreadful shield, and\\nrose amidst the night. Her steps are towards the king\\nof Atha. Can danger shake his daring soul In doubt,\\nMr Macpherson seems not to perceive, that this line is, a soli-\\nloquy of Suilvala.\\nIn all the originals before us, there occurs no term, which\\nshould be translated heaven. Here it is spcur, the sky.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0346.jp2"}, "345": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 313\\nBut no sleep was thine, at the time,\\nBlue-eyed daughter of victorious Conmor.\\nSuilvala had heard the sound 75\\nShe arose^ through night, in sadness.\\nHer steps are towards the king of warlike Atha\\nu Danger, said she to herself, will not move his\\ndaring soul.\\nSad she stood with downcast eyes\\nThe sky f is bright with stars. 80\\nShe had heard the bossy shield.\\nShe advanced. Soon stopped the maid.\\nHer voice arose but sunk again.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nshe stands, with bending eyes. Heaven f burns with all\\nits stars.\\nAgain the shield resounds. She rushed she stop-\\nped. Her voice half-rose it failed.\\nJ From Mr Macpherson s miscalculation of the alarms given\\nby Fingal s shield, he falls into repeated errors. The shield did\\nnot sound again, on this occasion. It was the second sound, men-\\ntioned verse 63, that had roused the fears of Suilvala,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0347.jp2"}, "346": {"fulltext": "314 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nCkunnaic is e na staluin chruaidh,\\nA dealradh ri losgadh nan reuL 85\\nChunnaic is e na leadan trom\\nAig eiridh ri osnadh nan spew.\\nThionnda i a ceumna lefiamh:\\ne Carson a dhdsgeams righ Eirin nam bolg\\nNi n aislin da choddal thufein, 90\\na A nighean Inis-uaine nan colg\\nGu garg mhosguil an torman\\nn oigh ihuit a ceann-bheairt sios\\nTa amfathrom air carraig nan sruth.\\nShe saw him, amidst his arms, that gleamed in heaven s\\nfire. She saw him dim in his locks, that rose to nightly\\nwind. Away, for fear, she turned her steps. K Why\\nshould the king of Erin awake Thou art not the\\nHere occur the terms nam Bolg, applied to that part of Ire-\\nland which formed the kingdom of Cathmor, and nan Colg, ap-\\nplied to the country of Suilvala, who, inspired by love, bad foj,\\nlowed him in disguise.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0348.jp2"}, "347": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 315\\nShe beheld him armed in hard steel,\\nGleaming in the brightness of the stars. 8.5\\nShe beheld him, with his bushy (heavy) locks\\nRising on the sighs of the sky.\\nShe turned aside, her steps, in fear\\nWhy, said she to herself, should I awaken the\\nking of Erin\\nThou art not in the dreams of his sleep, 90\\nDaughter of warlike Inisuaine.\\nFiercely, again, awoke the sound.\\nFrom the maiden fell her helmet down.\\nThe sound is from the rock of streams.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nu dream of his rest, daughter of Inisuaine.\\nMore dreadful rung the shield. Suilmalla starts. Her\\nhelmet falls. Loud echoed Lubar s rock, as over it rolled\\ntJte steel. X\\nThis is the third alarm of Fingal s shield.\\nJ Of the bombast here marked in italics, there is nothing lr\\nthe originaj.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0349.jp2"}, "348": {"fulltext": "316 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nPlaosgadh o aislin na h oicke, $5\\nGhluais Cathmorfa chrannfein.*\\nChunnaic e an oigh bu tla,\\nAir carraig Lubhar nan sliabh;\\nDearg reul a sealladh 6ios\\nMeasg siubhal a trom chiabh. 100\\nCia Ha roimh oiche gu Catkmorft\\nAnn cearr aimsir aislin fein f\\nMR MACPHERSONS\\nBursting from the dreams of night, Cathmor half-rose,*\\nbeneath his tree. He saw the form of the maid, above\\nhim, on the rock. A red star, with twinkling beam,\\nIt must have occurred, that Mr Macpherson seems to be pe-\\nculiarly fond of compounding his terms with the word half. This\\nword, indeed, occurs thrice in the original of this Book. But Mr\\nMacpherson halves every thing. They assumed, is, with him,\\nthey half assumed; her voice arose, is, half arose;\\nsleep descended on his eyes, is, his eyes were half closed in\\nsleep.\\nTn; a hru xot\\\\c vyou; ccva, fpccrov ipptfou \u00c2\u00bbtof\\nNuxto. 5j* ogtyvcciriv\\nHi, ifc.\\nIliad, lib. x. v. 82.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0350.jp2"}, "349": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 317\\nBursting from the dreams of night, 95\\nAdvanced Cathmor, from beneath his tree.*\\nHe beheld the gentle maiden,\\nUpon the rock of hilly Lubar\\nA red star looked downwards,\\nThrough the flowing of her bushy locks. 1Q0\\nWho comes, through night, to Cathmor/f*\\na In the sinistrous J season of his dreams\\nTRANSLATION.\\nlooked through her floating hair.\\nWho comes through night to Cathmor, f in the sea-\\nson of his dreams Bringest thou aught of war\\nJ The term cearr occurs twice in the original of this Book, in a\\nvery appropriate acceptation but, in neither instance is it trans-\\nlated, by Mr Macpherson, who probably did not understand it.\\nCearr signifies, in general, of any two things, or ways, the wrong\\none. Thus, in contradistinction to straight, it signifies oblique in\\nopposition to lucky, it signifies unlucky; in opposition to right*\\nhanded, it signifies left-handed. It is here rendered by sinistrous^\\nunlucky, or ominous.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0351.jp2"}, "350": {"fulltext": "318 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nAm bheiljios duit air stri nan cruaidh bheum\\nc Cia thusa, mhic duibhre nan speur\\nNa sheas thu amjiadhnuis an righ, 105\\nDo chaol thannas o nam o shean\\nNo y n guth thu o y moil namfras,\\nLe cunart Erin nan colg sean f*\\ne Ni nfear suibhail mifein;\\na Ni n guth mi o neoil nan gruaim 110\\nAch ta m fhocul le cunart na li Erin.\\nAn cualas duit copan nam fuaim?\\nNi n taibhs e, righ Atha nan sruth,\\nA thaomas anfhuaim air oiche.\\nTaomadh an seod a ghuthfein 115\\nSfonn clarsaich do Chathmor anfhuaim:\\nTa aiteaSy mhic duibhre nan speur\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nrt Who art thou, son of night Standest thou before me,\\na form of the times of old? A voice, from the fold of a\\net cloud, to warn me of Erin s danger\\nNor lonely scout am I, nor voice from folded cloud\\nbut I warn thee of the danger of Erin. Dost thou", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0352.jp2"}, "351": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. SI\u00c2\u00ae\\nei Knowest thou of the strife of battle, (hard blows)\\nWho art thou, son of the darkness of the sky\\nStandest thou in the presence of the king, 105\\nA slender shade of the times of old\\nu Or art thou a voice, from the showery clouds,\\nTo tell the danger of ancient Erin\\nNo traveller am I,\\nNor voice from the frowning clouds 110\\nBut my words are of the danger of Erin.\\nDidst thou hear the resounding boss I\\nIt is no ghost, king of streamy Atha,\\nThat pours the sound on night.\\nLet the hero pour his voice 115\\nAs the melody of the harp, is the sound to\\nCathmor.\\nJoy, O son of the darkness of the sky,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nhear that sound It is not the feeble, king of Atha,\\nthat rolls his signs on night.\\nLet the warrior roll his signs to Cathmor, they are\\nthe sound of harps. My joy is great, voice of night,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0353.jp2"}, "352": {"fulltext": "320 TEMORA BOOK VII.\\nu Losgadh air rnanam gun ghruaim.*\\nS e ceol ckinn-fheadhna nan cruaidh bheum,\\nc Am oiche, air aisrigh nan sian; 120\\nNuair a lasas anam nan sonn x\\na A chlann an cruadal do miann.\\nTa siol meata aig comhnuidh namjiamh,\\nAnn gleannan nan osnadh tla\\nFar an aom ceo-maidne ri sliabh, 125\\ntt 0 ghorm shuibhal sruthan nam blar.\\nIC Ni meata, cheann-uithe nan sonn,\\nAn srnsrd on do thuit mifein\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nand burns over all my thoughts.* This is the music\\nof kings, on lonely hills, by night, when they light\\nu their daring souls, the sons of mighty deeds. The\\nfeeble dwell alone, in the valley of the breeze, where\\nFrom comparing the literal translation of the above four\\nlines, or indeed of this whole passage, with that given by Mr\\nMacpherson, it is presumed that it will appear evident, that, now\\ntired of his labour, which had not been inconsiderable, be is ha-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0354.jp2"}, "353": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 321\\ne Burns upon my unclouded soul.f\\nThis is the music of hardy chieftains,\\nIn the season of night, on the stormy hills, 120\\nWhen kindle the souls of the brave,\\nThe race in hardships that delight;\\nThe race of the timid dwell, in fear,\\nIn the vale of soft breezes,\\nWhere ascends the mist of the morning to the\\nhill, 125\\nH From the blue course of the streams of the plain.\\nNot timid, thou leader of the brave,\\na Were the fathers from whom I sprung*\\nTRANSLATION,\\nmists lift their morning skirts, from the blue winding\\nl stream.\\nNot feeble, king of men, were they, the fathers of\\nmy race.\\nstening towards a conclusion, by skimming over his subject, and\\nby omitting any image, or expression, which it might be difficult,\\nor troublesome, to him to render.\\nX", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0355.jp2"}, "354": {"fulltext": "322 TEMORA, BOOK VII,\\nu Bu chomhnuidh dhoibh dubhra nan town,\\n(t Ann tirfhada siol cholgach nam beum, 130\\nAch ni n solas do W anam tla,\\nFuaim mall a bhais o n raon,\\nu Thig eisean nach geill gu bratk\\nC( Mosgail bardfocail is caoin\\nMar charraig, is sruthan ri taobh, 135\\nAnnfasaich namfaoin bheann,\\nSheas Cathrnor, ceann-feadhna nach maoin,\\nAnn deoir.\\nMar oiteig, air anam y le bron,\\nThanig guth caoin na K oigh 140\\nMosgladh cuimhn 1 talamh nam beann,\\nA caomh chomhnuidh, aig sruthain nan gleann\\nRoimh n am n a\u00c2\u00b0 thainig e gu borb,\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nThey dwelt in the folds of battle, in their distant lands.\\nYet delights not my soul in the signs of death He,\\nwho never yields, comes forth O send the bard of\\nc% peace.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0356.jp2"}, "355": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 323\\nu Their dwelling was in the dark caverns of the\\nwaves,\\nIn a distant land a warlike race. 130\\nBut my soft spirit has no delight\\nIn the slow sound of death, on the plain,\\nHe comes, who never yields.\\nAwaken the bard of mildest voice.\\nLike a rock, over whose side a streamlet trickles,\\nIn the desart of low hills, 136\\nStood Cathmor, valiant chief\\nIn tears.\\nLike a breeze, on his soul, sorrowfully,\\nCame the soft voice of the maiden 140\\nAwakening the memory of the land of mountains,\\nHer peaceful dwelling, by the streams of the vale,\\nBefore he had come, in his wrath,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nLike a dropping rock, in the desart, stood Cathmor,\\nin tears. Her voice came, a breeze, on his soul, and\\nwaked the memory of her land j where she dwelt by her\\npeaceful streams, before he came", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0357.jp2"}, "356": {"fulltext": "324 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nGu comhair Chonmhoir nan colgjiar.*\\nA nighean choigreach nan lann 145\\n(Thionnda i a ceann o n f shonn:)\\nSfaddafa m shuil, ann cruaidh,\\nCramif flathail Inisuaine nan tonn.\\ny Ta m anam, do thubhairt mifein,\\nAnn trusgan nan sian ciar. 50\\nCarson a lasadh an dealra shofhein,\\nGus am pill mi, ann sith, on shliabh\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nto the war of Cdnmor.*\\nDaughter of strangers, he said, (she, trembling,\\nturned away,) long have I marked thee in thy steel.\\nI may be permitted to remark, that, in this passage, there\\noccur, in the original, many affecting and inimitable beauties.\\nSuilvala, who had become enamoured of Cathmor, during his re-\\nsidence in Inisuaine, her native land, follows him, in disguise.\\nPrompted by her anxiety for his safety, she warns him, through\\nnight, of the military preparations of Fingal; but he disdains\\nevery thought of fear. She betrays her sex, by her timidity and\\nalarm. Cathmor instantly recognizes her, under her disguise, and\\n-ft deeply affected on the occasion. By a most exquisite simile,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0358.jp2"}, "357": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 325\\nTo the aid of warlike (of the inverted bristles)\\nConmor.\\nThou daughter of strangers of swords, 145\\n(She turned her head aside from the hero,)\\nLong, under my eye, in armour,\\nHas been the fair branch f of billowy Inisuaine.\\nMy soul, (said I to myself,)\\nIs folded in a robe of dusky storms. 150\\nWhy should this light kindle,\\nUntil I return in peace from the mountain\\nTRANSLATION.\\nyoung pine f of Inishuna. Bat my soul, (I said,) is\\nfolded in a storm. Why should that beam arise, till\\nmy steps return in peace\\nhe is compared to a rock, Over whose side a streamlet trickles,\\nindicating, at once, the firmness, and the gentleness, of his nature.\\nThe whole of his subsequent deportment towards Suilvala, dis-\\nplays a spirit of tenderness and generosity, which would do ho-\\nnour to human nature, in any period of society. Much of this\\nbeauty is lost in Mr Macpherson s translation.\\nCrann signifies a tree, or a branch of a tree. Mr Macpher.-\\naon unwarrantably specifies the tree, and makes it a pine.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0359.jp2"}, "358": {"fulltext": "326 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nu Na ghlais m y aghaidh an t* fhianuis a lamh geal,\\nS tu togail do m eagal an righ\\nu S am cunairt, ainnir nan trom chiabk, 155\\nu Am do m anam mor-thalla nan stri f\\nAtaidh se, domhail mar shruth,\\nTaomadh air Gaidheal% nan cruaidh bheum.\\nAig taobh carraig chosach air Lona,\\nMu chaochan nan sruthan crom, 160\\nGlas, ann ciabha na K aois,\\nMR MACPHERSON s\\nHave I been pale in thy presence, when thou bidst\\nu me to fear the king The time of danger, O maid, is\\nthe season of my soul f for then it swells a mighty\\ni Besides numerous omissions and suppressions in this pas-\\nsage, I observe, that Mr Macpherson has entirely neglected to\\nrender the last clause of this line, mor-thalla nan stri, probably\\nbecause he did not understand its application. It implies, that\\nthe soul of Cathmor was the hall, or seat, of warlike senti-\\nments.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0360.jp2"}, "359": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 227\\nDid my visage turn pale in thy presence, white\\nhanded maid?\\nThat thou shouldst raise, to alarm me, the king,\\n(Fingal.) 154\\nThe season of danger, maid of the bushy locks,\\nIs the season of my soul, great seat of battles, f\\nIt swells large, like a stream,\\nPouring down upon the hardy Gaels.J\\nBy the side of a cavernous rock, on Lona,\\nNear the gurgling of winding streams, 160\\nrt Gray, in his locks of age,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nstream, and rolls me on the foe.i\\nBeneath the moss-covered rock of Lona, near his\\nu own blue stream, gray, in his locks of age,\\nThis is the only passage, in the originals that I have seen,\\nwhere the people of Fingal are specifically denominated Gaels,\\nthe name by which the Scots Highlanders designate themselves at\\nthis day. It is important to remark this, with a view to the\\nclaims of Ireland to Fingal and his people. Mr Macpberson loses\\nthis in his translation.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0361.jp2"}, "360": {"fulltext": "328 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nTa Claon-mhal, righ clarsich namfonn.\\nO s cionn, ta crann darraich namfuaim,\\nAgus suibhal nan ruadh-bhoc sliom.\\nTafathrom na stri na chluais, 165\\nS eg* aomadh ann smuainte nach tiom.*\\nAnn sin bithidh do thalla, Shuilmhala,\\nGus an islich fathrom nam benm.\\nGus am pill mi, ann lasadh nan cruaidh,\\n0 thrusgan duibhre na beinn; 170\\ne( O n cheath\u00c2\u00abch a thrusas o Lona,\\nMu chomhnuidh mo ruinfein. f\\nThuit gath solids air anam na K oigh\\ndwells Claonmal, king of harps. Above him is his\\nechoing tree, and the dun bounding of roes. The\\nnoise of our strife reaches his ear, as he bends in his\\nthoughts of years.* There let thy rest be, Suilmalla\\nSmuainte nach tiom; that is, thoughts not gentle and plea-\\n11 sant, but grieved and sad. This Mr Macpherson unwarrant-\\nably translates, thoughts of years.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0362.jp2"}, "361": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 329\\nIs Claon-mal, chief (king) of the melodious harp.\\nAbove is a rustling oak,\\nAnd the haunts (courses) of the sleek rbe.\\na The din of the battle is in his ear, 165\\nAs he bends in his thoughts of grief.*\\nThere shall he thy residence, Suilvala,\\nTill the noise of the battle (of the blows) subsides;\\nTill I return in the blaze of my armour,\\nFrom the skirt of the mountain s shade 170\\nc From the mist that gathers on Lona,\\nAround the dwelling of my love. f\\nA beam of light fell on the soul of the maiden,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nuntil our battle cease until I return in my arms, from\\nI the skirts of the evening mist, that rises on Lona,\\nround the dwelling of my love/ f\\nA light fell on the soul of the maid\\nThe conclusion of Cathmor s speech is highly poetical and\\ntender.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0363.jp2"}, "362": {"fulltext": "33 0 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nLas i suasfa chomhair an righ\\nThionnda i a K aghaidh ri Cathmor, 175\\nA ciabhag ann s na N osna a st?i.\\nReubar iulair nan speur ard\\nO y mhor-shruth gaoitk nan gleann,\\nNuair a chi i na rua-bhuicfa comhair,\\nClann-eilde nam faoin-bheann 180\\nMun tionnda Cathmor nan cruaidh bheum,\\nO n stri mun eirich an dan.\\\\\\nFaceams thu, ghaisgich nan geur lann\\nit rose, kindled, before the king.* She turned her face\\nto Cathmor, from amidst her waving locks. u Sooner\\nshall the eagle of heaven be torn from the stream of\\nhis roaring wind, when he sees the dun prey before\\nIn the first line, much beauty is lost, by suppressing the\\nbeam of light and, in the second, the translation is false. It\\nwas not the light/ but Suilvala, on whom the beam of\\nu light had fallen, that kindled, or brightened, before the\\nking.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0364.jp2"}, "363": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 331\\nShe brightened in the presence of the king.*\\nShe turned her countenance towards Cathmor, 175\\nHer locks struggling in the breeze.\\nSooner/ said she, shall be torn the eagle of\\nthe lofty sky,\\nFrom the swelling stream of wind, in the vale,\\niS When she sees the roes before her,\\nThe bounding sons of the low hills, ISO\\nThan the warlike Cathmor shall turn away\\nFrom the battle, which shall rise in song.f\\na Let me behold thee, hero of the sharp swords,\\nTRANSLATION,\\nhim, the young sons of the bounding roe, than thoi^\\na O Cathmor, be turned from the strife of renown.f\\nSoon may I see thee, warrior,\\nIn translating this beautiful and energetic simile, it must be\\n\u00e2\u0080\u00a2acknowledged, that Mr Macpherson has been uncommonly suc-\\ncessful. He has caught the idea of his original very forcibly.\\nStill, however, there is too much of his own. There is nothing in\\nthe Gaelic of roaring wind, or dun prey.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0365.jp2"}, "364": {"fulltext": "S32 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\n0* thrusgan an duibhre dhuibh,\\nNuair a thogas ceo mum chomhnuidhfein 185\\nAir Lona, nan iomadh smth.\\nNuair isfadda o m shuilean thu, sheoid,\\nBuail copan namfuaim ard.\\nPillidh solas do m anam, s e 7 n ceo,\\nS mi g 9 aomadh air carraig learn fein. 190\\nAcli mo thuit thu, marri coigi ich ata mi\\nThigeadh do ghuth o neoil,\\nGu oigh Inisuaine, s if aim\\nOg-gheug Lumoin anfheoir,\\nO uime dhb aomadh tu n strachda nan sian, 195\\nDubh thaomadh air aghaidh nan sliabh\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nfrom the skirts of the evening mist, when i^ is rolled\\nw around me, on Lona of the streams. While yet thou\\nart distant far, Cathmor, strike the shield, that joy may\\nreturn to my darkened soul, as I lean on the mossy\\nrock f but, if thou shouldst fall, I am in a land of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0366.jp2"}, "365": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 833\\na From my robe of dusky gloom,\\nWhen the mist rises about my dwelling, 185\\nAt Lona of many streams.