CHAPTER VIII. GOES TO LONDON. LAND.-PUBLICATION TRACTS. It is obvious that when the poems passed for the composition of a Scottish Homer in the third century, whose song had been marvellously preserved for fifteen hundred years, their publication was regarded as a literary event of the first importance. The fame of it led the way. After the fashion of the times the book was to be issued by subscription; and while Blair and his friends may have been anxious that a work so flattering to the national pride should appear in Edinburgh, they looked to London to fill the list. For in London there was another Scotchman even greater than Blair, and still more conspicuous, who took a strong interest in the enterprise, and, moreover, was ready to use his influence on behalf of it. The Earl of Bute, who had become a powerful Minister on the accession of George III., was then and always distinguished by his generous patronage of literature,1 and he naturally extended his protection to a young countryman with whose friends Home and Adam Ferguson he was intimate. was probably at Bute's suggestion that it was decided to publish the work in London. It Accordingly, in the early spring of 1761, Macpherson left Edinburgh in order to superintend the printing. Robert Chalmers was his companion on the journey. It is not recorded where he lodged when he first arrived in London; but he brought good introductions. Hume, for instance, gave him the following letter to William Strahan, the publisher : "Dear Sir, “Edinburgh, 9th February, 1761. "I cannot give you a better return for your obliging Letter than by introducing to your Acquaintance the Bearer, Mr. M'Pherson, who translated some Fragments of Highland Poetry, which have been extremely well received by the Public, and have probably come to your hands. He has also translated a larger Work, a Narrative Poem of great Antiquity, which lay in Obscurity, would probably have been bury'd in Oblivion, if he had not retrieved it. He proposes to print 1 1It was Bute who gave Johnson a pension in 1762. 1 you it by Subscription, and his Friends here are very busy in procuring him Encouragement. He goes up to London with the same intention; and may readily believe, that I advis'd him to think of nobody but our Friend, Mr. Millar, in disposing of the Copy. He will probably need your Advice in several Particulars; and as he is an entire stranger in London, you will naturally of yourself be inclin'd to assist him. He is also very worthy of your Friendship; being a sensible, modest young Fellow, a very good Scholar, and of unexceptionable Morals. I have advis'd him to be at first on a Footing of Confidence with you ; and hope you will receive him as one who merits your Friendship. "I am, dear Sir, "Your most obedient Servant, "DAVID HUME." Macpherson found himself an object of interest to the literary circles of London; and his work was awaited there with as much eagerness as in Edinburgh. The Fragments were reprinted by Dodsley,' and parts of the new translation were handed about in manuscript. The first book of Fingal was sent to Horace Walpole, probably by the translator 1 On April 14, 1761, Macpherson received ten guineas from Dodsley for the right of printing a new edition. See catalogue of the sale of Mr. Lewis Pocock's Johnsoniana, May, 1875. (Copy in Brit. Mus.) himself. Writing on 14th April, Walpole expressed his high admiration of its beautiful images and its natural sentiment. He noted more especially that there was none of that particularisation of the persons, that frequent recurrence of he said, and he replied, which deformed Homer; but to avoid confusion he had, as he informed his correspondent, advised Macpherson to have the names prefixed to the persons, as in a play. This Macpherson did, wherever he thought it necessary. Walpole declared that all his doubts on the score of authenticity had completely vanished. In Ireland it was not interest so much as suspicion, and even anger, that was aroused by Macpherson's work. The rumour that the poems of Ossian, an ancient Highland bard, were about to be published by a Scotchman, had, of course, reached that country. The Irish declared that the Scotchman was stealing their national heroes; and before a line of the poems was published, there came a singular protest from Dublin, in the shape of an advertisement earnestly entreating the public to wait for a version of the deeds of Fingal which would at least be genuine. It does not appear that any such version was published, or that anything came of the protest, which on the face of it was only meant to be mischievous.1 The first part of Macpherson's translations was published in London in the beginning of December, 1761, and a few days later in Edinburgh. Those who are curious in such matters may be pleased to know that it was brought out 1 The advertisement, inserted in Faulkner's Dublin Journal for 1st December, 1761, was in the following terms: Speedily will be published by a gentleman of this kingdom, who hath been, for some time past, employed in translating and writing Historical Notes to it, FINGAL, A POEM. Originally wrote in the Irish or Erse language. In the preface to which, the translator, who is a perfect master of the Irish tongue, will give an account of the manners of the antient Irish or Scotch; and therefore most humbly intreats the public to wait for his edition, which will appear in a short time, as he will set forth all the blunders and absurdities in the edition now printing in London, and show the ignorance of the English translator, in his knowledge of Irish grammar, not understanding any part of that accidence." "Walpole's Letters, iii. 466. See also Boswell's Correspondence with the Hon. A. Erskine, ed. Dr. Birkbeck Hill, under the dates 16th and 17th December, 1761. It is always stated that Fingal appeared in 1762, which is the date on the title-page of the first edition; but this is explained by the common practice of publishers, then and now, in the case when a book is issued in the last few weeks of the year, to describe it as appearing in the next year. |