Notes on the Authenticity of Ossian's Poemsauthor, 1868 - 76 pages |
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Page 5
... given to these works is well known . It is sufficient here to observe that they were , in the first year after their publication , trans- lated into almost all the languages of Europe . Macpherson was soon assailed by scepticism as to ...
... given to these works is well known . It is sufficient here to observe that they were , in the first year after their publication , trans- lated into almost all the languages of Europe . Macpherson was soon assailed by scepticism as to ...
Page 11
... * The Gaelic here is not very correctly written , but the present writer has given it without alteration , as printed in the Highland Society's Re- port . Bha sòlas balbh am bhroilleach shuas , Bhi ghruaigh mar THE POEMS OF OSSIAN . II.
... * The Gaelic here is not very correctly written , but the present writer has given it without alteration , as printed in the Highland Society's Re- port . Bha sòlas balbh am bhroilleach shuas , Bhi ghruaigh mar THE POEMS OF OSSIAN . II.
Page 16
... given place to more modern compositions . Even forty years after Macpherson's tour , when the Committee of the High- land Society commenced their investigation , the reciters were much reduced in numbers , although even then enough were ...
... given place to more modern compositions . Even forty years after Macpherson's tour , when the Committee of the High- land Society commenced their investigation , the reciters were much reduced in numbers , although even then enough were ...
Page 21
... given to the public . " The Rev. Donald Macleod , minister of Glenelg , writ- ing to Dr Blair , of date 26th March 1764 , says : 66 * It was in my house that Mr Macpherson got the description of Cuchullin's horses and car in ' Fingal ...
... given to the public . " The Rev. Donald Macleod , minister of Glenelg , writ- ing to Dr Blair , of date 26th March 1764 , says : 66 * It was in my house that Mr Macpherson got the description of Cuchullin's horses and car in ' Fingal ...
Page 26
... given Mr Macpherson a copy of it at full length . " All that can be said of my translation of these pieces is , that it is extremely literal , and that it was not attempted to imitate the conciseness and strength of the original . " I ...
... given Mr Macpherson a copy of it at full length . " All that can be said of my translation of these pieces is , that it is extremely literal , and that it was not attempted to imitate the conciseness and strength of the original . " I ...
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Common terms and phrases
acquainted Adam Ferguson ancient Gaelic poetry appears assisted AUTHENTICITY OF OSSIAN'S authority Badenoch bards Battle of Lora beauties Becket Blair's Letter Book Boswell Captain Morison Carthon Clanranald collection and translation combat composition Conloch contained copy Cuthullin Dargo Darthula Dean of Lismore's Death of Oscar Dr Blair Dr John Edinburgh Erse evidence Ewan Macpherson Ferguson Fingal Fingalians forgery fragments friends Gaelic language Gaelic Ossian Gaelic poems Gallie's gentleman Giraldus Cambrensis heard Highland Society Highland Society's Committee imposture Irish Poetry James Macpherson John Home Johnson Lachlan Macpherson Laing says Laing's M'Lagan Mackenzie Macpher Macpherson of Strathmashie Macpherson's translation Miss Brooke never old manuscripts oral recitation Ossian's poems Ossianic poetry passage pherson pieces poems of Ossian poet poetical published remains of ancient Scotland Sir John Sir John Sinclair Sleat songs South Uist Spirit of Loda Strath Swaran Temora tion transcribed from old Uist writing
Popular passages
Page 47 - MR. JAMES MACPHERSON, I received your foolish and impudent letter. Any violence offered me I shall do my best to repel; and what I cannot do for myself, the law shall do for me. I hope I shall never be deterred from detecting what I think a cheat, by the menaces of a ruffian.
Page 43 - The Scots have something to plead for their easy reception of an improbable fiction : they are seduced by their fondness for their supposed ancestors. A Scotchman must be a very sturdy SECOND SIGHT 177 moralist, who does not love Scotland better than truth : he will always love it better than inquiry ; and if falsehood flatters his vanity, will not be very diligent to detect it.
Page 10 - I inquired the success of his journey, and he produced several volumes, small octavo, or rather large duodecimo, in the Gaelic language and characters, being the poems of Ossian and other ancient bards. "I remember perfectly...
Page 39 - I assisted him in collecting them ; and took down from oral tradition, and transcribed from old manuscripts, by far the greatest part of those pieces he has published. Since the publication, I have carefully compared the translation with the copies of the originals in my hands, and find it amazingly literal, even in such a degree as to preserve, in some measure, the cadence of the Gaelic versification.
Page 57 - Though the taste, which defines genius by the points of the compass, is a subject fit for mirth in itself, it is often a serious matter in the sale of a work. When rivers define the limits of abilities, as well as the boundaries of countries, a writer may measure his success by the latitude under which he was born.
Page 43 - I believe they never existed in any other form than that which we have seen. The editor, or author, never could shew the original; nor can it be shewn by any other; to revenge reasonable incredulity, by refusing evidence, is a degree of insolence, with which the world is not yet acquainted ; and stubborn audacity is the last refuge of guilt.
Page 43 - He has doubtless inserted names that circulate in popular stories, and may have translated some wandering ballads, if any can be found ; and the names, and some of the images being recollected, make an inaccurate auditor imagine, by the help of Caledonian bigotry, that he has formerly heard the whole.
Page 56 - Author may have improved his language, in the eleven years, that the following Poems have been in the hands of the Public. Errors in diction might have been committed at twenty-four, which the experience of a riper age may remove ; and some exuberances in imagery may be restrained, with advantage, by a degree of judgment acquired in the progress of time. Impressed with this opinion, he ran over the whole with attention and accuracy; and, he hopes, he has brought the work to a state of correctness,...
Page 15 - ... have been lucky enough to lay my hands on a pretty complete poem, and truly epic, concerning Fingal, The antiquity of it is easily ascertained, and it is not only superior to any thing in that language, but reckoned not inferior to the more polite performances of other nations in that way. I have some thoughts of publishing the original, if it will not clog the work too much.
Page 15 - I am favoured with your last letter, enclosing four poems, for which I am much obliged to you. I beg you send me what more you can conveniently...