\\nWhen thou art far from my sight, O hero,\\nStrike the loud resounding boss\\ntt Joy will return to my clouded soul,\\nWhilst I bend, lonely, over the rock. 190\\nBut, if thou fallest, I am with strangers\\nc Let thy voice come from the clouds,\\nTo the maid of Inisuaine, when she is low.\\nYouthful branch of grassy Lumom,\\nWhy shouldst thou sink in the bursting of the\\nstorm, 195\\nDark pouring over the face of the mountains\\nTRANSLATION.\\nstrangers; O send thy voice, from thy cloud, to the\\nmaid of Inishuna.\\nYoung branch of green-headed Lumon, why dost\\nthou shake in the storm", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0367.jp2"}, "366": {"fulltext": "534 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nSt tie thionnda Cathmor o n bhlar;*\\nMar mheallain dhamhfein tha sleagh nan lot,\\nS iad pronnadh air cos nan sgiath:\\nDh eiream am sholus o n stri, 200\\nMar thein-oiche, o thaomadh nan nial.\\nNa pill, a dheo-greine, o n ghlcann,\\nNuair a dhlnthicheas fathrom nan colg\\nEagal teicheadh do n namhaid o m laimh,\\nMar theich iad o shins ra nam Bolg: 205\\nMR MACPHERSON s\\nCf often has Cathmor returned from darkly-rolling wars.*\\nThe darts of death are but hail to me; they have often\\nbounded from my shield. I have risen, brighten-\\nrt ed, from battle, like a meteor from a stormy cloud.\\nIn the original before me, the verse,\\nDark pouring over the face of mountains,\\nwhich evidently refers to the bursting of the storm, mentioned\\nin verse 195, is placed after the verse\\nOften has Cathmor returned from the field.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0368.jp2"}, "367": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 8SS\\nu Often has Cathmor returned from the field,*\\nAs hail are the wounding spears to me,\\nu As they crash upon the bosses of the shields.\\nI have risen, as a light, from the contest 20G\\nAs a meteor of night, from the bursting cloud.\\nReturn not, sun-beam, from the vale,\\nf When the din of the encounter thickens\\nLest the enemy should escape from my hand,\\nAs they escaped from my fathers of the Bolgi\\nTRANSLATION.\\nReturn not, fair beam, from thy vale, when the roar of\\nbattle grows then might the foe escape, as from my\\nfathers of old.\\nThis mistake of the reciter, or transcriber, is corrected, and the\\nconfusion occasioned, in the sense of this passage, removed. Mr\\nMacpherson, who generally gives himself no trouble about such\\ndifficulties, applies the verse, in the order that it stands, to wars,\\nand gives us the bombastic phrase dark-rolling.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0369.jp2"}, "368": {"fulltext": "336 TEMORA, BOOK VII,\\n*Chualas le Sonmor air Cluanar,\\nA thuitfa Chormag, nan geur lann\\nTri laethe dhorchaich an righ,\\nMu nfhear a dh? aom ann stri nan gleann.\\nChunnaic minbhean an sonn ann ceo 210\\nPhrosnaich sud dith siubhal gu sliabh.\\nThog i a bogha,fos n iosal,\\nGu dot mar-ri laoch nan sgiath.f\\nDo ?i ainnir luidh duibhre air Aiha\\nNuair a shiubhail an gaisgeach gu gtiiomh. 215\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nThey told to Sonmor of Cluanar, who was slain by\\nCormac in fight. Three days darkened Sonmor, over\\nhis brother s fall. His spouse beheld the silent king,\\nHere Cathmor, to persuade Suilvala to remain in her retreat\\nuntil the battle should be over, artfully introduces, and relates, an\\ninstance, in the history of one of his ancestors, in which the inter-\\nference of a lady had interrupted the tide of victory, and given\\nthe enemy an opportunity to escape.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0370.jp2"}, "369": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 337\\nSonmor had heard of Cluanar, his brother, 206\\nWho fell under Cormag of sharp swords.\\nFor three days, the visage of the king was dark-\\nened,\\nFor the man who fell in the strife of the vale.\\nHis gentle spouse beheld the hero in darkness: 210\\nThis moved her to travel to the mountain.\\nShe took up her bow, in secret,\\nTo accompany the hero of shields.f\\nc For, to the fair one lay darkness on Atha,\\nWhen the warrior departed to action. 215\\nTRANSLATION.\\nand foresaw his steps to war. She prepared the bow,\\nin secret, to attend her blue- shielded hero.f To her\\ndwelt darkness in Atha, when he was not there.\\nOf the colour of the shield, we have nothing in the original.\\nThe whole of this passage, especially the last verse, is feebly\\ntranslated by Mr Macpherson.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0371.jp2"}, "370": {"fulltext": "S38 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\n11 cheud sruthan aonach na h 9 oiche?\\nThaom siol Alnecma sios.\\nChualas sgiath chaismachd an righ\\nMhosguil an anam gu stri.\\nBha an suibhal amfathrom nan lann, 220\\nu Gu Ullin, talamh nan crann,\\nBhuail Sonmor, air uairibh, an sgiath,\\nCcannfeadhna nam borb thriath.\\nNan diaigh lean Suilaluin,\\nAir aomadh namfras. 225\\nBu sholus is air an aonach,\\nFrom their hundred streams, by night,* poured\\ndown the sons of Alnecma. They had heard the\\nshield of the king, and their rage arose. In clanging\\narms, they moved along, towards Ullin of the groves.\\nI am uncertain whether I am correct in this translation.\\nM Aonach na h oiche signifies, literally, the mountain of night.\\nWhether the poet means, by night, as Mr Macpherson, conve-\\n2", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0372.jp2"}, "371": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 539\\nFrom an hundred streams of the dusky* moun*\\ntain,\\nPoured the race of Alnecma down.\\nThey had heard the call of the shield of the king;\\nTheir souls awakened to the encounter.\\nThey travelled, in the din of swords, 220\\nTowards Ullin, the land of trees.\\nSonmor struck, at times, his shield,\\nChief of ferocious tribes.\\nAfter them followed Suilaluin,\\nUpon the showery slopes of the hills. %25\\nShe was a light upon the mountain^\\nTRANSLATION.\\nSonmor struck his shield, at times, the leader of the\\nwar.\\nFar behind followed Suilallin, over the streamy hills.\\nShe was a light on the mountain,\\nniently omitting tee term mountain, renders it, or whether\\nof night, dark, or dusky, be intended, as an epithet, is\\ndoubtful.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0373.jp2"}, "372": {"fulltext": "340 TEMORA, BOOK VII-\\nNuair a thaom iad air gleanntai glas:\\nTa a ctumna jiathail air lorn,\\nNuair a thov iad ri aghaidh nan torn,*\\nB eagal di sealla an righ, 230\\nA d/ifhag i aim A ilia namfri.f\\nNuair a dli eirich fathrom nam beum,\\nS a thaom iad s a cheile s a chath,\\nLoisg Sonmor, mar theine nan spear;\\nTkanig Suilaluin namjiath:\\\\ 235\\nAfolta sgaoilte s an ossag\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nu when they crossed the vale below. Her steps were\\nstately on the vale, when they rose on the mossy\\nhills.* She feared the approach of the king, who left\\nher in echoing! Atha. But when the roar of battle\\nHow faintly is the contrast marked, in Mr Macpberson s\\ntranslation, between the course of Suilaluin, and that of her hus-\\nband and his troops; she avoiding him, by travelling along the\\nhills, when he was in the valley; and by travelling on the plain,\\nwhilst he marched along the hills\\nt The term fri, here translated grassy signifies, literally,\\nM deer-pastures and is the term still used, in many parts of the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0374.jp2"}, "373": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 341\\n(f When they descended to the gray vales:\\nHer steps were stately on the plain,\\nWhen they ascended the face of the hills.*\\nFor she dreaded the looks of the king, 230\\nWho had left her hehind in grassy f Atha.\\nWhen the din of battle (blows) arose,\\nH And they mingled together in the contest,\\nSonmor blazed like the fire of the sky.\\nSuilaluin, the fair, J came forward 9,35\\nf{ Her hair spread out in the gale\\nTRANSLATION.\\nrose; when host was rolled on host; when Sonmor\\nburnt like the fire of heaven in clouds, with her\\nspreading hair came Suilallin\\nHighlands, for those tracts which are reserved for deer, called fo-\\nrests. It is evident, that Mr Macpherson did not understand the\\nexpression but it is not easy to conjecture, how he stumbled\\nupon the unmeaning epithet, echoing, which he substitutes in its\\nroom.\\nNamjlath the excellent, the beautiful.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0375.jp2"}, "374": {"fulltext": "342 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nA h anam ag osparn mu n righ.\\nDN aom e an stri, mu run nan laoch\\nTheich an namhaidfa dhuibhre nan speur.\\nLuidh Cluanar gun J hull f 240\\nGun f hull, ami Ugh caol gun hus.\\nNi n d eirichfearg Shonmhoir nan lann,\\nBha tatthe gu dorch s gu mall:\\nGhluais Suilaluin ma gorm shruthfein,\\nA suil arm reachda nan deur. 245\\na Bu lionmhor a sealladh, gu caoin,\\nAir gaisgeach samhach nachfaoin.\\nAch thionnda i a suilean tla,\\nO shealladh an laoich thuadail.\\nMR MACPHERSONS\\nFor she trembled for her king. He stopped the rush-\\ning strife to save the love of heroes.* The foe fled by\\nnight. Cluanar slept without his blood f the blood\\nwhich ought to be poured upon the warrior s tomb.\\nNor rose the rage of Sonmor but his days were\\nThat is in order to save her from being hurt in the en-\\ncounter.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0378.jp2"}, "375": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 343\\nHer soul throbbing for the king.\\nHe declined the combat, for the love of heroes.*\\nThe enemy fled, under the darkness of the sky.\\nCluanar lay without blood f 240\\nWithout blood, in the narrow torchless house.\\nNor rose the wrath of Sonmor of swords\\nBut his days were dark and tedious.\\nSuilaluin walked by her own blue stream,\\nHer eye ever bursting in tears. 245\\nFrequent were her looks, most mild,\\nTowards the silent chief.\\nBut she turned aside her soft eyes,\\nFrom the looks of the gloomy hero.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nsilent and dark. Suilallin wandered by her gray\\nstreams, with her tearful eyes. Often did she look on\\nthe hero, when he was folded in his thoughts. But\\nshe shrunk from his eyes, and turned her lone steps\\nf away.\\nThat is without his revenge. Mr Macpherson s translation\\nof the next line is a feeble paraphrase.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0379.jp2"}, "376": {"fulltext": "344 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nu Mhosguil blair, marfhathrom nan nial; 250\\nGhluais domin o anam mor.\\ni( Chuncas a ctumna It K ait e as,\\nS a lamh gheal air clarsich namfonn.\\nNa chruaidh ghluais an righ gun dail:\\nBhuail e ri sgiath chosach, ard, 0,55\\nGu li ard, air darrach nan sian\\nAig Lubhar nan iomadh sruth.f\\nSeachd copairt bha air an sgeith,\\nSeachdfocaii an righ da sh/uagh\\nMR MACPHERSONS\\nBattles rose like a tempest, and drove the mist from\\nhis soul. He beheld, with joy, her steps in the hall,\\nand the white rising of her hands on the harp.\\nHere ends the episode, introduced by Cathmor, to persuade\\nSuilvala to remain in her concealment, until the engagement\\nshould be over. The poet then proceeds to describe Cathmor,\\nadvancing to battle, in his armour. But, to divert the tediousness\\nof the remaining hours of night, he summons the Bards and hears\\nthe song of Fonnar, in which he relates the naval expedition of\\nLarthon.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0380.jp2"}, "377": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 345\\nWars awoke, like the noise of clouds 250\\nGrief departed from his mighty soul.\\nHe beheld, at lengthy her steps with delight,\\nAnd her fair hand on the harp of melody.\\nIn armour, hastily advanced the king\\nHe struck the shield, bossy, high Q55\\nHigh upon the oak of storms,\\nAt Lubar of many streams.^\\nSeven bosses were on the shield\\nThe seven voices (words) of the king to his hosts,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nIn his arms, strode the chief of Atha, to where his\\nshield hung high, in night; high on a mossy bough,\\nover Lubar s streamy roar.f Seven bosses rose on the\\nshield the seven voices of the king,\\nIn Mr Macpherson s translation of these verses, we have a\\nstriking instance of his preposterous attempt to embellish the ori-\\nginal with his own bombast. There is nothing, in the original, of\\nnight, or mossy bough. Streamy roar seems to be a very\\nabsurd expression.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0381.jp2"}, "378": {"fulltext": "34G TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nA thaomadh air osnadh nan speur 260\\nAirfineachaibh mar nam Bolg.\\nAir gach copan ta reul a on oiche\\nCeann-mathon, nan rosg gun sgko\\nCaol-darna, o ntoil aig eiridh\\nIul-oiche, ami trusgan do cheo 0,65\\n9 Ta Caoin ehallin, air carraig a dealra;\\nReul-dubhra, air gorm tlionn o n iar;\\nLeth-chealach a soluis sail uisg\\nTa Bear-thein las-shuil nan sliabh,\\nSealladh sios d choille san aonach, 270\\nAir mall shuibhal sealgair, s e triall.*\\nRoimh ghleannan an duibhre bhraonich\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nwhich his warriors received from the wind, and marked\\nover all their tribes.\\nOn each boss is placed a star of night; Can-mathon,\\nwith beams unshorn; Coldarna, rising from a cloud;\\nUloicho, robed in mist and the soft beam of Cathlin,\\nIt is obvious, that, in the above passage, the marking of\\nthe sounds of the shield, the laughing of Reldurath, and the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0382.jp2"}, "379": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 347\\nThat poured on the sighs of the sky, 260\\nUpon the mighty tribes of the Bolgi.\\nOn every boss is a star of night\\nCan-mathon, of unsullied eye (beam\\nCol-darna, from clouds arising;\\nUloiche, in a robe of mist 265\\nCaon-callin, glittering on a rock\\nReuldura, on a blue wave in the west,\\nHalf concealing her light in the deep\\nBerthein, the bright eye of the mountains,\\nLooking down from a wood on the slope, 270\\nOn the slow course of the hunter, as he travels*\\nThrough the vale of showery gloom,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nglittering on a rock; laughing on its own blue wave,\\nReldurath half-sinks its western light; the red eye of\\nBerthein looks, through a grove, on the hunter, as he re-\\nturns, by night,*\\nM redness of Berthein s eye, are all interpolations of Mr Mac-\\npherson.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0383.jp2"}, "380": {"fulltext": "348 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nLe faobh rua-bhuic nan hum ard.\\nDomhail, am meadhon an sgeijh,\\nTa lasadh Tomi-theine, gun nevil, 275\\nAn rionnag a shea 11, roimh ri oiche,\\nAir Learthon a chimin mhoir\\nwith the spoils of the bounding roe. Wide, in the midst,\\narose the cloudless beam of Ton-thena, that star which\\nThere occurs, perhaps, no passage, in all the poems ascri-\\nbed to Ossian, which seems to afford a fairer field for scepticism,\\nthan this astronomical description of Cathmor s shield. It ap-\\npears, at first sight, to be a transcript of Homers description of\\nthe shield of Achilles, (II. xviii. v. 478.) and by far too refined for\\nthe period of Ossian.\\nI shall only beg leave to remark, that the astronomy of this pas-\\nsage extends no farther than what is well known to be common\\nand ordinary, in the Highlands, at this day. In a country, where\\nclocks and almanacks are not frequent, the rising of the Pleiades\\nnot only indicates the season of the year, but their progress in\\nthe sky shews the hour of night the revolution of the Northern\\nBear is, at this day, the horary of the Highlanders the phases\\nof the moon are minutely attended to by every shepherd and pea-\\nsant.\\nThe subject is important, and may excuse a short digression.\\nIt is remarkable, that, in the representation of the zodiac, given", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0384.jp2"}, "381": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 349\\nWith the spoils of the high-bounding roe.\\nLarge, in the middle of the shield,\\nBlazes Tonthena, without a cloud 275\\nThe star, that looked down through night,\\nOn Larthon, of the mighty ocean;*\\nTRANSLATION.\\nlooked, by night, on the course of the sea-tossed Lar-\\nthon.*\\nby Denon, from an Egyptian ceiling, whilst there occurs much re-\\nsemblance to that of the Greeks, there are to be found, at the\\nsame time, such striking dissimilarities, as would seem to autho-\\nrize the opinion, that men, in very different ages and countries,\\nhave entertained similar imaginations, and formed very similar as-\\nsortments of the constellations, without any mutual communica-\\ntion, or concert. There is, it would seem, something in the ar-\\nrangement of the constellations, which will naturally strike every\\neye in a somewhat similar manner. The Bear, the Canis Major,\\nOrion, Bootes, the Bull, 6fc. have, from the remotest antiquity, at-\\ntracted the attention of men; and, it is probable, that they have\\nbeen designated, by nearly similar figures, in very distant nations\\nand periods. The knowledge of them is common in the High-\\nlands, and was probably more so in ancient times, when the\\nCaledonians undertook long voyages, and were accustomed to\\ntraverse vast forests and lofty mountains, both by day and by\\nnight.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0385.jp2"}, "382": {"fulltext": "350 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nLearthon, ceannfeadhna nam Bolg,\\nAn c?udfhear a shuibhail air gaoith.\\nLeathan sgaoileadh seoil bhan an righ, 280\\nGu Inisfail nan iomadh smth.\\nThaom oiche air aghaidh a chuain,\\nAgiis ceathach nan trusgan dubh;\\nBha gaoith caochla gu dlu s an speur;\\nLeu?n loingeas o thonn gu tonn, 285\\ny Nuair a dK eirich Tonn-theine nan stuagh\\nA caoin shealladh o bhristeadh nan niaL\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nLarthon, the first of Bolga s race, who travelled on the\\nwinds. White-bosomed, spread the sails of the king,\\ntowards streamy Inisfail. Dun night was rolled before\\nhim, with its skirts of mist. Unconstant blew the winds,\\nWere I allowed to offer a conjecture, with regard to the stars\\nthat adorned Cathmor s shield, I should say, that Ceun-mathon,\\nrendered, by Mr Macpherson, the Bear s Head, is Sirius, in\\nCams Major there is no remarkable star in the Bear s Head.\\nMr Macpherson translates Uloicho, the ruler of night, falsely\\n\u00e2\u0080\u0094it is, the guide of night, and, probably, means the Polar\\nslur. Caoin-challin, literally, the mild maiden, is perhaps", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0386.jp2"}, "383": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 351\\nLearthon, the chieftain of the Bolgi,\\nThe first man that travelled on winds.\\nWide spread were the white sails of the king, 280\\nTowards Inisfail of many streams.\\nNight poured upon the face of the main,\\nAnd the vapour of dusky robes\\nThe winds shifted rapidly in the sky\\nThe vessel bounded from wave to wave, 285\\nWhen rose Tonthena of the billows\\nHer mild look was from the bursting clouds.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nand rolled him from wave to wave. Then rose the\\nfiery haired Ton-thena, and laughed from her parted\\ncloud.\\nthe bright star in Spica Virginis. Reldura is, perhaps, the setting\\nEvening-star; for, it is not likely, that a distinction was then made\\nbetween the fixed stars and the planets.\\nThe fiery hair, and the laughing of Ton-thena, are al-\\ntogether Mr Macpherson s.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0387.jp2"}, "384": {"fulltext": "352 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nB y aiteas do Learthon tein-iuil nam buadh,\\nA dealradh air domhan nan sian,\\nFuidh shleagh Chathmor nan colg sean, 290\\nDhuisg an guth a dhuisgeadh bard.*\\nThaom iad dubh, o thaobh nan sliabh,\\nLe clarsich ghrinn s gach laimh.