OSSIANIC MUSIC.

It is fortunately in our power to lay before our readers a specimen of the music to which some parts of the poems of Ossian were formerly sung. It was transmitted to Sir John Sinclair by the Reverend John Cameron, minister of the parish of Halkirk, in the county of Caithness, who had learned it from a very old man in his parish many years ago, and who was accustomed to sing some of the poems of Ossian to that tune, with infinite delight and enthusiasm. Every connoisseur in music will at once see, that the tune, from its simplicity, wildness, and peculiar structure, must be an ancient composition. The bass is added to it by Mr. Corri of Edinburgh.

There are many more of these tunes handed down with the poems, which are equally worthy of being laid before the public; but the Committee deem it sufficient to insert in this work only one specimen.

BRIEF NOTICES of Books which treat of the CELTIC, GAELIC, IRISH, and WELSH LANGUAGES, ANTIQUITIES, MANNERS, and CUSTOMS; also of GAELIC and IRISH MSS. still existing in Great Britain and Ireland.

Those having an asterick * prefixed are quoted in Sir JOHN SINCLAIR'S Dissertation, Vol. I.-Those with this mark are quoted in Mr. M'ARTHUR'S Notes to Cesarotti's Dissertation, or in the SUPPLEMENTAL OBSERVATIONS; and when the two marks are prefixed, they indicate being quoted both in the DISSERTATION and SUPPLEMENTAL OBSERVATIONS.

LE Rosier Historial de France, contenant par maniere de chronique and par années distinctes les faits et gestes des François, des Anglois, des Ecossois, des Espagnols, et autres dignes de memoire, depuis Pharamond premier Roi de François, jusqu' en 1517. Paris 1522 in folio. A copy printed on vellum, with portraits, was in Mons. Gaignat's library at Paris before the Revolution.

* The History of Scotland to the death of James I. in 17 books, by Hector Boethius. It was originally written in Latin, and the first edition was printed in folio at Paris, in 1526.-It was translated into the Scottish language by John Ballanden, Archdeacon of Murray, who died at Rome in 1550.-Another edition in Latin, with the 18th, and part of the 19th, book, was printed in folio at Sausan, in 1574. This work was afterwards carried down to the end of the reign of James III. by J. Ferrerius, a native of Piedmont, and it was published in English by R. Holinshed, in his English Chronicles, Vol. I. London, 1577. The style of Boethius has been remarked "to have all the purity of Cæsar's, and is so nervous, both in the reflection and diction, that he seems to have absolutely entered into the gravity of Livy, and made it his own."

English and Welsh Dictionary, by Wm. Salesbury, was first privately presented to King Henry VIII, (the author's kind patron) and afterwards printed, London, 1545.-4to.

+ Description of the Western Isles of Scotland, by Donald Monro, High Dean of the Isles. In this work there is an accurate account of the language, manners, and customs of the Highlanders, from observations made in the Dean's tour through the Isles in 1549. This work is often quoted by George Buchannan and other writers; and Bishop Nicolson, in his Scottish Historical Library, printed in 1736, quotes from the MS.-An edition of this work was published at Edinburgh in 1774"

+ Ecclesiastica Historia Gentis Anglorum libri quinque, Beda Anglorum Saxone Authore. Ecclesiastical History of Britain, by Bede. Antwerp, 1550.-Another edition was printed at Cologn in 1601. It was printed in folio with the Saxon version, attributed to King Alfred, with notes by Abraham Theloe, at Cambridge, in 1644, and at Paris, 1681, in 4to. with the notes of Francis Chifflet.-There was an edition published by G. Smith, at Cambridge, in 1722, with notes and dissertations. This author flourished in the middle of the 7th century, and Bayle observes, that there is scarce any thing in all antiquity worthy to be read which is not to be found in Bede, though he travelled not out of his own country; and that if he had flourished in the times of St. Augustine, Jerome, or Chrysostom, he would undoubtedly have equalled them, since even in the midst of a superstitious age, he wrote so many excellent treatises.

+ Scoti-chronicon, by John Fordun, the Father of Scottish History. This author flourished in the 14th century. In his history there are some curious and valuable particulars, which have been quoted by subsequent historians, among which may be classed the Salutation of the Highland Bard, or Genealogist, at the coronation of Alex. III. in 1249, cited by Skinner in his Ecclesiastical History, and noticed in p. 305, Supplemental Observations.-A MS. on vellum of this historian is in the library of the University of Edinburgh.

↑ De Historia Gentis Scotorum, seu Historia Majoris Britanniæ. Jo. Major. Paris, 1521, 4to. This author was born at Haddington, in Scotland, in 1469, and went to study at Paris in 1493. In 1505 he was created Doctor in Divinity, and returned to Scotland in 1519, and taught theology for several years in the University of St. Andrews. In 1530 he was chosen Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews, where be afterwards became Provost, and is said to have died about 1547.

Histoire memorabile des Expeditions faites par les Gaulois, depuis le Deluge, tant en France qu'en Asie et autres parties du monde, le tout en bref et epitome, pour montrer avec quels moyens l'Empire des Infideles peut et doit par eux etre defait; par Guil. Postel. Paris, 1552, in 12mo. This work is very curious and scarce. It is divided into two parts: the first treats of the Gauls from the remotest periods; the second part is an apology for the Gauls against their detractors, and contains an account of the ancient rites and usages of the Gaulish people.

The Palice of Honour, by Gawin Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld. This is a most ingenious poem, under the similitude of a vision; in which the author delineates the vanity of inconstancy of all worldly glory. Among other works of this author, we have a translation of Virgil's Æneis into Scottish verse, every book having its particular prologue, printed in 1553, London, 4to. and reprinted at Edin. 1710, in folio. In 1515 Gawin Douglas was appointed Bishop of Dunkeld, and in 1522 died in London of the plague, and was buried in the Savoy. De Prisca Celto-pædea Joan Piccardus, 1556, 4to.

*The poetical Works of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount, Lion King at Arms in Scotland, under James V. containing the Dreme, or Marvellous Vision, the Complaynt, the Satyre of the Three Estates, and other poems. His works were first printed in 4to. and 12mo. in 1558, about one year after his death, and between that period and 1634 twelve English and Scottish editions were printed; among the subsequent editions, one was published by Mr. Pinkerton, and another by Mr. Sibbald. There has been recently printed a new edition of Lyndsay's Works, with a Life of the Author, Prefatory Dissertations on the Chronology, and various editions of his poems.--Philological Enquiries respecting the Teutonic language of Scotland, &c. and an appropriate Glossary, by George Chalmers, Esq. in 3 vols. 12mo. Lyndsay is much admired for the ease and elegance of his versification, and for his morals, satires, and general learning.

+ Chronica Angliæ, Scotia, et Hiberniæ.-The English, Scottish, and Irish Chronicles, containing an historical description of the Island of Britain, in 3 books, by Wm. Harrison. "The Historie of England, from the time it was first inhabited until the time it was last conquered," by R. Holinshed. "The Description, Conquest, Inhabitation, and Troublesome Estate of Ireland," by Richard Stanehurst. "The N n

VOL. III.