rhapsodies. They were first brought to Greece by Lycurgus, but it was at Athens where they were digested into regular order, by the anxious care of Solon, Pisistratus, and his son Hipparchus.* Nor was it an easy undertaking, to re-establish the text in its original purity. In order to obtain that important object, it was found necessary to consult the most able grammarians, and to promise rewards to those who could produce the most authentic fragments, either of the Iliad, or the Odyssey. After a long and troublesome investigation, however, the Athenians were at last enabled to display to the eyes of astonished Greece, those wonderful and splendid poems, in that state in which they have since been handed down to us. † A modern author has remarked, that the great names we have just mentioned, might claim the same merit in regard to Homer, that the editor of Fingal is entitled to from Ossian; yet how different was the fate of the two bards? As to Homer, philosophers and statesmen

See Pope's Essay on Homer, prefaced to the Iliad.

+ Introduction au Voyage de la Greece, par le jeune Anacharsis, 4to. edit. vol. I. p. 52.

Wood, p. 279. How different also was the conduct of the Grecian and the Celtic editors? In the case of the former, every step was taken, that could possibly do justice to his talents, or embellish his works; whereas, in regard to the latter, from the conduct which Macpherson pursued, his very existence, in the opinions of some, was held to be problematical.

united to collect the genuine effusions of his muse, and to expunge whatever was considered in any degree to be doubtful or exceptionable; whereas, in the case of the Celtic bard, his character and fame were abandoned, to the exertions of private zeal and industry, and from the beginning had a host of enemies to encounter.

$ IX.

Whether the Objections which have been made to the Authenticity of Ossian, have any just foundation?

Ir may be proper in this place, briefly to consider some objections to the authenticity of Ossian, which have not been touched upon in the former part of this discussion. These are, 1. That the manners described in those poems, are too refined for a state of society supposed to be barbarous: 2. That the constant imitation of the scriptures, (with which Macpherson was familiarly acquainted), of the classics, and other well known publications, sufficiently prove, that it was a recent forgery: 3. That the poems are similar to those which Macpherson had written in his youth: 4. That the identity of the poems is not clearly proved; and 5. That Macpherson himself ac

knowledged his being the author, and consequently, that the whole was a fabrication.

1.

That refinement of manners so conspicuous in all the poems ascribed to Ossian, has rather a tendency to prove their authenticity than otherwise; for no forger would ever have thought of such a circumstance, but would naturally have given the personages he described, a character more suited to the modern ideas of a distant age. The fact, however, is, that whatever liberties might be taken by Roman historians, with the character of those whom they considered to be in a state of barbarism, and against whom they entertained the most hostile prejudices; yet those best acquainted with the country, namely, the historians and bards both of Ireland and Scotland, uniformly represent the Celtic tribes at that time, as distinguished by the most exalted sentiments. It is proper indeed here to observe, that the beautiful and manly sentiments which those poems contain, contributed much to their long preservation. A clergyman in the Highlands, in a letter to the author of this paper, gives a just idea of the feelings of the Highlanders upon this subject. "When I came to

"this country (Strathnaver), in the year 1766, "I conversed with several old intelligent men, "who talked much of Ossian's poems; who, "with facility repeated many of them, and regretted that the poetic fire was almost extin

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guished in the Highlands. After repeating 66 some of these poems with great emphasis, they "would exclaim, Who now-a-days is able to

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compose such poems, replete with such senti"ments, such tropes and images? But would add, "had you heard our fathers and grandfathers, "as we have heard them, repeat these sublime lays, they would have charmed you. They "did more justice to their merit, than we can,

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having the Gaelic purer, and having greater delight in such compositions."*

This general objection has been so fully

swered in various publications, that it is unnecessary here to dwell upon it. The following

* Extracted from a letter written by the Rev. Mr. William Mackenzie, minister of Tongue in Strathnaver, to Sir John Sinclair, dated 8th Sept. 1805.

+ See Report of the Highland Society, p. 148; Appendix to ditto, p. 72. A preliminary discourse to some of Ossian's lesser poems, rendered into verse, by Archd. M'Donald, 1 vol. 8vo. printed at Liverpool, anno 1805, p. 125, &c.; also the Literary Journal, vol. IV. No. 2, p. 121, written by John Macdiarmid, Esq. the ingenious author of " An Inquiry into the system of National Defence in Great Britain," and other useful publications.

observation, however, is so just in itself, and so happily stated in the Report of the Highland Society, that it cannot be too generally known. "In considering this matter, the Committee begs "leave to suggest, that some allowance ought always to be made for the colouring of poetry, "on the manners and sentiments of the heroic persons of whom it speaks. If Ossian, or who"ever he was, who composed the poems

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in

question, had that humanity and tenderness "which are so generally the attendants on ge"nius, he might, though he could not create manners of which there was no archetype in "life, transfuse into his poetical narrative, a portion of imaginary delicacy and gentleness, "which, while it flatters the feelings of the poet "himself, gives at the same time a dignity, a grace, and an interest to his picture

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2.

The variety of classical, and other similar allusions in Macpherson's translation, is another ground of objection. But it is idle to suppose, that the same idea, and nearly the same expressions, should not occur to different persons, in different countries, if they are similarly cir

Report of the Highland Society, p. 150.