\\nLe aiteas mor, sheas rompa an righ,\\nMar fhear-siubhail, ri teas la,f ann gleann, QQ5\\nN uair a cMuinneas efadda s an reidh,\\nCaoin ihorman sruthain nam beann;\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nLarthon blessed the well-known beam, as it faintly\\ngleamed on the deep.\\nBeneath the spear of Cathmor rose that voice, which\\nawakens bards.* They came, dark-winding, from every\\nThat is Cathmor summoned the bards to amuse him with\\ntheir songs in the night.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0388.jp2"}, "385": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 353\\nWelcome (joy) to Larthon was the fiery guide to\\nvictory,\\nShining on the ocean of storms.\\nBeneath the spear of Cathmor, of ancient feats,\\nAwoke the voice that awakens bards.* 291\\nThey poured down, dark, from the skirts of the\\nhills,\\nEach with fine strung harp in his hand.\\nWith much joy, stood before them the king,\\nLike a traveller, during the heat of the day,f in\\nthe valley, 29-5\\nWhen he hears, afar, in the plain,\\nThe soft murmurs of the mountain streams\\nTRANSLATION.\\nside, each with the sound of his harp. Before them re-\\njoiced the king, as the traveller, in the day of the sun,f\\nwhen he hears, far-rolling around, the murmur of mossy\\nstreams\\n-r The day of the sun is one of Mr Macpherson s fine expres-\\nsions, totally unwarranted by the simplicity Of the original,,\\nFar-rolling is of the same kind.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0389.jp2"}, "386": {"fulltext": "354 EMORA, BOOK VII.\\nSrutkain a bhriseas s anfhasaich,\\nO charraig thaobh-ghlas nan ruadh-bhoc.\\nO arson a chluinneam guth an righ/* 300\\nN am coddaily ann oiche namfras?\\nAmfacas tannais nach beo,\\nMeasg aistin, aig aomadh glas\\nAir moil bheil an comhnuidhfuar,\\nFeitheamh fonn Fhonnair namjieagh f 305\\n*S lionmhor an siublial air reidh,\\n(C Far an tog an siol an t* shleagh.\\n(C No n eirich ar cronan air thus,\\nstreams that burst, in the desart, from the rock of\\nroes.\\nWhy, said Fonnar, hear we the voice of the\\nu king,* in the season of his rest Were the dim forms\\nFonnar, one of the bards, addresses Cathmor.\\nThe exquisite beauty, and characteristic imagery, of the last\\nfour verses of the original, are miserably lost in Mr Macpherson i\\ntranslation. He seems not indeed to have caught the sense of the\\n1", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0390.jp2"}, "387": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. S55\\nStreams that burst in the desart,\\nFrom the gray^-sided rock of roes.\\na Why do I hear the voice of the king/* 300\\nIn the season of sleep, during the showery night\\nc Hast thou beheld the ghosts of the dead,\\nAmidst thy dreams, descending gray\\nAmongst the clouds is their dwelling cold,\\nAwaiting the song of Fonnar of feasts.f 305\\nFrequent are their visits (courses) on the plain,\\nWhere their offspring lift the spear.\\nOr shall our song first arise,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nof thy fathers bending in thy dreams Perhaps they\\nstand on that cloud, and wait for Fonnar s song f\\noften they come to the fields, where their sons are to\\nlift the spear. Or shall our voice arise,\\npassage, and glosses it with the first easy expression that occur-\\nred, according to the practice ascribed to him by his friend Mir\\nMorison.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0391.jp2"}, "388": {"fulltext": "356 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nMun f hear nach tog an f shleadh gu brath,\\nFear-chosgairt, air gleann nan slogh 310\\ne Mhoma nan ioma bad?\\nNi 7 n dichuimhrf dhamh dorcha nam blarj*\\ni( Chinn-fheadhna nam bard o thus,\\nTogar cloch dha aig Lubhar nan cam,\\nAite eomhnuidh do all Fholda, s do cliu. 315\\nAch taom m anam air am nan laoch;\\nAir na bliadhna s ann d eirich siad suas,\\nAir tonn Inisuaine nan colg.\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nfor him, who lifts the spear no more he that consu-\\nmed the field, from Moma of the groves?\\n*Not forgot is that cloud of war, bard of other\\ntimes. High shall his tomb rise, on Moi-lena, the\\nCathmor speaks. Fonnar had proposed to sing the atchieve-\\nments of Folda. Cathmor, whilst he professes a high esteem for\\nthat hero, to whom he promises to erect a monument, requests the\\nbard to take another subject for his song, and to relate the expe-\\ndition of Larthon. It appears pretty evident, that Mr Macpher-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0392.jp2"}, "389": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 357\\nOf the man, who shall lift the spear no more,\\nThe destroyer of the enemy in the populous vale;\\nThe man from Moma of many groves 311\\nI forget not that darkener of battles,*\\nThou chief of the bards of old.\\nc A stone shall be raised to him at Lubar of mo-\\nnuments\\nA dwelling to Folda; and he shall have his fame.\\nBut pour my soul on the times of heroes 316\\nOn the years, in which they first arose,\\nOn the waves of warlike Inisuaine.\\nTRANSLATION.\\ndwelling of renown. But now roll back my soul to the\\ntimes of my fathers to the years when first they rose,\\non Inis-huna s waves,\\nson has misunderstood this whole passage, which has some diffi-\\nculty. Where did he find his Moi-lena Why did he omit the\\nname of Folda, whose actions Fonnar had proposed to sing\\nWhy does he always mistranslate taom to pour, (verse 316.) to\\nroll?", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0393.jp2"}, "390": {"fulltext": "358 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nM n aiteas do Chathmor amhain,\\nCuimhne Lumoifi inis-uaine nan stogh 320\\nLumoin, talamh nan sruth,\\nCaoin-chomhnuidh nam ban-bhroilleach oigh.\\nFonnar s Song.\\ne f Lumoin nan sruth!\\nTha thu dealradh air m anamfein\\nTha do ghrian air do thaobh, 325\\nAir carraig nan crann bu trom.\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nNor alone pleasant to Cathmor is the remembrance of\\nwood-covered Lumon Lumon of the streams, the\\ndwelling of white-bosomed maids.\\nThe tvvouoiAEvou of Homer Mr Macpherson s u wood-cover*\\ned, is a shameful mistranslation.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0394.jp2"}, "391": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 359\\nNor delightful to Cathmor, alone,\\nIs the memory of Lumoin, well-peopled island\\nof verdure 320\\nLumoin the territory of streams,\\nu The sweet abode of white-bosomed maids.\\nFonnar s Song\\nf Lumoin of streams\\nThou brightenest upon my soul\\na Thy sun is on thy side, 325\\nOn the rock of stately (heavy) trees.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nt Lumon of the streams thou risest on Fonnar s\\nsoul thy sun is on thy side, on the rocks of thy bend-\\ning trees.\\nHere the bard, Fonnar, begins his song, and relates, in a most\\nharmonious lyric strain, the expedition of Larthon, already allud-\\ned to in the description of Cathmor s shield,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0395.jp2"}, "392": {"fulltext": "360 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nTha f eilid chiar;\\ni( Do dhearg bar-mhor measg nam bad,\\nA f akin air sliabh,\\nAn colg-chu siubhal grad 330\\nMall, air an reidh,\\nTa ceumna na? noigh;\\nOigh lamh gheal nan tend,\\nS am bogha crom, s a mhagh,\\nTogail an gorm shuil tla, 335\\nn leadan bhar-bhuidh air sliabh namflath.\\nNi m bheil ceumna Learthuin s a bheinn,\\nMR MACPHERSONS\\nThe dun roe is seen from thy furze the deer lifts his\\nbranchy head for he sees, at times, the hounds, on\\nthe half-covered heath.* Slow, on the vale, are the\\nsteps of the maids the white-armed daughters of\\nA botanist will be disposed to question Mr Macpherson s in-\\ntroduction of furze and heath, though they are common in Caledo-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0396.jp2"}, "393": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 361\\nThy dun roe,\\nThy branchy red deer, is amidst the groves;\\nBeholding, upon the mountain,\\nThe hound pursuing, rapid.* 330\\nSlow on the plain\\nAre the steps of the maidens\\nThe white-handed maidens of the strings, (harps,)\\nWith the bended bow, in the field,\\nLifting their mild, blue, eyes, 335\\nFrom their yellow locks, to the mountain of the\\nbrave.\\ne The steps of Larthon are not on the mountain,\\nTRANSLATION.\\nthe bow they lift their blue eyes to the hill, from\\namidst their wandering locks. Not there is the stride\\nof Larthon,\\nnia. Ossian has no allusion to these plants, or to the favourite\\nidea of half-covering.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0397.jp2"}, "394": {"fulltext": "TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nu Ceann Inis nan \u00c2\u00b0-eug uaine.\\nf Ta e togail dubh dharrach air tonn,\\nAnn camus Chluba nam iomadh stuagh 340\\nAn dubh dharrach a bhuain e o Lurnoin,\\nGu siubhal ar aghaidh a chuain.\\nThionnda oigh an suilean tla,\\nn righ, man tuiteadh e sios*\\nN imfacadh leo riamh an long, 345\\nGear -mhar each ,f a chuain mhoir.\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nchief of Inishuna. He mounts the wave, on his own\\n:e dark oak, in Cluba s ridgy bay; the oak, which he cut\\nfrom Lumon, to bound along the sea. The maids turn\\nThe liberties taken by Mr Macpherson, in translating, seem\\nto accumulate rapidly as he proceeds. He confounds entirely the\\nsense of verses 333 and 334, where the maidens are distinguished\\nby their skill on the harp, nan teud and also by their expert-\\nness in the bow, s am bogha crom. The beautiful epithet,\\nleadan bhar bhuidh which, indeed, it is difficult to translate\\nwith full effect, is miserably lost, in his wandering locks. His", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0398.jp2"}, "395": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 363\\nThe chief of the island of green branches, (Inis-\\nuaine\\nHe is raising the black oak on the waves,\\nIn the bay of Cluba of many billows 340\\nThe black oak, that he felled on Lumon,\\nTo sail (travel) on the face of the ocean.\\n(C The maidens turn aside their mild eyes,\\nFrom the king, lest he should fall:*\\ne For never had they beheld a ship 345\\nSi Obliquely f riding on the mighty deep,\\nTRANSLATION.\\n(i their eyes away, lest the king should be lowly laid\\nfor never had they seen a ship, dark f rider of the\\nwave I\\nstride, instead of steps, is wretched. From verse 340 to 344,\\nihere is much tameness and loss of imagery.\\nt It appears, as was observed on verse 102, that Mr Macpher-\\nson seems not to have understood the epithet cearr: on that occa-\\nsion, he declines translating it; on the present, he translates it\\nfalsely. It here expresses, with fine effect, the appearance pf a\\nyefsej at sea, inclining to leeward, under a side-wind.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0399.jp2"}, "396": {"fulltext": "3t 4 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nGhlaodk anois an righ a ghaoth.\\nu Mea g ceo na marra glais,\\ni( Dh eirich Inisfaile gu gorm.\\niC Thuit gu dian oiche namfras. 350\\nc Bhuail eagal clann Bholga gu luath.\\n(C Ghlan neoil o Thonn-theine nan stuagh.\\nAnn camns Ghulbainn dti aitich an long,\\nFar amfreagradh coille do thonn,\\nBu chopach an sin an sruth, 355\\ncharraig Dubh-umha nan cos,\\nS ann dealradh tannais nacli beo,\\nu Le 9 n cruth chaochlaidheach fein.^\\nMR MACPHEKSON S\\nNow he dares to call the winds, and to mix with\\nthe mist of the ocean. Blue Inisfail rose, in smoke,\\nbut dark- skirted night came down. The sons of Bolga\\nfeared. The fiery-haired Tonthena rose. Gulbin s\\nPerhaps there occurs not, in all this Book, a more glaring\\ninstance of misconception of the original, and of consequent mis-\\ntranslation, than this. Mr Macpherson mistakes measg^", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0400.jp2"}, "397": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 365\\nK The king now invoked the wind.\\nu Amidst* the mists of gray ocean,\\nInisfail arose, blue.\\nSwift descended the showery night. 350\\nFear suddenly seized the sons of the Bolgi.\\nThe clouds cleared off from Ton-thena of the\\nwaves.\\nIn the bay of Gulbin moored the ship,\\nWhere woods re-echoed the waves.\\na Deep resounded there the strand, 355\\nFrom the rock of cavernous Du-thuma\\nWhere gleam the ghosts of the dead,\\nIn their own changeful forms.\\nTKANSLATION.\\nbay received the ship, in the bosom of its echoing\\nP woods. There issued a stream from Duthuma s horrid\\ncave where spirits gleamed, at times, with their half-\\nfinished forms.\\namong, a preposition, for the kindred verb to mix. The\\nrest of this passage exhibits striking instances of mistranslation.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0401.jp2"}, "398": {"fulltext": "366 TEMORA, BOOK VII,\\nThanig aisUn gu Learthonn nan long,\\nSeachd samhlaidh do 9 n linn nach beo. 360\\nCkualas an guth bristeadh trom;*\\nChunncas an siol aim ceo;\\nChunncas siol Atha nan colg,\\nS ami clanh, cinn-uidhe nam Bolg.\\nThaom tad am feachda fein, 365\\nMar cheat hack a tearnadh o *n bheinn,\\nNuair a shuibhlas e glas,fa osnadh,f\\nAir Atha nan ioma dos.\\nThog Learthon talla shamhla,\\nfC Re caoinfhonn clarsaich nan teud. 370\\nDh aom eilde Eirin o cheumna,\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nDreams descended on Larthon; he saw seven spirits of\\nhis fathers. He heard their half-formed words, and\\ndimly beheld the times to come. He beheld the kings\\nof Atha, the sons of future days. They led their\\nTrom, literally, heavy.\\nMr Laing laughs at the use of the term autumn, in poems of\\nthe period of Ossian. He will see, that the term, in this instance.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0402.jp2"}, "399": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 367\\nA dream came to Larthon of ships,\\nSeven apparitions of the race of the dead. 360\\nTheir voice was heard, bursting, solemn;\\nTheir offspring was seen in mist\\na There was seen the race of warlike Atha,\\nAnd their children, leaders of the Bolgi.\\nThey poured their hosts, 365\\nLike mist descending from the mountain,\\nWhen it passes along, gray, beneath the breeze,f\\nf On Atha of many groves.\\nLarthon built the palace of apparitions,\\ne To the soft melody of the stringed harp. 370\\na The roes of Erin yielded (fled) before his steps\\nTRANSLATION.\\nhosts, along the field, like ridges of mist, which winds\\npour, in autumn,* over Atha of the groves.\\nLarthon raised the hall of Samla, to the music of\\nthe harp. He went forth to the roes of Erin,\\nat least, is not Ossian s, but Mr James Macpherson s, or* thtz\\neighteenth century.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0403.jp2"}, "400": {"fulltext": "368 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nJig aisrigh ghlas nan smth.\\nNi n dichuimhn dha Lumoin uaine,\\nNa Flathal gheal-lamliach nam buadhj*\\nSi coimhead air mar each nan tonn, 375\\nO thu/aich nan eilde ruadh.\\nLumoin nan sruth i\\nTha thu dealradh air m anamfein. f\\nto their wonted streams. Nor did he forget green-headed\\nH Lumon. He often bounded over his seas, to where white-\\nNam buadh signifies, literally, of victories, and may be\\ntranslated, excellent, matchless. Flathal was the wife of Lar-\\nthon, and watched the return of his ship. Mr Macpherson evi-\\ndently misunderstands this passage, when he interpolates, he\\noften bounded over his seas. In the original, Larthon is not\\nsaid to revisit Flathal, but only to remember her.\\nBesides the elegancies which have been taken notice of, as\\nlost in Mr Macpherson s translation, and which must, in some\\nmeasure, be lost in every translation, there is one which, though it\\nhas the finest effect in the original, cannot possibly be recognised\\nby the English reader. It is this The whole of Fonnar s Song,\\nfrom verse 303 to verse 378, is given in the Gaelic, in the form of an\\node, in lyric measure, of the most harmonious structure, and, pro-\\nbably, adapted to the harp. This, it may be permitted to ob-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0404.jp2"}, "401": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 369\\nOn the gray hills of many streams.\\nNor did he forget verdant Lumon,\\nOr Fiathal, white-handed dame of excellence,*\\nWhilst she watches the riding of the waves, 375\\nFrom the eminence of tawny roes.\\nLumon of streams J\\nf Thou brightenest upon my soul. f\\nTRANSLATION.\\nhanded Flathal* looked from the hill of roes. Lumon of\\nthe foamy streams thou risest on Fonnar s soul. f\\nserve, is a refinement of verse which was unknown to the heroic\\npoets of Greece and Rome, whose measure, whatever be the sub-\\nject, proceeds uniformly in the same unvaried numbers. If, in\\nthe whole compass of the heroic poetry of the ancients, there be\\nan occasion, on which we should expect a variation of measure,\\nsimilar to that of this Ossianic ode, it is in the Odyssey of Homer,\\n(lib. xii. v. 184.) where the song of the Syrens is introduced and\\nwhere we feel some sort of disappointment, in not meeting with a\\nmore ample specimen of that bewitching melody. This very\\nsingular elegance of poetry is exhibited in the original of the pas-\\nsage before us but who will say, that it is to be attributed to Mr\\nMacpherson, who has lost it so completely in his own transla-\\ntion\\n2 A", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0405.jp2"}, "402": {"fulltext": "370 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nMhosguil gath solluis o y n ear\\nDli eirich ard chinn cheathaich nam beann 380\\nChuncas air cladach nan gleannan,\\nAn crom chaockan glas-shruthachfein\\nChualas sgiath Chathmhoir nan colg\\nMhosguil siol Eirin nam Bolg,\\nMar mhuir dhomhail, n uair a ghluaiseas gu geur 385\\nFuaim ataidh air aghaidh nan spear,\\nTaomadh tuinn,f o thaobh gn taobh,\\nAig aomadh an glas-chinn baogh,\\nGun eolas air suibhal a chuain.%\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nMorning pours from the east. The misty heads of\\nthe mountains rise. Valleys shew, on every side, the\\ngray winding of their streams.* His host heard the\\nshield of Cathmor. At once, they rose around, like a\\nThe translator is sensible, that he has not been able to do jus-\\ntice to this beautiful description of the morning, the favourite\\ntheme of poets. It can be duly felt and admired by those only who\\nhave had an opportunity of observing these appearances in a\\nmountainous country.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0406.jp2"}, "403": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. S71\\nA ray of light awoke in the east\\nThe lofty heads of the mountains rose in mist 380\\nThere was seen, in the bottom of every valley,\\nIts own winding, blue-flowing stream\\nThere was heard the shield of warlike Cathmor\\nThe race of Bolgic Erin was roused,\\nLike the turgid sea, when fiercely advances 385\\nThe sound of swelling winds, on the face of the sky;\\nTumbling -f* the waves from side to side,\\nAs they incline their gray, troubled, heads,\\nIn ignorance of the course of the ocean. J\\nTRANSLATION.\\ncrowded sea, when first it feels the wings of the wind.\\nThe waves know not whither to roll; they lift their\\ntroubled heads.\\nPerhaps better taomidh tuinn billows tumble, ia-\\ndining.\\nJ This simile, ia which the host of Cathmor, awakening from\\nsleep, and advancing in undetermined movements, at the first\\nsound of his shield, is compared to the undecided motions of the\\ntallows, when the sea is first assailed by the winds,\u00e2\u0080\u0094 -though ex-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0407.jp2"}, "404": {"fulltext": "3T2 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nTrom is mail gu Loji nan sruth, 390\\nGhluais Suilmhala nan rosg tla\\nGhluais; is thionnda it oigh le bron,\\nA gorm shuilfuidh shilleadh bla.\\n9 N uair a thanig i gu carraig chruaidh\\nDubh-chroma, air gleannan arm Lon,* 395\\nShea 11 i, o bhristeadh a ceil.\\nAir righ Atha, dK aom i sios.\\n4 Buail tend, a mhic Alpin namfonn,\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nSad and slow retired Suilmalla to Lona of the streams.\\nShe went, and often turned; her blue eyes rolled in\\ntears. But, when she came to the rock, that darkly co-\\ntremely beautiful and appropriate, is of singular difficulty in\\ntranslating. Mr Macpherson has given the general idea very\\nslightly, but justly. The present translation is literal.\\nMr Laing has remarked, that the expression here used by Mr\\nMacpherson, i( the wings of the wind, is borrowed from Bu-\\nchanan s Psalms. It has been shewn already, that it is much\\nmore ancient than Buchanan. It will appear now, that, in this\\ninstance at least, Ossian has nothing to do with it.\\nPerhaps better an Loin.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0408.jp2"}, "405": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 373\\nSad and slow, to streamy Lona, 390\\nRetired Suilvala, of the mild eye\\nShe retired but the maiden returned in sorrow,\\nHer blue eye bathed in warm tears.\\nWhen she arrived at the rugged rock\\nOf Du-chroma, in the vale of Lona, 395\\nShe looked, in the distraction of her mind,\\nOn the king of Atha, and sunk down.\\nStrike the string, son of melodious Alpin.\\nTRANSLATION.\\nvered Lona s vale, she looked, from her bursting soul, on\\nthe king, and sunk at once behind.\\na Son of Alpin, strike the string.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0409.jp2"}, "406": {"fulltext": "374 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nAm bheil solas ann clarsaich nan nialf\\nu Taom air Ossein agns ossun gn trom, 400\\nc Ta anam a snamh ann ceo.\\nChualas thu, bhaird, a m oiche\\nu Ach siubhladh fonn eatrom uamfein; *j-\\nS aiteas caoin thuireadh do dlH Ossein J\\nAm bliadhna ciar na Ji aoise. 405\\nIs there aught of joy in the harp pour it, then, on\\nthe soul of Ossian it is folded in mist.\\nMr Macpherson translates this of the harp in general; but\\nthe poet is here addressing a deceased bard, and requests him to\\nsolace him in his solitary sadness, with his aerial harp, which, ac-\\ncording to the well-known mythology of the Caledonians, was\\nimagined to be heard, from time to time, in the passing breeze.\\nIt is here properly called the harp of the clouds.\\nt Mr Macpherson s translation of this verse is probably intend-\\ned to be very fine j and is, perhaps, very 6ne but the finery is not\\nOssian s.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0410.jp2"}, "407": {"fulltext": "LITEItALLY TRANSLATED. 315\\nIs there delight in the harp of the clouds\\nPour it on Ossian, whilst his sigh is heavy 400\\nHis soul swims in mist.\\nI have heard thee, O bard, in my night, (blind-\\nness\\nBut let light airs depart from me.f\\nu Mild sadness (sorrow) is the delight of Ossian, J\\na In his gray years of age. 405\\nTRANSLATION.\\nI hear thee, O bard, in my night. But cease the\\nlightly-trembling sound.f The joy of grief belongs\\nto Ossian,^ amidst his dark-brown years.\\nThe joy of grief is one of those expressions, on which Mr\\nLaing animadverts, as too refined for the period of Ossian. The\\nlearned gentleman is right aud he will be pleased to find, that it\\nis not Ossian s, but Mr James Macpherson s. Indeed, a very\\nslight analysis will be sufficient to shew, that this noted expres-\\nsion, the joy of grief, borders, very nearly, upon the confines\\nof nonsense. Might we not as well say, the whiteness of black-\\nness the softness of hardness or, with an ingenious gen-\\ntleman, who, speaking of the ebbing sea, observed, that th*\\ntide was highly low V", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0411.jp2"}, "408": {"fulltext": "376 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nA dhreuthan name, thulaich nan taibhse\\nA tlmomas do cheann air gaoith oiche,\\nC{ Ni bheil f fhathrom am chluaisfein\\nNafaiteal tannais ann do gheug ghlais.\\nSlio?imhor ceumna nam marbh bu treun, 410\\nAir osnaibh dubh aisrigh nan sian,\\nW uair a gfiluaseas a ghealach o n ear,\\nMar ghlas-sgiath, dubh-shiubhal nan speur.\\nUllin, a Charril, a Raono\\nCuth aimsir a dfi aom o shean, 415\\nCluinneam sibh ann dorchadas Shelma,\\nAgus mosgluibhse anam nan dan.\\nNi n cluinneam sibh a shiol namfonn\\nCia n talla do neoil am bheil ur main\\nNa Vi tribhuail sibh clarsach nach trom, 420\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nGreen thorn of the hill of ghosts, that shakest thy\\nhead in nightly winds I hear no sound in thee. Is\\nu there no spirit s windy skirt now rustling in thy leaves?\\nOften are the steps of the dead in the dark-eddying\\nblasts, when the moon, a dun shield from the east, is\\nrolled along the sky.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0412.jp2"}, "409": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 317\\nGreen thorn of the eminence of ghosts,\\nThat bendest thy head in the wind of night,\\nThy rustling is not in my ear\\nNo music of ghosts in thy green branches.\\nFrequent are the steps of the valiant dead, 410\\nOn the breezes of the dusky ascent of storms,\\nWhen the moon advances from the east,\\nLike a gray shield, darkly traversing the sky.\\nUllin, and Carril, and Ryno!\\nc Voices of the time that has passed of old, 415\\nLet me hear you in the darkness of Selma,\\nAnd awaken the soul of song.\\nI hear you not, ye race of melody\\nIn what recess of the clouds is your slumber?\\nDo ye touch (strike) the airy harp, 420\\nTRANSLATION.\\nUllin, Carril, and Ryno, voices of the days of old\\nlet me hear you, while yet it is dark, to please and\\nawake my soul. I hear you not, ye sons of song in\\nwhat hall of the clouds is your rest Do ye touch the\\nC( shadowy harp,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0413.jp2"}, "410": {"fulltext": "378 TEMORA, BOOK VII.\\nAnn trusgan ceo-maidne, is gruaim\\nFar an eirich, gufualmar, a ghrian,*\\nO stuaigh nan ceann glas\\nMR MACPHERSON S\\nrobed with morning mist, where the rustling sun\\nIt is siill a notion, amongst the vulgar, in the Highlands of\\nScotland, that the sun, as he rises, and passes along in the firma-\\nment, makes a rustling noise, which may be heard. It may not\\nbe uninteresting to those, who study the history of the human\\nmind, which is often developed in popular superstitions, to trace\\nsimilar notions in another people, placed in nearly the same state", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0414.jp2"}, "411": {"fulltext": "LITERALLY TRANSLATED. 379\\nIn the gloomy skirts of morning s mist,\\nWhere rises, resounding, the sun,*\\nu From the green-headed waves of the east?\\nTRANSLATION.\\ncomes forth from its green-headed waves\\nof society with the Caledonians. Tacitus, (De Mor. Germ. c. 45.)\\nspeaking of the Suiones, (the Swedes,) says, that they believe,\\nthat the sound of the emerging sun is heard and that the forms\\nof the gods, and the rays of their heads, are seen. Does Taci-\\ntus, in the latter clause of this sentence, allude to the phenomenon\\nof the Aurora Borealis, so conspicuous in those regions", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0415.jp2"}, "412": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0416.jp2"}, "413": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0417.jp2"}, "414": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0418.jp2"}, "415": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX,\\nNo. I.\\nAN\\nENQUIRY\\nINTO THE EXISTENCE OF THE\\nDRUIDICAL ORDER IN SCOTLAND.\\n1 he singular fatality, by which the Celts have\\nlost their once widely- extended influence in\\nwestern Europe, furnishes a very striking circum-\\nstance, even amidst the multiplied vicissitudes\\nwhich occur in the history of nations. That they\\noccupied, at one period, the whole territory, ex-\\ntending from the Straits of Gibraltar to the north-\\nern extremity of Scotland, is generally allowed,\\nIn the times previous to Caesar s invasion of Bri-\\ntain, they were, by the testimony of Tacitus, still", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0419.jp2"}, "416": {"fulltext": "384 APPENDIX.\\nmore powerful than at that period. The Celtic\\nGauls extended their incursions into Germany, as\\nfar as Bohemia,, to which one of their tribes gave\\nits name.*\\nThe impression of national character and man-\\nners is not soon, or easily, effaced Much Celtic\\nblood, more or less contaminated, runs, at this\\nday, in the veins of every inhabitant of western\\nEurope and much of the influence of Celtic cha-\\nracter may still be traced. How the Gothic rage,\\nof undervaluing every thing that is Celtic, has be-\\ncome, of late, so fashionable, it is not easy to say\\nbut, in a philosophical point of view, it will pro-\\nbably be allowed, that some account of the few re-\\nmaining traces of the institutions of that once\\npowerful people, is a desideratum, in literature,\\nTac. de Mor. Germ. c. 28.\\nThe numerous settlements of the Celts, on the eastern side of\\nthe Rhine, as Casaubon well observes, Animadversiones in lib. iv.\\nSlrabonis,) may be traced in the names of cities and places\\nwhich end in dunum, a Celtic word, says he, which signifies\\nan eminence He adds, that all places, so called, are actu-\\nally situated on an eminence. Dun, in Gaelic, has still this sig-\\n11 nification.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0420.jp2"}, "417": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 3S5\\nwhich it were well worthy of our most learned an-\\ntiquarians to supply.\\nOf these, one of the most singular and import-\\nant is that of Druidism, which is attributed, uni-\\nversally, by the Greek and Roman writers, to the\\nnations of Celtic stock. As the Persians, says\\nDiogenes Laertius, have their Magi, and the\\nIndians their Gymnosophists, the Celts have\\ntheir Druids and their Semnothei. The reli-\\ngion of the Druids extended over all Transalpine\\nGaul;f and, as we shall see afterwards, prevailed\\neven on the Italian side of the Alps. From an ex-\\npression of Pliny, it would appear, that it extended\\nalso to Spain and Portugal .J\\nWith regard to the existence of the Druidical\\nDiog. Laert. in Proemio.\\nSee Ausonius Carm. 10. Flavius Vopiscus in Numeriano,\\ninforms us, that the ilmperor Diocletian, whilst yet a subaltern in\\nthe army, lodged with a Druidess in Tungria, (now Brabant,)\\nwho predicted to him, that he should be, one day, emperor a\\nprediction on which he uniformly relied, till it was accom-\\nplished.\\nJ Celticos, (a people of Spain,) a Celtiberis, ex Lusiiania ad-\\nvcnisse manifestum est. sacris, lingua, oppidorum vocabulis.\\nPlin. Hist. Nat. lib. iii. c. 3\u00e2\u0080\u009e\\nSB", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0421.jp2"}, "418": {"fulltext": "S86 APPENDIX.\\norder in Britain, all authors agree. Caesar, whose\\naccount of this hierarchy is unquestionably the\\nmost authentic, as well as the most liberal, informs\\nus, that their institutions were first invented in\\nBritain and that the youth, who wished to be\\ninstructed in them, resorted thither, from the other\\nparts of Celtic Europe. Pliny, at a still later pe-\\nriod, informs us, that the magical arts of the\\nu Druids were cultivated in Britain with so much\\nattention, that this island should seem to have\\nfirst communicated those arts to the Persians,\\nwho so much excelled in them.f\\nBut it must be remembered, that, at the period\\nof which we speak, Caledonia, also, was inhabited\\nby Celts. Indeed, it seems to be certain, that the\\nCaledonians, especially those who occupied the\\nwestern part of the island, were of the very same\\nJbi disciplina repertd. Bell. Gall. lib. vi.\\nBritannia hodie earn (scilicet Druidarum magicam artem)\\nattonile celebrat, tantis ceremoniis, ut dedisse Persis videri possit.\\nThe Oriental origin of Druidism, as well as of many other im*\\nportant particulars in the manners of the Celts, will receive\\nstrong confirmation from the proposed work of the ingenious Mr\\nGunn, who has already traced so successfully the history of* lit\\nCaledonian harp.\\n10", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0422.jp2"}, "419": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 88T\\nrace with their southern neighbours, wno, accord-\\ning to the opinion of Baeda, already cited, emigra-\\nting originally from Gaul, by the nearest passage,\\nfan expedition suited to the imperfect navigation\\nof the times,) and, travelling northwards, arrived,\\nat length, in Caledonia. This progress of popula-\\ntion has, we know, taken place universally, in the\\nold world. From the account given by Caesar, of\\nthe navigation of the Veneti of Brittany, and of\\ntheir early intercourse with this island, it is ren-\\ndered highly probable, that Britain received its\\nfirst inhabitants from that quarter s and this also is\\nthe opinion of Tacitus, who enjoyed such a favour-\\nable opportunity of being well informed on this\\nsubject. After noticing the various opinions which\\nhad been advanced, concerning the original popu-\\nlation of this island, he adds, To one, who forms\\nhis opinion upon the whole, it appears credible,\\nthat the Gauls occupied this territory, which lay\\nin their vicinity. In the superstitions of the one,\\nc you may trace the sacred rites of the other. Their\\nlanguage is not very different.\\nIn universum tamen astimanti 6fc. Agric. c. IK", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0423.jp2"}, "420": {"fulltext": "3S8 APPENDIX.\\nSuch was the matured opinion of this acute his-\\ntorian; nor let it be objected, that South Britain\\nonly is intended in this passage. Tacitus, though\\nhe sometimes distinguishes those who inhabited to\\nthe north of the walls, by the name of Caledo-\\nnians, just as frequently applies to them that of\\nBritons.*\\nIf, then, Caledonia was inhabited by Celts, who,\\npassing northwards from Gaul, by South Britain,\\ncarried along with them, as we know they did, the\\nlanguage of Gaul, by what mode of reasoning can\\nit be argued, that they left behind them the reli-\\ngious institutions of their ancestors By every\\nargument, founded on analogy, we are led to con-\\nclude, that, with the language, and other habits of\\ntheir original soil, they also carried with them the\\nCeltic institution of Druidism.\\nThat Druidism prevailed in Ireland, there is\\nabundant proof. In a very ancient work, the Trias\\nThaumaturga of Colgan, we have a hymn, addres-\\nsed to St Patrick, in the Irish language, by Fia-\\nAgric. c. 25. 26. 27. and 29. where the soldiers of Galgacu*\\nare termed Britons.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0424.jp2"}, "421": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 389\\nchus, who is denominated, Episcopus Sleptensis:\\nit begins thus\\nGenair Padruic in Nemthur.\\nIn this hymn, there occurs frequent mention of\\nthe Druids. I shall select one, in verses 41 and\\n42:\\nA Dhruidhe, ar Laoghaire,\\nTichte Phadruic ni cheiltis.\\nThat is: Thou, O Druid, didst not conceal from\\nLeogaire, the arrival of Patrick.\\nIn a well-written Itinerary of Ireland, published\\nin Dublin, in 1787, by Robert Wilson, I find the\\nfollowing passage\\nIn 1784, there was found a curious tomb-\\nstone, on Callan mountains, (in Irish, Altoir na\\ngreine, or c the altar of the sun/J about eight\\ne miles west of the town of Ennis, with the folio w-\\ning inscription, in Irish c Beneath this flag is\\ninterred Connan, the turbulent and swift-footed/\\nThe stone is of granite, between seven and eight\\nfeet long, and from three to four in breadth. In\\nee an historical tale, says Mr Wilson, written,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0425.jp2"}, "422": {"fulltext": "390 APPENDIX.\\nas is supposed, by Ossin, in 296, the author thus\\napostrophises But the intrepid hero, Conan,\\ne was not at this bloody battle for, going to the\\nadoration of the sun, on the preceding May, he\\nwas cut off by the Leinster troops, and his body\\nc lies interred on the north-west side of the dreary\\nmountain of Callan/ This stone, adds the wri-\\nter of the Itinerary, has been long celebrated in\\nthe county of Clare. On the south side of this\\nmountain, is a very large Druidical altar, the\\ne most regular of the kind now remaining, and of\\nthe highest antiquity. It stands about half a\\nmile distant from the high road leading from\\nEnnis to Ibraban, on the right hand.\\nThe direct proof of the existence of Druidism\\nin Scotland is, it must be acknowledged, of consi-\\nderable difficulty; arising partly from the nature of\\nthe institution itself, and partly from the long pe-\\nriod that has elapsed since its abolition.\\nThe Druids, as we are informed by ancient au-\\nthors, affected secrecy in a high degree. They\\nSee, afterwards, of the worship of Belis, or Belenus, the Suit,\\ny the Celts.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0426.jp2"}, "423": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 391\\nretired from the observation of the world, into\\nthick groves and forests.* and studiously conceal-\\ned their mysteries from the vulgar. They\\ntaught obscurely/ says Laertius, and in short\\nsentences, that the gods are to be worshipped\\nand that no evil should be done/\\nSeventeen centuries, too, have elapsed, since\\nthis order has been abolished. In England, as we\\nlearn from Tacitus, it had been abolished at a still\\nearlier period. Indeed, the Druids appear to have\\nrendered themselves universally obnoxious to the\\nruling powers, both at home and abroad, by their\\nambition, and by their cruel rites. Augustus, on\\naccount of their horrid sacrifices, forbade the ex-\\nercise of the Druidical rites to the citizens of\\nRome Tiberius banished the professors of this\\ninstitution from the city and Claudius endeavour-\\ned, as far as in him lay, to extirpate Druidism,\\neven in Gaul itself, f\\nWe need not wonder, then, that so few monu-\\nSee Lucan s Pharsalia, lib. i.\\nPliny Hist. Nat. lib. xxx. c. l.j Suetonius in Augusto, Ti~\\nberio, et Claudio and Aurelius Victor.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0427.jp2"}, "424": {"fulltext": "392 APPENDIX.\\nmerits of this ancient hierarchy have remained to\\nthese times; or that, in the slight notices which\\nancient historians afford us of the state of Caledo-\\nnia^ at this early period, we should have little in-\\nformation concerning our Druids. Mr Laing ob-\\nserves, that the fact appears to be certain, that\\nthere never was a Druid in Scotland other-\\nwise, says he, Tacitus, who describes the de-\\nstruction of their order in England, must have\\nremarked their influence, or existence, in the\\nCaledonian war.\\nBut I may be permitted to remark, that, if this\\nargument be good for any thing, it might also\\nserve to prove, that there never were any Druids in\\nEngland. In the very minute and interesting de-\\ntail, which is given by Tacitus, of the conduct of\\nthe war, under Ostorius, and of the final defeat\\nand captivity of Caractacus/j- we meet not with\\nthe slightest allusion to the influence, or exist-\\nence, of the Druids in England. It appears,\\nindeed, that, as far as regards the testimony of Ta-\\nPage 391.\\nTac. Annal. lib xii. c. 33.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0428.jp2"}, "425": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 393\\ncitus, had the fourteenth book of his Annals, in\\nwhich the history of the extermination of the\\nDruids in England is narrated, shared the same\\nfate with some other portions of his valuable wri-\\ntings, we should have had no evidence, from him,\\nthat the order had ever existed there. Nor does\\nit appear, that, even in this instance, Tacitus\\nwould have made mention of the fate of the\\nDruids, had it been merely a domestic transaction,\\nas it is represented to have been in Scotland. But\\nthe fortunes of the Druids were, on this occasion,\\nintimately connected with Roman history. Pub-\\nlius Suetonius, the Roman governor, had resolved\\non an expedition against Anglesea, then a recep-\\ntacle of deserters. Anglesea was the sacred re-\\ntreat, and chief residence, of the Druids. Though\\nexempted from the services of war, they stand for-\\nward in defence of their sanctuary, and are de-\\nstroyed.\\nThus, the mention of the Druidical Order oc-\\ncurs necessarily, on this occasion, in the historian\\nbut it was inconsistent with the classical correct-\\nness of the biographer of Agricola to violate the\\nunity of his subject, by any direct notices of a", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0429.jp2"}, "426": {"fulltext": "394 APPENDIX.\\nclass of men, whose history and character were al-\\ntogether foreign to it. Nor can it be fairly infer-\\nred, that, even in the life of Agricola, no allusion\\nis made to the influence and existence of the\\nDruids in Caledonia. We read, concerning the\\npreparations which were made against the Ro-\\nmans, before the battle of the Grampians, that\\nthe Britons relaxed in no respect in their exer-\\nfcions, in arming the youth, and in confirming\\nthe combination of the states, by public meek\\nings, and by sacrifices But what sacrifices, it\\nmay be asked, were ever practised, or heard of,\\namongst the Celts, except the horrid immolations\\nof the Druids\\nBut, though no direct evidence is furnished, by\\nthe Greek and Roman writers, of the existence of\\nthe Druids in Caledonia, it might be expected,\\nthat, from the permanent state of society in the\\nHighlands, during so many ages, some internal\\nproofs, at least, might be found in the traditions,\\nand popular superstitions, of the country.\\nTac. Agric. c. 87.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0430.jp2"}, "427": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 395\\n1. As to tradition, it is uniform and express;\\nthat the family of Fingal, having been appoint-\\niC ed, according to the custom of the Celts,* on\\nf* some emergency, to the temporary sovereignty,\\nfound themselves so firmly established in their\\npower, that they refused to resign it to the\\nDruids, as had been done on former occasions\\nthat the Druids endeavoured to reduce the Fin-\\ngallians by force, calling in the Scandinavians\\n(the people of Lochlin) to their aid but that\\nthey were overcome, and finally extermina-\\nted. f\\nThere is reason to believe, at the same time,\\nthat, notwithstanding the extinction of the Druids,\\nas an order, several individuals of them continued\\nto exist, under the patronage of princes and great\\nmen, for several centuries after the period of Fin-\\ngal. In Adomnan s Life of St Columba, we read\\nof the Mocidruidi, or sons of the Druids, in\\nScotland. In the same work, we are informed,\\nSee Caesar de Bell. Gall. lib. i. c. 15.\\nSee the poems entitled, Dargo, the Son of the Druid of\\nBel, and Conn, the Son of Dargo, in Dr Smith s Seandcma 3\\np. 223 and 245.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0431.jp2"}, "428": {"fulltext": "396 APPENDIX.\\nthat, at the castle of the king, the saint was\\ninterrupted, in the discharge of his religious\\noffices, by certain Magi f by whom, according\\nto the application of the term by Pliny, in the\\npassage cited above, we are undoubtedly to under-\\nstand the Druids.*\\nIt appears, that it is this same circumstance,\\nwhich is related in an extract from an ancient\\nGaelic manuscript of the twelfth or thirteenth\\ncentury, of which a fac-simile is given in the Ap-\\npendix to the Committee s Report, and which is\\nthus translated by Dr Donald Smith\\nAfter this, St Columba went, upon a time, to\\nthe king of the Picts namely, Bruidhi, son of\\nu Milchu, and the gate of the castle was shut\\nagainst him; but the iron locks of the town\\nte opened instantly, through the prayers of Columb\\nCille. Then came the son of the king, to wit,\\nI cite the entire passage from Adomnan Juxta Brudeci\\nmunitionem, dum ipse sanctus, cum paucis fratribus del laudes, ex\\nmore celebrarent, quidam Magi ad eos propius accedentes, in quan-\\ntum poteran?., prohibere conabantur; ne de ore ipsorum divines lau-\\ndis sonus inter Gentiles audiretur populos.\\nVita S. Columbae, lib. i. c. 38.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0432.jp2"}, "429": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 397\\ni( Maelchu, and his Druid, to argue keenly against\\nColumb Cille, in support of Paganism.\\n2. In the superstitions still prevalent in the\\nHighlands of Scotland, we meet with very distinct\\ntraces of the character and fate of the Druids.\\nToland, in his Essay on the Druids, first remark-\\ned, that, in the popular belief concerning the\\nFairies, or, as they are called by the Highlanders,\\nthe Daoine shith, or Men of Peace, we have the\\nevident reliques of the history of the Druidical\\nOrder. This elegant mythology is still to be found\\nentire in the Highlands, f And it may be obser-\\nved, that, in the habitations assigned to these\\nimaginary beings, we may trace the sacred reces-\\nses of the Druids and, in the deceptive powers\\nascribed to them, their magical arts. In the\\npeevish jealousy and envy, which they are sup-\\nApp. Report, p. 311.\\nt Of this mythology, with the argument founded on it, I have\\nbad occasion to give an account, at some length, in a small tract,\\nentitled, Sketches of Picturesque Scenery in Perthshire, with\\nNotices concerning the Natural History and Popular Super-\\nstitions of the Country.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0433.jp2"}, "430": {"fulltext": "398 APPENDIX.\\nposed to entertain against mankind, we may re-\\ncognise the feelings of a once powerful order, who\\nfound themselves at length reduced to seek shel-\\nter in caves, and in forests deprived of the high\\ninfluence, which they had enjoyed and stripped,\\nno doubt, of the wealth which they had accumu-\\nlated, through a series of ages.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0434.jp2"}, "431": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 399\\nDRUIDICAL CIRCLES.\\nAnother circumstance, which seems to prove\\nincontestibly the existence of the Druids in Scot-\\nland, is the frequency of the circles of stones, the\\nplaces of Druidical worship, especially in the\\nnorthern and western counties. These are called\\nclachans, the stones, by the Highlanders the\\nterm most commonly used by them, at this day,\\nfor a place of worship. These circles abound in\\nthe western isles, particularly in the Harris, which\\nis said to have been, like Anglesea, one of the\\nsacred retreats of the Druids. Toland mentions\\nseveral of these circles and Mr Pennant de-\\nscribes one of them very particularly, f\\nWithin a few hundred yards of the place where\\nI now sit, there is a clachan, or circle of stones,\\nSee Henry s History of Britain, book i. cbap. 2. 1.\\nTour, yoI. ii. p. 38.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0435.jp2"}, "432": {"fulltext": "400\\nAPPENDIX.\\nstill called the Clachan of Aberfoyle. It is si-\\ntuated on a rising ground, facing the south and\\npreserved inviolate from the plough. It is twenty\\nfeet in diameter precisely, and consists of fourteen\\noblong stones, of a rude shape, and from four to\\nfive feet in length there is placed, in the centre,\\none stone, of a more regular figure, and evidently\\nassisted by the hand of art. It is four feet six\\ninches in height, three feet six inches in breadth,\\nand sixteen inches in thickness it terminates, at\\nthe top, in a sharp spherical angle, and is nearly\\nof the following figure", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0436.jp2"}, "433": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 401\\nAH these stones appear formerly to have stood on\\none end, but have now fallen down. There is a\\nwider interval, or opening, between the stones of\\nthe circumference, facing the meridian.\\n%C", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0437.jp2"}, "434": {"fulltext": "402 APPENDIX.\\nTHE\\nFESTIVALS\\nOF THE\\nBELTEIN AND SAMHIN.\\n1 h e Highlanders still retain distinct traces of the\\ntwo grand festivals of the Druids the Beltein, or\\nFire of Belis, the Sun, or Apollo of the Celts and\\nthe Samh-thein, or Samhin, the Fire of Peace,\\nkindled on Hallow-eve. The Beltein was the fes-\\ntival of the commencement of the Druidical year,\\nthe first of May; and is, at this day, the term\\nused to denote that season. According to tradi-\\ntion, the people assembled, on that day, on the\\nsummits of the highest mountains, and kindled\\nlarge fires in honour of Belis, or the Sun, the be-\\nneficent parent of the joys of summer. The Samh-\\nin, again, or Fire of Peace, was kindled on the\\nevening preceding the first day of winter, when,\\ns", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0438.jp2"}, "435": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 403\\naccording to tradition, the people assembled on\\nthe tops of hills and eminences, to have justice\\nadministered to them by the Druids, and to re-\\nceive a portion of the sacred fire, for the use of\\ntheir habitations, during the ensuing season. This\\nfestival is still, in some degree, observed, over a\\ngreat part of Scotland, by kindling fires on Sal-\\nlow-eve, on hills and eminences, and by many su-\\nperstitious rites, evidently borrowed from the Drui-\\ndical mysteries.*\\nI consider, then, this worship of Be is, the Apollo\\nof the Celts, which prevailed in Caledonia; and\\nthe preservation of his proper appellation, in the\\nname of the festival which was celebrated in ho-\\nnour of him together with many expressions f\\nand allusions to this name, which still remain, as\\naffording an irrefragable proof of the existence of\\nDruidism in Scotland.\\nMr Laing, indeed, treats with scorn, this ety-\\nmology of Bd-tein, from Bel, an Assyrian deity,\\nSee these superstitions beautifully illustrated by Bums, in his\\npoem, entitled, Hallow-e en.\\nt Thus, Gabha-oheil, or the jeopardy of Bel, the fiery ordeal,\\njs (be terra still used to denote imminent danger.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0439.jp2"}, "436": {"fulltext": "404 APPENDIX.\\nsays he, ironically, once worshipped in theHigh-\\nlands of Scotland. But, notwithstanding the\\ndecisive tone of the learned gentleman, I must be\\npermitted to observe, on the unquestionable au*\\nthority of ancient authors, that, whilst Bel, or\\nBelis, was an Assyrian, he was also a Celtic, divi-\\nnity, worshipped in the very western extremity of\\nCeltic Europe.\\nIn the account given by Julius Capitolinus, of\\nthe siege of Aquileia, in Cisalpine Gaul, we are\\ninformed, that the god Belenus, their Apollo,\\nfought in defence of the besieged. In Grute-\\nrus, accordingly, we have an account of several\\naltars, found in that city, inscribed a Apollini Be-\\n\u00c2\u00ableno f\\nNor was Belenus the Apollo of Cisalpine Gaul\\nonly, but also of the Transalpine. From the\\npoems of Ausonius, we learn, that Belenus was the\\ngod of the Druids, and worshipped by the Armo-\\nrici,J the inhabitants of that part of Gaul which\\nPage 434. note,\\nSee Gherardus Joan. Vossius, de Origine et Progressu Idolo-\\nlatriae, Tom. i. p. 389, c.\\nJ See Plinii Hist. Nat. lib. iv. c. 31. with the note of Father", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0440.jp2"}, "437": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 405\\nextends along the Bay of Biscay, including Brit-\\ntany If we consult our maps,, we shall find, that\\nthis Assyrian deity had not a much longer journey\\nto make into the Highlands of Scotland/ than\\ninto Armoric Gaul.\\nThat this Belenus was also called Belis, we learn\\nfrom Herodian, who, relating the siege of Aqui-\\nleia, above referred .to, tells the same story of the\\ninterference of this local divinity, whom, says\\nhe, u they call Belis, and to whom they pay ex-\\nHarduin, who derives the name from the Celtic Ar-mor, that is,\\na upon the sea.\\nNee reticebo sertem\\nNomine Phoebicum\\nQui Beleni cedituus\\nStirpe satus Druidum\\nGent is Aremorica\\nBurdigali cathedram\\nNati opera obtinv.it.\\nAusonius, carm. 10.\\nAnd, again,\\nTu Bajocassis, stirpe Druidarum satus,\\nSi fama non fallit fidem,\\nBeleni sacratum ducis e templo genus.\\nCarm. 4.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0441.jp2"}, "438": {"fulltext": "406 APPENDIX.\\nu cessive veneration, holding him to be Apol-\\nlo.\\nI shall conclude this subject, by taking notice\\nof a very remarkable passage of Plutarch: De-\\nmetrius, says he, in his Treatise De Defectu\\nOraculorwn, besides related, that there are many\\ndesart islands scattered about Britain, like the\\nSporades of the Greeks, some of which are\\nnamed the islands of Demons, and others, of\\nHeroes; that he, being sent by the emperoiyj-\\ncame into that which was nearest to the desart\\nisles; and having but a few inhabitants, who\\nwere held sacred and inviolable by the Britons.\\nUpon his arrival, it is added, ee there arose a\\ngreat disturbance in the air many prodigies ap-\\npeared; and winds and storms assailed the earth,\\nWhen this was over, one of the islanders told\\nct him, that one of their most eminent persons had\\njust deceased, c.\\nAttoXXwvo. hva\u00c2\u00bb $e\\\\ovTe ^HerQdian lib. viii. c. 7\\nf Orig. /JoKT-^fif?.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0442.jp2"}, "439": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 407\\nFrom this passage,, it would seem, that the fol-\\nlowing conclusions may be fairly drawn\\n1. That the cluster of islands, here spoken of,\\nas resembling the Sporades of the Archipelago,\\nwas the Hebrides. Anglesea cannot be in-\\ntended for it forms no cluster of islands. Nei-\\nther can the Orkneys be meant; for we are in-\\nformed, on the unquestionable authority of Tacitus,\\nthat they were unknown to the Romans, till to-\\nwards the close of the first century, when they\\nwere discovered, for the first time, by the fleet of\\nAgricola.* But this voyage of Demetrius, men-\\ntioned by Plutarch, must have taken place under\\nthe Emperor Claudius, whose expedition against\\nEutropius, indeed, asserts, that the islands, which were added\\nto the Roman empire, by Claudius, were the Orkneys but what\\nis the authority of Eutropius, compared with that of Tacitus?\\nHe furnishes us, however, with a very important circumstance,\\nfounded, no doubt, on the general impression which was enter-\\ntained, when he wrote, and probably handed down in history,\\nthat the islands, conquered by Claudius, were Ultra Britanni-\\nam, in oceano positas, situated beyond Britain, in the ocean.\\nThey could not, then, be the Scilly islands they must have beea\\nthe Hebrides.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0443.jp2"}, "440": {"fulltext": "408 APPENDIX.\\nBritain, we know, took place about A. D. 43 for\\nit is certain, that, except Julius Caesar, Claudius\\nwas the only Roman emperor that visited this\\nisland, till after the death of Plutarch, who relates\\nthe story.\\n2. u It would appear, that the emperor (@cm\\\\evq)\\nhad received his original information, concern-\\ning these islands, from some Celtic Britons.\\nHe seems to have been informed, that some of\\nthem were called the islands of Demons; probably\\nthe Ifreoine, the Cold island of Fingal, the\\nterm used, at this day, by the Highlanders, to de-\\nnominate hell, or the place of torment; and others,\\nthe islands of Heroes, undoubtedly the Flath-innis,\\nthe island of the Brave, the Celtic heaven,\\n3. That the few Britons, who were found in\\none of those islands, who were held sacred and in-\\nviolable by their countrymen, were no other than\\nthe Druids. This character, we know, is uni-\\nversally ascribed to them, in ancient history, as\\nwell as in tradition. It is even probable, that the\\nisland, which Demetrius visited, was Iona, formerly", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0444.jp2"}, "441": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 409\\ncalled, by the Highlanders, Innis-druineach, or the\\nisland of the Druids, and where, to this day, the\\nnatives point out Claodh nan Druidhean, or the\\ne burying place of the Druids. Perhaps Iona was\\ntheir sacred residence in Caledonia, as Anglesea\\nwas in England.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0445.jp2"}, "442": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0446.jp2"}, "443": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX,\\nNo. II.\\nORIGIN OF SUPERSTITION,\\nILLUSTRATED IN THE\\nMYTHOLOGY OF THE POEMS OF OSSIAN,\\nprofessor Richardson\\nOF GLASGOW COLLEGE.\\nINTRODUCTION.\\njyj-ANKiND, in the earliest periods of human so-\\nciety, were acquainted with the doctrines of true\\nreligion. They believed in the existence, in the\\npower, wisdom, goodness, and superintending\\nprovidence of one Supreme Being; who, as the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0447.jp2"}, "444": {"fulltext": "41S APPENDIX.\\nCreator j and the Preserver, of all things, was the\\nobject of their religious worship. It also appears,\\nthat mankind, in the earliest ages, were in pos-\\nsession of many useful, and even elegant, arts.\\nThe proofs of these statements are presented, with\\nconvincing evidence, in the Sacred Writings and\\nin the traditions of those heathen nations, of\\nwhose opinions and antiquity we have any good\\ninformation.\\nIt is no less certain, that, in process of time, and\\neven in a short time, all, or a great part, of this\\nimportant knowledge was lost: excepting in one\\nfamily, and afterwards in a very inconsiderable\\nnation, men ceased to believe in one Supreme Be-\\ning. At the same time also, or rather previously,\\nso far from preserving the advantages arising from\\nuseful and elegant arts, a great part of them be-\\ncame not only uncivilized, but utterly rude and\\nsavage. Scattered, as their numbers increased, in\\ntribes and families, over the face of the earth,\\nthey degenerated into a state of barbarity, little\\ndifferent from those fierce and irrational animals,\\nthat inhabited the woods and desarts.\\nYet none of the uncivilized, or barbarous, tribes", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0448.jp2"}, "445": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 413\\nand nations, of whom we have any certain ac-\\ncounts, were altogether destitute of some religious,\\nor superstitious, opinions. If they knew not the\\ntrue God, they believed in, and worshipped, a va-\\nriety of other beings, greatly superior to them-\\nselves, of a nature considerably different, and\\nwhom, as taking interest in their welfare, they\\nwere bound to adore. Yet opinions of this sort,\\nand the consequent observances, did not originate\\neither in revelation, or in the deductions of a well-\\ninformed understanding. They were derived solely\\nfrom the impulses of passion and sensibility, co-\\noperating with those associations of thought which\\nproceed from the influences of a prompt and un-\\ngoverned imagination.\\nHere now, we have presented to us, an interest-\\ning and important.subject of inquiry: What are\\nthose dispositions, those affections, those passions,\\nor those tendencies of sensibility, which, exciting,\\npromoting, or acting along with the combinations\\nof fancy, produced such sentiments, and laid the\\nfoundation for a complex and extended system of\\nreligious, or superstitious, worship What are those\\nprinciples, which have not their object within the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0449.jp2"}, "446": {"fulltext": "414 APPENDIX.\\nvisible sphere of creation that, as it were, con-\\ntemn the authority of the senses, treat their no-\\ntices as imperfect, and, employing the guidance\\nand vigour of imagination, connect visible with\\ninvisible beings and subject mankind to the do-\\nminion of agents existing in a different state, and\\nwith whom they were hitherto unacquainted In\\nthus stating the matter, it seems, at first sight,\\nextraordinary, that mere savages, who seem to\\nlive for the purposes alone of animal gratification,\\nwithout much curiosity, and incapable of exten-\\nsive reasonings, should be influenced by feelings,\\nor sentiments, leading to such important conse-\\nquences.\\nHere, however, notwithstanding the apparent\\ndifficulty, it will immediately occur, that there are\\n-many feelings and passions, in, the human mind,\\nsuch as surprise, fear, astonishment, and admira-\\ntion, which may induce even the most unimpro-\\nved of the human race, to conceive the existence\\nof superior and invisible beings. Our inquiry is,\\ntherefore, limited to the investigation of those\\nprinciples, which are not of a fugitive, or transient,\\nnature, but which act with so much uniformity,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0450.jp2"}, "447": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 415\\nso much steadiness, and are of such general, or\\nuniversal, extension, as to become the founda-\\ntion of a permanent, complicated, and universal,\\nsystem. Those, therefore, which seem to me to\\nbe the most completely adequate to this effect,\\nand whose operation, in producing it, I proceed to\\nillustrate, are affection and admiration for friends\\nand heroic leaders, exciting such sorrow, at their\\ndeath, as induces their survivors to believe, that\\nthey are not really, or altogether, dead; and to\\nimagine them in such a separate state of exist-\\nence, as is suited to their powers and virtues.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0451.jp2"}, "448": {"fulltext": "416 APPENDIX.\\nPART I.\\nJVLen, even in the rudest periods of society, are\\ncapable, in some measure, of distinguishing merit,\\nor demerit, in human actions they are capable of\\nbeing affected by, or of being grateful for, deeds\\nof kindness they are capable of entertaining suit-\\nable and corresponding sentiments towards ami-\\nable and respectable characters; they love, and\\nthey admire but love, friendship, and admira-\\ntion suppose the existence of those qualities in\\ntheir object, which are fitted to excite them, else\\nthese affections could not themselves exist. So\\nthat here, we have two things very intimately and\\nhabitually combined we have feelings and affec-\\ntions, of a very peculiar kind, towards a particular\\nobject; and an intellectual conviction, that certain\\nattributes, or properties, of a corresponding na-\\nture, actually exist in it. I observe, therefore, that", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0452.jp2"}, "449": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 417\\nfondly attached as men are, in early ages, to their\\nfriends and protectors, such persons are not only\\nthe frequent subject of their thoughts, and topic\\nof their discourse but also, that whenever they\\noccur to their attention, or recollection, they are\\nintimately connected with superior and illustrious\\nqualities. The image of the individual, whom they\\nlove or esteem, as it arises to their fancy, or to\\ntheir remembrance, is as inherently endowed with\\npeculiar powers and virtues, as he is invested ex-\\nternally with an appropriate shape and figure. Hs\\nis not more inseparably connected, in their appre-\\nhension, with limbs of a certain proportion, or a\\ncomplexion of peculiar tints, than with active spi-\\nrit, and intrepid boldness. They can as little think\\nof him divested of these, as of that particular struc-\\nture and colour of his external frame, by which his\\nperson is known to them. He cannot be concei-\\nved, as deprived of his mental, any more than of\\nhis bodily, appearance. But, if certain qualities\\nbe constantly and habitually combined with any\\nparticular object, their union will appear so close,\\nespecially to uncultivated minds, as to be account-\\ned inherent. Men have difficulty, and, conse-\\n2d", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0453.jp2"}, "450": {"fulltext": "418 APPENDIX.\\nquently, they have dislike; they have hesitation,\\nand even reluctance, in considering them as sepa-\\nrated from one another. The habit of always con-,\\nnecting the object and its customary properties,\\nor attributes, occasions pain, in a peculiar manner,\\nif they are suddenly and unexpectedly disunited.\\nThis sensation, of consequence, becomes still more\\nacute, in the bosoms of those who are strangers to\\nreflection, than to such as are more accustomed to\\ndistinguish and to discriminate. Men, in uncivi-\\nlized ages, are, therefore, so exceedingly afflicted,\\nby such unexpected separation, as to be willing,\\nin the moment of their distress, to admit any con-\\nsideration, or yield to any impression, that can les-\\nsen their uneasiness, or afford them relief. Sup-\\npose now, that a person beloved, or almost reve-\\nred, by a rude IiTdian, or Celtic, family, is sudden-\\nly deprived of life that he has no longer an}-\\npower of motion, or any principle of worthy and\\naffectionate conduct yet friendship and admira-\\ntion were ever intimately and inherently united\\nwith his image, as it arose in their conception;\\nand these affections, now rendered more animated\\nby the shock they sustain, suppose him possessed", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0454.jp2"}, "451": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 419\\nof corresponding qualities. How, therefore, are\\ntheir feelings, and even the tendencies of their un-\\nderstanding, affected Will they acquiesce calmly\\nin the decrees of nature I Will their love, or their\\nveneration, decay with instantaneous conviction,\\nand be buried with the deceased On the con-\\ntrary, these affections are established, by habit, in\\nthe constitution, and will, therefore, continue they\\nare roused by a heavy stroke, and become exces-\\nsive the deceased is before them their affec-\\ntion for him is heightened with sorrow they love,\\nthey respect, they venerate, the deceased. But\\nwhat do they venerate A nonentity Suffice it\\nto say, that, by the influence of admiration and\\naffection, there is a predisposition in the mind to\\nthink of the dead, as if he still existed. Persons\\nof sensibility have surely felt it. Persons of sen-\\nsibility, in all periods, have felt it. The Africans,\\nnear the Cape of Good Hope, according to the\\naccounts of an enlightened traveller, reproach\\ntheir friends, when they die, for leaving them.\\nThe rude Morlachians, according to the account\\nof even a philosophical traveller, in the first mo-\\nments of their grief for a departed friend, expos-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0455.jp2"}, "452": {"fulltext": "420 APPENDIX.\\ntulate with him; and ask what had so offended\\nhim, as to make him forsake them Virgil, too.,\\n(for true poets speak the language of nature,) re-\\npresents JEneas in the affectionate recollection of\\nhis father, as expressing a regret, somewhat tinc-\\ntured with blame, for having left him in the time\\nof need:\\nHie me pater optime, fessum\\nDeseris.\\nIn this state of feeling, in this disposition to con-\\nsider the dead as conscious and capable of thought,\\nimagination, the ready minister of every passion,\\naffords immediate and efficacious relief; she sepa-\\nrates the mind from the body, and reserves for it\\nall those thoughts and sentiments which suit the\\ngrief of the mourner. The notion, indeed, that a\\nbeing, in full possession of vigour and activity,\\nand susceptible of the warmest affections, should\\npass immediately into a state of non-existence, and\\nbecome nothing, exhibits a view so bleak, so\\ndreary, and so repugnant to every ardent prepos-\\nsession, that the imagination shudders, and flies to\\nvisions more solacing and more enlivening. Was", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0456.jp2"}, "453": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 421\\nit more natural for Matilda, grieving for the loss\\nof her husband, to suppose him a nonentity, than\\nto conceive him existing in a disembodied state,\\nand often the witness of her complaint\\nYe woods and wilds, whose melancholy gloom\\nAccords with my soul s sadness, and draws forth\\nThe voice of sorrow from my bursting heart,\\nFarewell a while. I will not leave you long\\nFor in your shades I deem some spirit dwells,\\nWho, from the chiding stream, or groaning oak,\\nStill hears, and answers to Matilda s moan.\\nO Douglas, Douglas, if departed ghosts\\nAre e er permitted to review this world,\\nWithin the circle of that wood thou art,\\nAnd, with the passion of immortals, hear st\\nMy lamentation\\nAnother circumstance operates, in a powerful\\nmanner, to establish a conviction of the separate\\nstate of the dead. The Celt, the Scythian, or In-\\ndian, grieving for the loss of his friend, falls\\nasleep, and beholds him in his dreams he con-\\nverses with him, and enjoys unspeakable pleasure\\nin this ideal intercourse; he awakens; he looks\\naround for him, but sees him not; he calls, but re-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0457.jp2"}, "454": {"fulltext": "422 APPENDIX.\\nceives no answer he hears nothing but the roar-\\ning of a stream, or the wind in the lonely forest\\nhe is filled with awe his heart is shaken he had\\nlaid his friend in the dust, yet he beheld him his\\nfeelings are as if in the presence of an invisible be-\\ning, of him whom he saw in his vision, of his\\nfriend disembodied, but still moved with affection.\\nThere is not a more happy example of grief, ope-\\nrating and influencing the imagination, in this\\nmanner, than where Achilles, immediately after\\nthe death of Patroclus, is represented, in the Iliad,\\nas beholding, and as conversing with, his friend in\\na dream\\nHushed by the murmurs of the rolling deep,\\nAt length he sinks in the soft arms of sleep.\\nWhen, lo! the shade, before his closing eyes,\\nOf sad Patroclus rose, or seemed to rise.\\nIn the same robe he living wore, he came,\\nIn stature, voice, and pleasing look, the same.\\nConfused he wakes amazement breaks the bands\\nOf golden sleep, and, starting from the sands,\\nPensive he muses, with uplifted hands.\\nTistrue, tis certain, man, though dead, retains\\nPart of himself th immortal mind remains j", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0458.jp2"}, "455": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 423\\nThe form subsists, without the body s aid,\\nAerial semblance, and an empty shade\\nThis night, my friend, so late in battle lost,\\nStood at my side, a pensive, plaintive, ghost.\\nIliadj xxiii.\\nThus, then, we have, in the spirits of the dead,\\na numerous class of invisible, intelligent agents,\\nin whom mankind are deeply and affectionately\\nconcerned and these are the immediate offspring\\nof the genuine sensibilities and natural associa-\\ntions of the human mind. I proceed to illustrate\\nthe process by which such visionary beings are\\nexalted to the enjoyment of a happiness suited to\\ntheir condition, and not only so, but to ^reat\\npower and authority over the fortunes and affairs\\nof men.\\nII. Esteem, friendship, and admiration, depri-\\nved of their object, occasion sorrow. Though re-\\nmoved even by death, the natural tendency of sor-\\nrow is to affect the imagination so, as if the per-\\nson for whom we grieved were, in some degree,\\nsensible of the change he had undergone. The\\ngenerality of mankind, in the first moments of", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0459.jp2"}, "456": {"fulltext": "424 APPENDIX.\\ntheir sorrow for the death of friends, conceive of\\nthe dead as of a sufferer. They must, therefore,\\nconceive him sensible and, if so, they conceive\\nhim existing somehow apart from the body.\\nUnder this impression, they think, they cannot\\ntestify their regard for him in a manner suffi-\\nciently strong and affecting. Accordingly, they\\ndo every thing in their power to console the dead,\\nand to render his situation agreeable. They wash\\nhis wounds, if he has fallen in battle they close\\nhis eyes, and remove every thing offensive from\\nhis external appearance; they honour him, and\\ncelebrate his obsequies, with solemn pomp and\\nmagnificent ceremony\\nO more than brother think each office paid,\\nWhate er can rest a discontented shade.\\nHere a striking effect ensues. By having per-\\nformed these operations, the sorrow of surviving\\nfriends is relieved. They have discharged a duty\\nthey have gratified affection they have rendered\\nthe offices of friendship to the deceased they are\\nsomewhat satisfied, that he is sensible of what\\nthey have done that he is relieved, by their at-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0460.jp2"}, "457": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 425\\ntendon to the body, with which they still suppose\\nhim to have some connection; and that he is\\npleased, and has even some enjoyment, in this tes-\\ntimony of their regard. Having thus bestowed\\nconsciousness, and a new state of existence, on\\nthe deceased, and being comforted themselves,\\nthey transfer the condition of their own minds to\\ntheir friend, and believe, that he also is comfort-\\ned. Thus, of consequence, they believe him ca-\\npable of being rendered happy. In confirmation\\nof all this, let us remember, that, among rude na-\\ntions, the dead are never supposed to pass into a\\nstate of ease, or felicity, till due obsequies are per-\\nformed to them. No spirits were permitted to\\ncross the Styx till they were inhumed. The In-\\ndians of North America entertain similar opinions;\\nand imagine, that certain rites are necessary, be-\\nfore the souls of departed warriors can arrive at\\ntheir blissful valleys. Upon this principle, also, is\\nfounded the practice of those elegiac writers of\\nantiquity, and of those eminent moderns who\\nhave imitated them, in lamenting the dead, and in\\ncelebrating their virtues. The first part of the\\nelegy is generally employed in rehearsing the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0461.jp2"}, "458": {"fulltext": "426 APPENDIX.\\npraises of the deceased in expressing sorrow for\\nhis departure and, in calling upon his friends to\\nhonour his memory, and solemnize his obsequies.\\nThe second part, containing the apotheosis, is\\nconsolatory. The deceased is comforted, and is\\nnot only pleased with their attentions, but is ca-\\npable of enjoying happiness\\nExtinctum nymphm crudeli funere Daphnim\\nFlebant: vos coryli testes, etflumina nymphis\\nNon ulli pantos Hits egere diebus\\nFrigida, Daphni, boves adjlumina, fyc.\\nSpargite humum foliis\\nEt tumulum facite et tutnulo superaddite carmen, tyc.\\nThus, the mourners, having discharged their duties\\nof respect, and having expressed the feelings of\\naffection, are themselves comforted and, transfer-\\nring their own comfort to the deceased, they sup-\\npose, in the second part, that he is not only relie-\\nved, but rendered happy\\nCandidus insuetum miratur limen Olympi,\\nSub pedibusque videt nubes et sidera Daphnis.\\nSemper honos, nomenq; tuum laudesq; manebunt, fyc.\\nWeep no more, woeful shepherds, weep no more,\\nFor Lycidas, your sorrow, is not dead,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0462.jp2"}, "459": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX, 427\\nSunk though he be beneath the watery floor\\nSo sinks the day-star in the ocean bed,\\nAnd yet anon repairs his drooping head, fyc.\\nIII. As we have thus immortalized the dead,\\nand bestowed upon them a certain portion of ease\\nand of happiness, it remains, that we consider in\\nwhat manner they are to be exalted and rendered\\npowerful. As the sorrow of men, lamenting for\\nthe death of dear and respected friends, is abated,\\nand as they suppose them possessed of such ami-\\nable or respectable qualities, as tend to confer,\\nand entitle them to, the enjoyment of happiness,\\nand deserve reward, they naturally conceive them\\nto be in a state of supreme felicity. But their no-\\ntions of felicity are suited to their own disposi-\\ntions, and the character of the deceased. Men, in\\nearly periods, of enterprising minds, and of vigor-\\nous bodies, never imagine, that the gallant war-\\nrior, so active and intrepid while alive, is to re-\\nmain, after his death, in mansions of indolence\\nand listless pleasure. They never imagine, that he,\\nwho was formerly so zealously interested in the\\nwelfare of his nation, and had a bosom glowing\\nwith the liveliest affection, should now be unmind-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0463.jp2"}, "460": {"fulltext": "428 APPENDIX.\\nful of his friends, of those who lament his death,\\nand revere his memory. As he is removed from\\namong them, as their remembrance of him is\\nembalmed in their esteem, and as they are no\\nlonger the witnesses of his weaknesses his fail-\\nings, imperfections, and weaknesses, will be forgot-\\nten. They dwell on nothing, but on his virtues\\nthey enlarge and increase his powers. But what\\npowers can he now possess Divested of the body,\\nhe is deprived of strength and this, in rude ages,\\nmust be accounted a great calamity. Yet an evil\\nof this kind may be compensated. His nature is\\nno longer gross and corporeal he is a thin aerial\\nsubstance; he rises upwards; he sojourns on the\\ntop of high mountains, or has a dwelling among\\nthe clouds. In those countries, where there are\\nmany hills, and many exhalations where the\\nclouds, and appearances of the atmosphere, are\\nfrequently varying, can any thing be more natural\\nthan to suppose, that the spirits of the dead are\\ncarried about, or reside among them When a\\nruler of the Roman state was deified, the eagle,\\nthat conveyed, or attended, his spirit from the fu-\\nneral pile, ascended upwards. The splendid ap-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0464.jp2"}, "461": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 42\u00c2\u00ab\\npearances of the sky, on the summit of Olympus,\\nrendered it a fit place for the synod, or residence,\\nof preternatural beings. As clouds, storms, and\\ntempests, seemed to be driven, as it were, by living-\\nagents, the spirits of the dead, having now attri-\\nbuted to them preternatural power, rendered the\\nrain, and even the thunder and lightning, the sub-\\njects of their dominion. As winds and exhalations\\nare apparently unsubstantial, bodily organs and\\nstrength were held ineffectual, in directing, or in\\nrestraining, them. What was the strength even of\\nAjax against a mist, or the agility of Achilles\\nagainst a deluge But, by exalting distinguished\\nwarriors to this new supremacy, their surviving ad-\\nmirers placed them in a situation suited to their\\nhigh character, and rendered them capable, as it\\nwere, of protecting and preserving their friends\\nCandidas insuetum miratur lirnen Olympi:\\nSub pedibusq; videt nubes et sidera Daphnis.\\nSemper honos, nomenq; tuum, laudesq; manebunt.\\nUt Baccho Cereriq;, tibi sic vota quotannis\\nAgricolifacient.\\nNow Lycidas, the shepherds weep no more j\\nHenceforth thou art the Genius of the shore,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0465.jp2"}, "462": {"fulltext": "430 APPENDIX.\\nIn thy large recompence and shall be good\\nTo all that wander in that perilous flood.\\nIn this manner, there is little difficulty in concei-\\nving how the spirits of the dead may, among even\\nthe rudest nations, be immortalized and deified.\\nBut the subject seems to receive particular illus-\\ntration, from the mythology (for a mythology\\ndoes exist,) in the Poems of Ossian, and which I\\nnow proceed particularly to illustrate.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0466.jp2"}, "463": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 431\\nPART II.\\nVV e can scarcely conceive a rude people living\\nin a state of greater seclusion, than the early inha-\\nbitants of the Hebrides, and those islands and\\ncoasts of Scotland that extend to the north and\\nwest. Bounded, on two sides, by the Atlantic\\nOcean, and separated from the rest of the world,\\nin every other quarter, by lakes, estuaries, and\\ngloomy forests by tempestuous seas, and inacces-\\nsible mountains by a barren soil, and forbidding\\nclimate, they had little intercourse with the rest of\\nmankind and no other knowledge, civilization,\\nor improvement, than arose from their own expe-\\nrience and observation. If ever their ancestors\\nenjoyed the advantages and information that be-\\nlong to an improved condition, these had been\\nlong lost and forgotten; so that their manners,\\ncustoms, and opinions, may be considered as en-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0467.jp2"}, "464": {"fulltext": "432 APPENDIX.\\ntirely their own. In no region whatever, were the\\ndispositions, passions, and natural associations of\\nhuman thought, less liable, than among these ori-\\nginal Celts, to be restrained, or directed, by any\\nthing foreign or extraneous. Whatever system,\\ntherefore, or scheme of opinions, can be discerned\\namong them, must be the result of the unbiassed\\nimpulses of the human heart, and of the immedi-\\nate combinations of an active, but untutored, ima-\\ngination. It were indeed difficult, if not impos-\\nsible, in the history of any people, to point out a\\nsystem of unrevealed, and unphilosophical, reli-\\ngion, so genuine and so natural, so much the effect\\nof sensibility, affection, and imagination, opera-\\nting, unrestrained by authority, unmodified by ex-\\nample, and untinctured with artificial tenets, as in\\nthe mythology of the Poems of Ossian. These\\npoems, however, have not been supposed to exhi-\\nbit, in the manners of the people whom they de-\\nscribe, any religious doctrines, or superstitious ob-\\nservances. It affords, in truth, no slight presump-\\ntion, or even internal evidence, of the authenticity,\\nat least, of these passages where religious opinions\\noccur, that the editor, or translator himself, not", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0468.jp2"}, "465": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 433\\ndiscerning their real import, conceived, and as-\\nserted, that they contained no mythology.* They\\nmake no mention, indeed, of Jupiter, or any deity\\nof the Greeks and Romans they make no men-\\ntion of Odin, and scarcely of any Scandinavian\\ndivinity, yet they disclose a mythological scheme,\\ncertainly not very complicated, nor constructed of\\nmany parts, but of which the particulars are very\\nconsistent, the arrangements distinct, and the li-\\nmits sufficiently definite.\\nI. In perfect consistency with the progress in\\nthe preceding theory, those Celtic tribes, whose\\nmanners are displayed by their cotemporary poet,\\nfelt all the sorrow, for the death and final removal\\nof their friends and warriors, which flows from\\nvery high admiration and unrestrained affection.\\nThis sorrow, influencing the combinations of a\\nwild and ungoverned fancy, induced them to be-\\nIt appears, indeed, somewhat singular, that not only Mr\\nMacpherson, but also Dr Blair, and the Abbe Cesarotti, the Ita-\\nlian translator of Ossian, should have failed in tracing any mytho-\\nlogical ideas in these poems and that they should even take some\\npains to apologize for the absence of them. See Sir John Sinclair s\\nOssian, vol. iii. p. 297. et seq. Note, by the Author of the Essay.\\nE", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0469.jp2"}, "466": {"fulltext": "434 APPENDIX.\\nlieve, that the departed were not altogether dead\\nand finally to believe, that they existed in a sepa-\\nrate and superior condition. They supposed them\\nexalted to celestial regions and that they so-\\njourned among the meteors and the clouds of\\nheaven.\\nA cloud hovers over Cona its blue circling\\nsides are high the winds are beneath it, with\\n\u00e2\u0082\u00act their wings j within is the dwelling of Fingal.\\na His friends sit around the king, on mist, and\\nhear the songs of Ullin. The lesser heroes, with\\na thousand meteors, light the airy hall.\\nImmediately after the death of a warrior, though\\nthe grief of his friends was animated, and led them\\nto adorn him with every great and distinguishing\\nquality, yet, having been so lately one of them-\\nselves, they did not invest him with those high\\npowers which they afterwards conferred upon him;\\nand they imagined him, as well as themselves, a\\nsufferer by the change he had undergone. They\\ntherefore testified their esteem, and expressed their\\nsorrow, in the most respectful and affectionate\\nmanner. But, by this operation, the violence of\\ntheir grief subsided, and they transferred the com-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0470.jp2"}, "467": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX, 435\\nfort, which they themselves experienced, to the\\ndeceased. They supposed him not only relieved,\\nbut happy; and, accordingly, the departed hero\\ndid not rise to his airy hall, till his obsequies were\\nduly performed, and that he had heard the song\\na of his fame.\\nNo sleep comes down on Cathmor s eyes\\nt( dark, in his soul, he saw the spirit of low-laid\\nCairbre: he saw him, without his song, rolled in\\na blast of the night.\\nte Cairbre came to Cathmor s dreams, half-seen\\nfrom his low-hung cloud. Joy rose, darkly, in\\n(c his face for he had heard the song of Carril\\na blast sustained his dark-skirted cloud, which he\\nseized in the bosom of night, as he rose, with his\\nfame, towards his father s hall. Joy met the\\nsoul of Cathmor! his voice was heard in Moi-\\ncc lena the bard gave the song to Cairbre he\\ntravels on the wind my form is in my father s\\nhall.\\nAgreeably to the same notions, the spirits of\\nmen destitute of any merit, or of those whose con-\\nduct had incurred infamy, could never rise to\\ncelestial mansions but were rolled, at the mercy", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0471.jp2"}, "468": {"fulltext": "436 APPENDIX.\\nof the winds, plaintive and malignant, over noi-\\nsome fens, or by the margin of reedy lakes.\\nThose again, whose merit had never been very\\neminently distinguished, but who had never suf-\\nfered disgrace, ascended as the attendants of il-\\nlustrious warriors, and were their ministers in the\\nclouds.\\nThe lesser heroes, with a thousand meteors,\\nlight the airy hall\\nII. After mentioning the place \u00c2\u00a9f abode, assign-\\ned to departed warriors, it may be proper to illus-\\ntrate their powers. Divested of the body, they\\ncould no longer exert bodily strength and agility.\\nThey could bend no bow, but one of aerial tex-\\nture nor wield a sword capable of inflicting\\nwounds. Their form was a thin, etherial, sub-\\nstance they were unfit for corporeal exertion\\nand could encounter no adversary, in deeds of va-\\nlour. Advanced, however, to immortality, cele-\\nbrated by bards, who magnified their atchieve-\\nments, and revered by surviving friends, they\\ncould not be mournful on the contrary, they had\\nconferred upon them a dominion of mighty power,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0472.jp2"}, "469": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 437\\nand perfectly suited to their present condition.\\nThose natural sentiments of justice, which are in^\\nherent in every bosom, tended also to confirm\\ntheir opinion for they thought it unjust, or un-\\nreasonable, that men, in the actual discharge of\\nimportant duties, and in the very exercise of dis-\\ntinguished virtue, should be deprived of the ad-\\nvantages, which they deserved, without being\\notherwise duly compensated and, if they thought\\nof compensating, their imagination, and convic-\\ntions of merit, could set no limits to the remune-\\nration. The contrast, between the imbecility of\\ndeparted spirits, so far as regards bodily exertions,\\nand their power over storms and tempests, is\\nstrikingly illustrated, in the following passage\\nThe blasts of the north open thy gates, O\\nH king and I behold thee sitting on mist, dimly\\net gleaming, in all thine arms. Thy form, now, is\\nnot the terror of the valiant; but like a watery\\ncloud, when we see the stars behind it, with\\ntheir weeping eyes. Thy shield is like the aged\\nmoon thy sword a vapour, half-kindled with\\nfire. Dim and feeble is the chief, who travelled\\nin brightness before. But thy steps are on the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0473.jp2"}, "470": {"fulltext": "138 APPENDIX.\\nwinds of the desart, and the storms darken in\\nu thy hand. Thou takest the sun, in thy wrath,\\nand hidest him in thy clouds the sons of little\\nmen are afraid and a thousand showers de-\\nscend. But, when thou comest forth in thy\\nmildness, the gale of morning is near thy course;\\nthe sun laughs, in his blue fields and the gray\\nstream winds in the valley.\\nThat the spirits of departed warriors were belie-\\nved to possess supremacy over the tempests, and\\nthat they employed their powers in behalf of their\\nfriends, and against their enemies, is manifest,\\nfrom several passages*\\nAs Trenmor, clothed in meteors, descends from\\nthe halls of thunder, pouring the dark stream\\nbefore him, over the troubled sea, so Colgar de-\\nscended to battle.\\nThe two following extracts not only illustrate\\ntheir power, but the manner also, in which they\\nmight be addressed.\\nIf any strong spirit of heaven sits on that low-\\nhung cloud, turn his dark ships from the rock,\\nthou rider of the storms.\\nO ye dark winds of Erin, arise and roar, ye", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0474.jp2"}, "471": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 439\\nu whirlwinds of the heath! Amid the tempest, let\\nme die, torn by angry ghosts of men.\\nThe power ascribed to the spirits of deceased\\nwarriors was threefold The first was that, which\\nI have now endeavoured to illustrate; namely, the\\npower of ruling the winds, and directing the tem-\\npests. The second, of which examples shall now\\nbe given, consisted in taking away life, by secret\\nand unseen influences.\\nIt was apprehended, that, if the immortalized,\\nand deified spirits of the deceased, ever interested,\\nas they were supposed to be, in the welfare of\\nthose formerly dear to them, perceived them in\\ndanger, from unavoidable calamity, they imme-\\ndiately interposed, dissolved the union between\\nthe soul and the body, and conveyed their friends,\\nfrom misery, to enjoy the repose and happiness of\\ntheir aerial mansions. When Lamor, blind and\\naged, receives information, that his son had acted\\nso improperly as to incur disgrace, overwhelmed\\nwith the misfortune, he thus addresses himself to\\nthe ghost of his ancestor\\nSpirit of the noble Garmallon, carry Lamor to", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0475.jp2"}, "472": {"fulltext": "440 APPENDIX.\\nt\u00e2\u0082\u00ac his place his eyes are dark his soul is sad and\\nf his son hath lost his fame.\\nSo too Suilmalla, apprehensive about the fate of\\nher husband\\nCall me, my father, when the king is low on\\nearth for then shall I be lonely in the midst of\\nwoe.\\nThe following passage is quite explicit\\nHis hand is like the arm of a ghost, when\\nci he stretches it from a cloud the rest of his\\nthin form is unseen but the people die in the\\nvale/\\nSudden death, without the agency of any visible\\ncause, affects the minds of a rude people, not only\\nwith fear, but with astonishment; and they ascribe\\nsuch alarming events to the tremendous power of\\nsuperior, invisible, beings. When the army of the\\nGreeks was afflicted with a pestilential malady, the\\ncalamity was attributed to the shafts of Apollo.\\nOssian, in like manner, ascribes appearances, of\\nthis nature, to the interposition of some friendly,\\nor unfriendly, spirit.\\nAs the spirits of the dead were believed to rule", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0476.jp2"}, "473": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 441\\nin the atmosphere, and to have the power of\\ntaking away life, they were apprehended, in the\\nthird place, to have the power of prescience and\\nthat, as they possessed such ability, they were in-\\nclined, on fit occasions, to grant a revelation of fu-\\nture events. Man, by nature provident, is for ever\\nlooking forward into the time to come and is so-\\nlicitous about his fortune, in the after periods of\\nhis life. He conceives the power of foreseeing\\nwhat events are about to befall him, and the dis-\\ncovery of them, as a most important talent, and\\nmost desirable sort of knowledge. It is natural\\nfor him, therefore, if he believe in preternatural\\nrulers, to suppose, that a part of their superiority\\nmay consist in prescience. Believing, that they\\ncan pass, in their aerial progress, with inconcei-\\nvable rapidity from one place to another, it is not\\na violent transition to believe, that they can also\\npass from one time to another, and discry those\\nevents which are to arise, at a future, perhaps not\\na very distant, period. Imagining, too, that these\\nsuperior beings may be propitiated by the atten-\\ntions and prayers of mortals, they will expect the\\ndisplay of their benevolence, in such occasional re-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0477.jp2"}, "474": {"fulltext": "4*2 APPENDIX.\\nvelation. Moreover, borrowing their notions of\\nthese invisible rulers from their own experience\\nand observation, they suppose, that they bear some\\nresemblance to great men upon earth the more\\nso, if they actually believe them to be no other\\nthan illustrious heroes exalted to immortality; and,\\naccordingly, none but their descendents, or per-\\nsons of distinguished merit, will presume to ap-\\nproach them nor will even these venture to ad-\\ndress them, but as suppliants, filled with awe, and\\nwith veneration. The mode of revelation will also\\nbe of a corresponding nature. These exalted be-\\nings will not deign to make themselves altogether\\nvisible or they will not overwhelm their votaries\\nby the splendour of their glory and will impart\\ntheir knowledge obscurely, or by dreams and vi-\\nsions. All these particulars are illustrated in the\\nfollowing sublime, yet very interesting, passage\\nCome, (said the hero,) O ye ghosts of my fa-\\nthers, who fought against the kings of the world,\\ntell me the deeds of future times, and your con-\\nverse in your caves, when you talk together, and\\nbehold your sons in the fields of the valiant.\\nf( Trenmor came from his hill, at the voice of his", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0478.jp2"}, "475": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX. 4*3\\nmighty son. A cloud, like the steed of the\\nstranger, supported his limbs his robe is of the\\nmist of Lano, that brings death to the people\\nhis sword is a green meteor, half-extinguished\\nhis face is without form, and dark. He sighed\\nthrice over the hero, and thrice the winds of the\\nnight roared aloud. Many were his words to\\nOscar; but they only came by halves to our ears:\\nthey were dark, as the tales of other times, before\\nthe light of the song arose.\\nIt might be shewn, that the religion of the\\nGreeks and Romans proceeds upon similar prin-\\nciples in like manner also, that of the ancient\\nEgyptians, and that of the ancient Scandinavians.\\nIn their great original outlines, they correspond\\nexactly with the mythology exhibited in the Poems\\nof Ossian.*\\nThis Discourse, with the exception of some illustrations\\nlately added, on the first part, was read before a literary society,\\nin Glasgow College, so long ago as the year 1775; and, although\\na considerable time has now intervened, the Author has not found\\nit necessary to alter, or even to qualify, the opinion, on this sub-\\nject, which he was then led to entertain.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0479.jp2"}, "476": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0480.jp2"}, "477": {"fulltext": "APPENDIX,\\nNo. III.\\nLETTER\\nJAMES MACPHERSON, ESQ.\\nCAPTAIN MORISON.\\nDEAR SIR, August 18th, 1789.\\nI return your letter, as Sir John\\nis in the North. Not only Ossian, but much more.,\\nis going on; the establishing the whole language,\\non primitive, clear, unerring, and incontrovertible\\nprinciples. The Gaelic, now traced to its source^\\nhas been already found to be the most regular, the\\nmost simple, and the most pleasing to the ear, and", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0481.jp2"}, "478": {"fulltext": "446 APPENDIX.\\nalmost to the eye, of any language either of past or\\npresent times.\\nYou may acquaint our worthy friend, the very\\nrespectable amateur of the Gaelic language, Sir\\nJames Foulis, of the above general intimation.\\nI am,\\nVery faithfully yours,\\n(Signed) J. Macpherson.\\nCaptain Morison, Greenock.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0482.jp2"}, "479": {"fulltext": "POSTSCRIPT.\\n1 he recent publication of the inestimable origi-\\nnals of Ossian, by Sir J ohn Sinclair, Bart, together\\nwith a learned dissertation on their authenticity,\\nby himself, and another by Dr Macarthur, whilst\\nit should seem to supersede the necessity of fur-\\nther discussion, renders it, at ieast, proper to state\\nto the public a few circumstances with respect to\\nthe present attempt.\\nWith regard to any superfluous coincidence of\\nargument, between this Essay, and those which\\nhave preceded it in publication, it is presumed,\\nthat none shall be found. This Essay was written\\nsome years ago. It was read, in the Author s turn\\nof giving a discourse, in the weekly meetings of\\nthe Literary Society in Glasgow College, in the", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0483.jp2"}, "480": {"fulltext": "448 POSTSCRIPT.\\nyears 1803, 1804, and 1806. Having formerly re-\\nceived the greatest delight from the perusal of the\\nSeventh Book of Temora, in the original, and\\nfrom many of the fragments of Gaelic poetry col-\\nlected by Dr Smith, it had long been his most\\nearnest wish to see the whole originals of Mr Mac-\\npherson s translations given to the public. It was,\\ntherefore, with the greatest pleasure, that he obser-\\nved, in 1806, the intimation of their speedy ap-\\npearance, by Sir John Sinclair.\\nHe delayed the publication of this Essay for\\nmore than a year, in the expectation of the ac-\\ncomplishment of this promise but much time\\nhaving elapsed, he began again to lose all hope of\\nseeing these valuable originals in their native dress.\\nIt was only after every arrangement had been\\nmade for the publication of this Essay, that the\\nAuthor, on his way to Edinburgh, observed, for the\\nfirst time, the splendid work of Sir John Sinclair\\nannounced in a London newspaper.\\nIt is, besides, necessary to take notice of this cir-\\ncumstance, in order to account for the manner in\\nwhich the original poetry of Ossian is spoken of\\nthroughout this Essay, as still unpublished. Though", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0484.jp2"}, "481": {"fulltext": "POSTSCRIPT. 449\\nthe Author has seen this great work, since his Es-\\nsay went to press, it was too late to change its\\nform, or to accommodate it to existing circum-\\nstances nor did it appear to be of material con-\\nsequence to make such an alteration. The Seventh\\nBook of Temora, alone, is sufficient to establish\\nthe argument of the incalculable superiority of the\\noriginal verse to Mr Macpherson s prose transla-\\ntion and the manner in which the subject is\\nhere spoken of, may even serve to shew how\\nmuch the publication of this poetry had been\\ndesiderated amongst us, as well as the anticipa-\\ntions which had been formed of its intrinsic excel-\\nlence.\\nThis singular poetry is now before the public.\\nIt will speak for itself, and fully support every ar-\\ngument, which has been founded on the anticipa-\\ntion of its superior merit. As far as the Author has\\nhitherto had an opportunity of examining these\\noriginals, they appear to be, throughout, of an ex-\\ncellence and dignity similar and equal to the Se-\\nventh Book of Temora. This whole Book, in par-\\nticular, the Author has diligently compared, in Sir\\n2 F", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0485.jp2"}, "482": {"fulltext": "450 POSTSCRIPT.\\nJohn s edition, and in that which he now offers to\\nthe public. There appears to be no material dif-\\nference. In Sir John s, there occur some errors\\nin orthography, not easily to be avoided in the\\nGaelic language. Thus, amongst others, we have\\nin verse 407, benan for beann. From verse 383 to\\nthe end of verse 389, the difficulty of a difficult\\npassage is increased, by the want of punctuation.\\nIn all this passage, the eye is relieved only by one\\nsemicolon.\\nI observe, that, in verses 102 and 346, Sir John\\nreads ciar, dark, instead of cearr, oblique, as\\nMr Macdiarmed had it. Ciar is not unsuitable to\\nthe sense of these passages but, perhaps, ctarr is\\nmore poetical.\\nBrunadh, in verse 199, seems to be a provincial\\nterm pronnadh is surely better.\\nCiabh-bhog, as Sir John has it, verse 167, is nei-\\nther so agreeable to the sense, or to the ear, as\\nciabhag.\\nIn Sir John s edition, the whole beauty of a pas-\\nsage, cited above as a fine instance of the parallel-\\nism, or balancing, of the verses of the couplet, is\\nlost, by reading mo shollus, instead of am shollus.\\nU", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0486.jp2"}, "483": {"fulltext": "POSTSCRIPT. 451\\nWith Sir John, and also in Mr Macfarlane s Latin\\ntranslation, it is,\\nI arise, my light, (i. e. my love,) from the contest,\\nLike a meteor of night from the bursting cloud.\\nIn the edition offered above, it is,\\nI arise like a light from the contest,\\nLike a meteor of night from the bursting cloud.\\nThese, however, are venial perhaps, in a work\\nof such extent, unavoidable errors. The treasure\\nof verse, now presented to the public, has not been\\nsurpassed, in importance and value, since the pe-\\nriod in which the poetry of Homer was first usher-\\ned into the world by Lycurgus. The time will\\narrive, when it shall be duly estimated by the\\npublic.\\nYet much remains still to be done. Mr Mac\\npherson deserves, and shall have, his full meed of\\npraise. At an auspicious period, he brought the\\nscattered limbs of the bard together, and arranged\\nthem not unhappily but a skilful anatomist may\\nstill discover many members disjointed and mis-", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0487.jp2"}, "484": {"fulltext": "452 POSTSCRIPT.\\nplaced a reduction of some parts may be neces-\\nsary. Cesarotti has already remarked, concerning\\none episode, that it is not introduced in its proper\\nplace. Celtic scholars may yet find occupation in\\nrestoring these valuable poems to their genuine\\norder and form.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0488.jp2"}, "485": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nHis Grace the Duke of Argyle.\\nHis Grace the Duke of Atholl, President of the High-\\nland Society of Scotland.\\nEight Honourable Lord Apsley.\\nHonourable Mrs Abercrornby.\\nJohn Alexander, Esq. Glasgow.\\nThe Reverend John Allan, Row.\\nWilliam Alston, Esq. Glasgow.\\nRobert Austin, Esq. do.\\nMr Thomas Arrol, merchant, Edinburgh.\\nEnsign Amory, Stirlingshire Militia.\\nB,\\nHonourable W. L. Bathurst.\\nAlexander Bankier, Esq. of the Excise.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0489.jp2"}, "486": {"fulltext": "454 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nAlexander Baillie, Esq. Glasgow, 3 copies.\\nDr John Barclay, physician, Edinburgh\\nThomas Bissland of Ferguslie, Esq.\\nJames Black, Esq. Glasgow.\\nWilliam Blair of Blair, Esq. 2 copies.\\nJohn Blair, Esq. Commissary of the Isles.\\nRobert Cunninghame Bontine of Ardoch, Esq.\\nCaptain Donald Brodie, Castle Carrich.\\nReverend Mr Broadfoot, Kirkwall.\\nCaptain Birnie Brown, Leith.\\nJames Brown, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJames Bruce of Kinnaird, Esq.\\nJames Bruce, Esq. York-place.\\nJames Bruce of Pitfowlis, Esq.\\nHector Macdonald Buchanan of Ross, Esq.\\nMajor Alexander Buchanan, younger of Auchlessie.\\nArchibald Buchanan of Auchintorlie, Esq.\\nReverend Dr Walter Buchanan, Edinburgh.\\nReverend George Craig Buchanan of Makeanston,\\nminister of Kinross.\\nThomas Buchanan, Esq. Glasgow.\\nC.\\nRight Honourable Lord Cullen.\\nSir Alexander Campbell of Ardkinglas, Bart.\\nLady Campbell.\\nArch. Campbell of Blythswood, Esq. M. P. 2 copies.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0490.jp2"}, "487": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 455\\nArchibald Campbell of Drumsynie, Esq.\\nMrs Campbell.\\nArchibald Campbell, Esq. sheriff-clerk of Argyle.\\nAlexander Campbell, Esq. Glasgow.\\nAlexander Campbell, Esq. Dallingburn.\\nA. D. Campbell, Esq. Glasgow.\\nAlexander Campbell, Esq. sheriff-sub. Renfrew. 2 cop.\\nReverend Mr Alexander Campbell, Kilcalmonell.\\nColin Campbell, Esq. Millar s-street, Glasgow.\\nColin Campbell, Esq. Hutcheson s-street, do.\\nReverend Mr Dugald Campbell, Glasrie.\\nEnsign Donald Campbell, Lochgoil-head.\\nDuncan Campbell, Esq. Glendaruel.\\nReverend Mr George Campbell, Ardchattan.\\nIver Campbell, Esq. collector of excise, Ayr,\\nJohn Campbell of South-hall, Esq.\\nMrs Campbell.\\nJohn Campbell of Stonefield, Esq. 2 copies.\\nJohn Campbell of Craiganieur, Esq.\\nReverend Dr John Campbell, Edinburgh.\\nReverend Mr John Campbell, Dunoon.\\nNeil Campbell, Esq. Dunbarton.\\nDonald Campbell, Esq. Argyle Militia.\\nMungo N. Campbell, Esq.\\nRobert Campbell, Esq. Roseneath.\\nWilliam Campbell, Esq. W. S. Edinburgh.\\nWilliam Calder, Esq.\\nWilliam Cameron, Esq. Kent-street, Glasgow.\\nWalter Gibson Cassells, Esq. John s-place, Leith,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0491.jp2"}, "488": {"fulltext": "456 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nSamuel Caw, Esq. Brunswick-street, Glasgow.\\nRobert Carrick, Esq. do.\\nMr James Cleland, do.\\nMrs Cheyne, North Leith.\\nJames Connell, Esq. Glasgow.\\nSam. Cooper of Ballindalloch, Esq.\\nCunningham Corbet, Esq. Glasgow.\\nAdam Crooks, Esq. do.\\nGeorge Cruden, Esq. do.\\nD.\\nRight Honourable Lord Doune, 2 copies.\\nRight Honourable Lord Duncan.\\nJohn Graham Dalyell, Esq. Adv. for the Advocates\\nLibrary.\\nJames Darnley, Esq.\\nReverend Dr Davidson of Muirhouse.\\nRobert Davidson, Esq. Adv. Professor of Civil Law,\\nGlasgow.\\nJohn Denniston, Esq. Greenock.\\nJames Denniston of Golf hill, Esq.\\nRobert Denniston of Acrehill, Esq.\\nDavid Denny, Esq. Glasgow.\\nReverend John Dickson, archdeacon of Downe.\\nWalter Dickson, Esq. W. S.\\nReverend Mr David Dickson, jun. Edinburgh.\\nJohn Dixon, Esq. Dunbarton.\\nLieutenant-colonel Douglas, Stirlingshire Militia.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0492.jp2"}, "489": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 457\\nMrs Douglas of Mains.\\nArchibald Douglas, Esq. Glasgow.\\nReverend Mr David Dow, Cathcart.\\nReverend Dr George Drummond, Roseneath.\\nJames Dundas, Esq. of the Excise.\\nGeorge Dunlop, Esq. Edinburgh, 3 copies.\\nWilliam Dunlop, Esq. Glasgow.\\nThomas Dunlop, Esq. of the Excise, Leith.\\nAlexander Dunlop, Esq. Greenock.\\nMr James Erskine, merchant, Kirkwall.\\nMr David Erskine, do. do.\\nNicol Ewing of Keppoch, Esq. Major 28 Militia.\\nJames Ewing, Esq. junior, Greenock.\\nF.\\nMr James Farnie, Bruntisland.\\nDugald Fergusson, Esq. Greenock.\\nDugald Fergusson, Esq. W. S. Edinburgh.\\nLouis H. Ferrier, Esq.\\nJohn Ferrier, Esq.\\nKirkman Findlay, Esq. Glasgow.\\nReverend Dr James Finlayson,,Edinburgh.\\nDo. for the Library of the University.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0493.jp2"}, "490": {"fulltext": "458 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nReverend Mr Fleming.\\nJohn Fletcher of Dimans, Esq.\\nCaptain James Forbes, Ardchoyline.\\nReverend Dr Paul Fraser, Inverary.\\nReverend Mr William Freeland, Buchanan.\\nRobert Freeland, Esq. Glasgow.\\nMr Allan Fullarton, messenger at arms, do.\\nThe most Noble the Marquis of Graham.\\nWilliam Gallowaj Esq. Edinburgh, 2 copies\\nAlexander Garden, Esq.\\nJames Gardiner, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Gaudie, Esq. do.\\nReverend Dr Gavin Gibb, Strathblane.\\nN. Gibson, Esq. writer, Paisley.\\nAndrew Gilbert, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Gillies, Esq. do.\\nReverend Mr John Gillespie, Arrochar.\\nRobert Goodwin, Esq.\\nWilliam Glen, Esq. Glasgow.\\nLewis Gordon, Flsq. Dep. Secretary to the Highland\\nSociety of Scotland.\\nGeorge Gordon, Esq. Gogar-house.\\nJohn Gordon, Esq, Glasgow\\nWm. C. Cuninghame Graham of Gartmore, Esq. 5 copies.\\nMrs Cuninghame Grah?i\u00c2\u00bb, 5 copies.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0494.jp2"}, "491": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 459\\nBrig. Gen. Graham Stirling of Duchray and Auchyle.\\nColonel James Graham, Glasgow.\\nRobert Graham of Fintry, Esq.\\nRobert Graham, Esq. W. S.\\nJohn Alexander Graham, Esq. Leith.\\nMrs John Alexander Graham.\\nCaptain John Graham of the Duchess of Montrose ex-\\ncise yacht.\\nMrs John Graham.\\nWilliam Graham of East Vale, Esq.\\nRobert Graham of Whitehill, Esq.\\nJohn Graham, Esq. Glasgow.\\nWalter Graham, Esq. do.\\nJames Graham, Esq. do.\\nJames Graham, Esq. do.\\nGeorge Graham of Duniverig, Esq.\\nMr John Graham Blaruskan.\\nMr Walter Graham of Brachern.\\nMr Duncan Graham, Blarhulichan.\\nMr David Graham, writer in Kippen.\\nAlexander Grant, jun. Esq. Glasgow.\\nJames Grant, Esq. Anderston.\\nJames Grant, Esq. writer, Edinburgh.\\nMr Greenlaw.\\nMr Robert Grieve, North Leith.\\nMr Robert Grindlay, Glasgow.\\nJohn Guthrie, Esq. do.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0495.jp2"}, "492": {"fulltext": "460 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES,\\nH.\\nRobert Haddow, Esq.\\nJohn Hagart of Cairnmuir, Esq. advocate.\\nJames Haig, Esq.\\nReverend Robert Haldane, Drumelzier.\\nReverend Dr George Hamilton, Gladsmuir.\\nJames Hamilton, Esq. of the Excise, Edinburgh.\\nJohn Hamilton of North Park, Esq.\\nMr John Hamilton.\\nHugh Hamilton, Esq.\\nMr John Hannay, messenger at arms, Glasgow.\\nGeorge Henderson, Esq. Greenock.\\nCharles Houshold, Esq. Glasgow.\\nAndrew Hunter, Esq. do.\\nJohn Hynd, Esq.\\nI.\\nMr William Jack, Glasgow.\\nWilliam Jamieson, Esq. do.\\nMr Professor Jardine, Glasgow College.\\nJefTeray, Esq. writer, Edinburgh.\\nReverend Mr James Jeffrey, Balfron.\\nWilliam Johnstone, Esq.\\nWilliam Irvine, Esq.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0496.jp2"}, "493": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 461\\nK.\\nWilliam Kerr, Esq. Secretary to the General Post Office.\\nRobert Kerr, Esq. Bruntisland.\\nMr John Kelly, do.\\nL\\nMrs Malcolm Laing.\\nDavid Laird, Esq.\\nGavin Lang, Esq. writer, Paisley.\\nJohn Laurie, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Laurie, Esq. ironmonger, do.\\nJohn Leckie, Esq. of Broich.\\nDavid Lillie, Esq.\\nJohn Likely, Esq. banker, Paisley.\\nMichael Lining, Esq.\\nJohn Longnruir, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Loudon, Esq.\\nM.\\nHis Grace the Duke of Montrose, 5 copies.\\nHer Grace the Duchess of Montrose, 5 copies.\\nSir John Macgregor Murray of Lanark, Bart.\\nLady Macgregor Murray.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0497.jp2"}, "494": {"fulltext": "4.62 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nReverend Sir Harry Moncre iff Well wood, Bart\\nReverend Dr George Macartney, Whitehall, Ireland.\\nCaptain A. C. Macartney, R. A. Chatham.\\nJoseph Macartney, Esq. Dublin.\\nMiss Macartney, St JamesVplace, Leith.\\nMr William Isaac Macartney, do.\\nPeter Macadam, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Maccaul of Craigbank, Esq.\\nDavid Macculloch, Esq. Glasgow.\\nRanald Geo. Macdonald of Clanranald, Esq. 2 copies.\\nRanald Macdonald of Staffa, Esq.\\nWilliam Macdonaid of St Martin s, Esq.\\nAlexander Macdonald of Glenalladale, Esq.\\nWilliam Macdonald, Esq. Greenock.\\nRoderic Macdonaid, Esq. Glasgow.\\nRobert Macdonald, Esq.\\nReverend Mr Macdougall, Lochgoilhead.\\nMr John Macdougall, Lettermay.\\nMr Donald Macdougall, Auchindunan.\\nCaptain A. Macdougall, Stirlingshire Militia.\\nCaptain D. Macdougall, do.\\nReverend Dr Macfarlane, Drymen.\\nMr Walter Macfarlane, Glengyle.\\nMr Duncan Macfarlane, Strathore.\\nDuncan Macfarlane, Esq. Glasgow.\\nHugh Macfarlane of Callichra, Esq.\\nJames Macfarlane of Balwill, Esq.\\nMr Alexander Macfarlane, Aberfoyle.\\nMr John Macfarlane, Balfron.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0498.jp2"}, "495": {"fulltext": "m\\nMr Donald Mil fill .1 Ledard.\\nMr Donald Macfar:\\nMr Alexander Macfarlane, stodent of divk. 8*\\nMr Walter Macieat, hot gam.\\nWilliam Macfie, Esq. Greenock.\\nCapt. Ewan John Macgregor Murray of Glencairaaig.\\nReverend Mr James Macgibbon, Inveraray.\\nJohn Macilquham of Hyde Park. E\\nJohn Macilroy, Esq. Glasgow.\\nGeorge Macim ;w, 2 copies.\\nCharles Macintosh f Lav era-hill, Z\\nJohn Mackintosh, E _ ow.\\nAndrew Mackintosh, Esq.\\nReverend Dr Joseph Macintyre, Glenorchay.\\nPatrick Macintyre .nerara.\\nDvmcan Macintyre. Esq. Callander.\\nJohn Macintyre, Esq. Hotcheson s- street, Glasgow.\\nDonaid Macintyre, B r, do.\\nWilliam Gordon Mack, El i.-^ow.\\nGeorge Mackay. Esq. collector o: -reeoock.\\nMr Alexander Ma library\\nEdinburgh, S\\nJohn Mackean, Esq. Glasgow.\\nMrs Mack\\nMr Mackmia\\nHenry Mackenzie. Z iTcheqaer.\\nJames Mackenzie c I\\nRobert Mackenzie, Esq. job. Dunbarton.\\nJohn Maclachlane, Esq. Bannachra.\\nArchibald Maclachlane, Esq. ChariestowB.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0499.jp2"}, "496": {"fulltext": "464 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nColin Maclachlane, Esq. Glasgow.\\nHugh Maclachlane, Esq. Demerara.\\nReverend Mr George Maclatchie, Mearns.\\nMr Alexander Maclaurin, West-port, Edinburgh.\\nWalter Ewing Maclea, Esq. of Cathkin.\\nJohn Norman Macleod of Macleod, Esq. 2 copies.\\nReverend Dr John Macleod, Kilmodan.\\nAndrew Macmillan, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Macmurrich, Esq. do.\\nJohn Macmurrich, Esq. Jamaica-street, do.\\nRobert Macnab, Esq. do.\\nArchibald Macnab, Esq. Campbelneld, do.\\nAlexander Macnab, Esq. do.\\nRobert Macnair of Belvidere, Esq.\\nWilliam Macneill, Esq. Glasgow.\\nMr Alexander Macpherson, Auchrioch.\\nMr Duncan Macpherson. Glasgow.\\nJames Macpherson, Esq. Hutcheson s-street, do.\\nMr Robert Macready of the Excise, Oban.\\nB. Macrocket, Esq.\\nReverend Mr Mactavish, Inverchaolan.\\nDr William Macturk, Prof. Eccl. Hist. Glasgow.\\nCharles Macvicar, Esq. Levenside.\\nJames Martin, Esq. Antigua.\\nBenjamin Matthie, Esq. Glasgow.\\nDavid Matthie, Esq. do.\\nThomas Meek, Esq. do.\\nDr William Meikleham, Prof. Nat. Phil. Glasgow.\\nWilliam Mellis, Esq. do.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0500.jp2"}, "497": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 465\\nCapt James Melville of the Earl Moira excise yacht.\\nDr Melville, Stirlingshire Militia.\\nGeorge Menzies, Esq. Chamberlain to his Grace the\\nDuke of Montrose.\\nMr Menzies.\\nMr Professor Millar, Glasgow.\\nJames Millar, Esq. do.\\nWilliam Mills, Esq.\\nWilliam Milne, Esq.\\nDuncan Monach, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJames Monteith, Esq. Buchanan-street, do.\\nHenry Monteath, Esq. of Monkland.\\nReverend Mr John Monteath, Houston.\\nJohn Monteath, Esq. Glasgow.\\nMr John Moffat, of the Excise.\\nEobert Mowbray, Esq. Bath-place, Leith.\\nJEneas Morison, Esq. Greenock.\\nMr Robert Muir, Glasgow.\\nAlexander Muirhead, Esq.\\nJames Murdoch, Esq. Glasgow.\\nMrs Murray, Mountriddel.\\nReverend Mr Patrick Murray, Kilmudock.\\nJohn Murray of Lintrose, Esq.\\nWilliam Murraj^ Esq. R. N.\\nMr Professor Mylne, Glasgow.\\n2 G", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0501.jp2"}, "498": {"fulltext": "466 SUBSCRIBERS NAME!.\\nN.\\nJohn Napier of Ballikinren, Esq.\\nMr Macvey Napier, for Society for the Signet Lib*\\nbrary.\\nMajor Robert Ogilvie, JohnVplace, Leith.\\nRobert Orr, Esq.\\nMr A. Oswald, 2 copies.\\nCaptain Parker of Blochairn.\\nCharles S. Parker, Esq. Glasgow.\\nDuncan Paterson, Esq. Inverary.\\nDugald Paterson, Esq.\\nA. H. Pattison, Esq.\\nWilliam Penny, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Peters, Esq.\\nWilliam Pillans, Esq. Leith-mount.\\nPatrick Playfair, Esq. Dalmarnoch.\\nDavid Prentice, Esq. Glasgow.\\nRobert Pringle, Esq, collector of excise, Orkney.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0502.jp2"}, "499": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 467\\nR.\\nSir John Buchanan Riddel of Riddel, Bart.\\nRight Hon. Lady Frances B. Riddel.\\nJames Rankine, Esq.\\nReverend Mr Rankine, S. Knapdale.\\nRobert Rainey, Esq.\\nCaptain Raynes, Stirlingshire Militia.\\nReverend Mr Reid, New Cumnock.\\nMr Professor Richardson, Glasgow.\\nDo. for the Library of the University.\\nMatthew Richardson, Esq.\\nHenry Ritchie, Esq.\\nJames Robertson, Esq. of Sanquhar.\\nJames Robertson, Esq. John-street, Glasgow.\\nJames Robertson, Esq. do.\\nWilliam Rodger, Esq. do.\\nCharles Ross, Esq.\\nBasil Ronald, Esq. Glasgow.\\nS.\\nSir Alexander Seton, Bart.\\nColonel James Francis Scott, Ely Lodge, Fife, 2 copies.\\nMr James Sands, junior.\\nGeorge Scougall, Esq. St. JohnVplace, Leith.\\nRichard Scougall, Esq. Marionville.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0503.jp2"}, "500": {"fulltext": "468 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nJoshua Senior, Esq. Glasgow.\\nWilliam Shortridge, Esq. do.\\nJames Smith, jun, Esq. of Jordan-hill,\\nJohn Smith of Craigend, Esq.\\nJohn Smith, Esq.\\nDavid Smith, Esq.\\nStewart Smith, Esq.\\nThomas Irvine Smith, Esq.\\nArchibald Sorely, Esq. Glasgow.\\nArchibald Speirs of Elderslie, Esq. 2 copies.\\nThe Honourable, Mrs Speirs, 2 copies.\\nPeter Speirs of Culcruich, Esq. 2 copies.\\nMrs Speirs, 2 copies.\\nThomas Spens, Esq. Greenock.\\nJames Spreule of Lint- house, Esq.\\nAlexander Stewart, Esq. St Andrews-square, Glasgow.\\nMr Alexander Stewart, merchant.\\nReverend Dr Charles Stewart, Strachur.\\nDavid Stewart, Esq. late of Jamaica.\\nReverend Mr Francis Stewart, Craignish.\\nJames Stewart of Tar, Esq.\\nJames Stewart, Esq.\\nReverend Mr John Stewart, Lismore.\\nWilliam Stewart of Ardvorlich, Esq.\\nPatrick G. Stewart, Esq. Perth.\\nPeter Stewart, Esq. Kent-street, Glasgow.\\nPeter Stewart, Esq. do.\\nJohn Stewart Esq. writer do.\\nJohn Stewart of Lennieston, Esq.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0504.jp2"}, "501": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 463\\nRichard Steel, Esq. Green-head, Glasgow.\\nCharles Stirling of Kenmuir, Esq. 2 copies.\\nReverend Mr R. Stirling, for the Leightonian Library,\\nat Dunblane.\\nReverend Mr Stirling, Port.\\nStirling Subscription Library.\\nRobert Struthers, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJames Struthers, jun. Esq. do.\\nThomas Strong, Esq. Leith.\\nReverend Dr John Stuart, Luss.\\nJames Sutherland of Duffus, Esq.\\nCaptain Swinton, Loretto, Musselburgh.\\nT.\\nReverend Dr William Taylor, Principal of the Uni-\\nversity of Glasgow.\\nJohn Tennant, Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Tennant, jun. Esq.\\nAlexander Thomson, Esq. Greenock,\\nLieutenant A. Thomson, 74th regiment.\\nU.\\nDr James Ure, Glasgow,", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0505.jp2"}, "502": {"fulltext": "470 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nW.\\nLieut. Gen. Wemyss, Wemyss Castle.\\nArchibald Wallace, Esq. Glasgow.\\nDavid Walker, Esq.\\nJohn Watson, Esq.\\nReverend Mr Watson, South Ronaldsay.\\nJames Watt, Esq. Greenock.\\nMr Watt, Stirlingshire Militia.\\nJohn Weir, Esq. Greenock*\\nJohn White, Esq. Jeweller, Edinburgh, 3 copies.\\nMrs White, 3 copies.\\nJohn White, Esq. Paisley.\\nReverend Mr Whyte, Kilmarnock.\\nAlexander Wighton, Esq. George s-street, Glasgow.\\nAlexander Wilson Esq. Glasgow.\\nJohn Wilson, Esq. do.\\nJames Wilson, Esq. Hurlet.\\nJacob George Wrench, Esq. London.\\nJames Wright, Esq. Stirling.\\nThomas Wright, Esq. do.\\nReverend Mr George Wright, Markinch.\\nMr John Wyllie, Glasgow.\\nJohn Wyllie, Esq. writer, Paisley.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0506.jp2"}, "503": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 471\\nMr Professor Young of Glasgow College,\\nERRATA.\\nPage 9. line 11. For Britannnos, 1 ead Britannos.\\nS3. 7. Dele the mark of reference, and the whole\\nnote to which it refers.\\n50. 4. from the bottom, for margin, read margins.\\ni 123. 8. Dele it is.\\n176. 9. Dele also.\\ni 293. to 1. 1 Add of.\\n330. line 10. For Faceams, read Faiceams,\\n362. 9. For Cear, read Cearr.\\nEdinburgh\\nPrinted by James Ballantyne C\u00c2\u00a9\u00c2\u00bb\\n8 I", "height": "3682", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0507.jp2"}, "504": {"fulltext": "470 SUBSCRIBERS NAMES.\\nW.\\nLieut. Gen. Wemyss, Wemyss Castle.\\nArchibald Wallace, Esq. Glasgow.\\nDavid Walker, Esq.\\nJohn Watson, Esq.\\nReverend Mr WTTrC ,J\\nJohn Wyllie, Esq. writer, Paisley.", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0508.jp2"}, "505": {"fulltext": "SUBSCRIBERS NAMES. 471\\nY.\\nMr Professor Young of Glasgow College.\\nFINIS.\\nEdinburgh\\nPrinted by James Ballantjne C\u00c2\u00ae.\\n8 I\\nJ m", "height": "3868", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0509.jp2"}, "506": {"fulltext": "612", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0510.jp2"}, "507": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0511.jp2"}, "508": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0512.jp2"}, "509": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0513.jp2"}, "510": {"fulltext": "Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process.\\nNeutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide\\nTreatment Date: March 2009\\nPreservationTechnologies\\nA WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION\\n111 Thomson Park Drive\\nCranberry Township, PA 16066\\n(724)779-2111", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0514.jp2"}, "511": {"fulltext": "", "height": "3381", "width": "1901", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0515.jp2"}, "512": {"fulltext": "MR\\nM\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0H\\nBMW HHI\\nKtf?\\nHi\\nLIBRARY OF CONGRESS\\n^^H\\nI\\nran\\nI\\nI H\\nlira\\nI\\n^H\\nm\\nn\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0a\\nHi\\nI I\\n\u00e2\u0096\u00a0L\\nw", "height": "3868", "width": "2208", "jp2-path": "essayonauthentic00gra_0516.jp2"}}