CORRESPONDENCE AND REMINISCENCES,

REGARDING THE PUBLICATION OF THE POEMS OF

OSSIAN IN THE ORIGINAL.

VARIOUS circumstances, which I shall briefly detail, contributed to impress me with a thorough conviction of the authenticity of the Poems of Ossian, as being the real productions of a Celtic bard, and not fabricated by Mr James Macpherson.

1. I knew Mr Macpherson well, and we frequently discussed the subject together, both at his house in London, and at his villa in its neighbourhood. He was indignant at the idea of having any hand in an imposture, or at any doubt being entertained, that the poems he had published were any thing but translations from genuine Celtic poetry; and he explained to me, from time to time, the steps he was taking, to get the poems published in the language in which they were composed.

2. A gentleman from the Isle of Sky, (Captain John Macdonald of Breakish,) came to reside on my estate in Caithness, who was much distinguished for his knowledge of Gaelic poetry, and who had furnished Mr Macpherson with several of the poems he had translated. Being examined upon oath before a magistrate, on the 25th September 1805, Captain Macdonald declared, "That he was then in the 78th year of

his age: That when young he could repeat a great many of Ossian's poems, of different lengths and number of verses, which he had learned from an old man about eighty years of age: That he was well acquainted with the late Mr James Macpherson: That he had met with him at the Rev. Dr John Macpherson's house in the Isle of Sky: That he had sung many of those poems to him, and that Mr James Macpherson took them down as he repeated them."

3. In the upper parts of my estates in Caithness, a race of genuine Highlanders had resided for ages. I had requested the Rev. Mr Cameron, the clergyman of that district, to send me any information he could procure regarding some Celtic music, as well as poetry to be found in that neighbourhood. It was difficult to get the air I particularly wished, as it rarely happened, that persons accustomed to note down music, visited those remote parts; and though Mr Cameron could sing it, he could not put it upon paper. I was at last, however, agreeably surprised, by receiving a letter from Mr Cameron, dated Halkirk in Caithness, 19th December 1807, of which the following is an extract, in so far as respects the specimen of Gaelic music.

poem,

"The and the air to which it was sung, of the copy I had more than thirty-five years ago, from one Murdo Bain in Dirlet, a man quite blind, deaf, and infirm, from old age; he being then, I am persuaded, about one hundred years old. He could not tell his age, nor any thing else, more especially any thing of recent date, so distinctly, nor with such pleasure, as he repeated the poem. He was happy, at any occasion he got, to repeat it; and never attempted to do so, without an extraordinary exertion to compose himself for it, taking great care, in particular, when he began, to uncover his graybald-shaking head. It diffused a glow of joy over his whole frame, old and infirm as it was. That, and some other poems of an inferior character, were handed down in his family, from generation to generation, as a most sacred trust and deposit ;

and it seems to have been faithfully and sacredly perpetuated among them all, till his own time, when it was dropt, though he had children and grandchildren at his death, some of whom are still alive. His Paternoster was not more sacred in his estimation; and I am persuaded he could not repeat his prayers with more fervour and devotion."

This is probably the most ancient piece of music now extant; and having been the means of rescuing it from oblivion, I have thought it right to insert a copy of it in the Appendix. It is considered, by the ablest judges, to be a most beautiful air; and the conclusions of both sections are accounted truly ancient and original. 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 was added to it by Mr Corri of Edinburgh.

It must be admitted, that the conduct of Mr Macpherson tended to render the subject of the authenticity doubtful and mysterious; for he struggled hard with his pride before a regard for the interests of truth induced him at last to leave behind him the original Gaelic poetry, expressly for the purpose of being published. Had he destroyed these manuscripts, his claims to be considered as the original author would have received such additional confirmation, as would have rendered it extremely difficult indeed, at the present moment, to have refuted them. He not only left the manuscripts, however, but also a legacy of one thousand pounds to his executor, John Mackenzie, Esq. to defray the expense of preparing for the press, and publishing the original poems.

Mr Mackenzie had many difficulties to encounter in carrying through this undertaking; but he had made the necessary arrangements with Messrs Nicol and Bulmer as publishers, and a proof of the first sixteen pages had been actually printed and sent to him, when he unfortunately died.

As the publication of such a work was not consistent with the professional avocations of his executor, (Mr George Mackenzie, assistant surgeon to the 42d Regiment), he resolved to put the manuscripts into the hands of the Secretary of the Highland Society of London, for the purpose of publication. On the 17th of May 1804, a Committee was appointed to superintend the execution of the work. Being appointed Chairman *, I resolved, that no time should be lost in carrying it on with energy. Many obstacles, however, occurred, to the speedy completion of the work. It was judged necessary to have, not only the several poems, but the arguments, or prefatory notices to each, translated into Latin. An eminent Latin and Gaelic scholar, Mr Robert Macfarlan, was employed for that purpose; but he was accidentally killed by a carriage in one of the contested Middlesex elections, and it was found extremely difficult to supply his place. The proofs also were sent to Scotland, to be revised by some eminent Gaelic scholars there. Some time was required, to enable me to complete the new evidence I had fortunately discovered in support of the authenticity; and it was not till the year 1807, that the whole work, in three volumes large octavo, was published. There was no literary undertaking, from the ultimate completion of which I derived more satisfaction. It had been asserted, by the celebrated Dr Samuel Johnson, "That the poems of Ossian never existed in any other form than that which we had seen;-that the editor, or author, never could shew the original, nor could it be shewn by any other ;—that it was too long to be remembered;-that the Gaelic language, formerly had nothing written;—and that the editor, (Macpherson), had doubtless inserted names that circulated in popular stories, and might have translated some wandering ballads, if any could be found; and that the names, and some of the

• The other members of the Committee were Sir John Macpherson, Bart.; Sir John Macgregor Murray, Bart.; John Macarthur, Esq. of York Place, Portman Square, (who took an active part in the undertaking); Alexander Fraser, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn, Secretary of the Society; and Mr Colin Macrae, of the Temple, the Deputy Secretary.

images being recollected, make an inaccurate auditor imagine, by the help of Caledonian bigotry, that he had formerly heard the whole *"

There cannot be a more satisfactory answer to such groundless assertions, than the fact, that the Gaelic originals are now published; and in the opinion of those who are best acquainted with that language, the work not only furnishes complete internal evidence of its own originality, but is in fact greatly superior, in point of poetical merit, to the English version. The general question, therefore, is at length reduced to a very narrow compass, and may be discussed under the following heads:

1. Whether the late Mr Macpherson composed what are called the Poems of Ossian in English, and then translated them into Gaelic?

2. Whether the Gaelic was not the original, and the English a translation?

3. Whether that original is not genuine ancient poetry?

As to the first point, it is manifestly unlikely, that Mr Macpherson should first have composed what he calls the Poems of Ossian, in English, and that though he wished the world should believe he was the author of them, should take the trouble of translating them into Gaelic; and that he afterwards should leave behind him a Gaelic version for publication, bequeathing a sum of money for defraying the expense.

As to the second point, it will appear from an impartial and critical collation of the original Gaelic with the English version, that the Gaelic must necessarily have been anterior, and that the English translation by Macpherson, however much it has been admired, conveys in reality a very faint and imperfect idea indeed, of the singular merit, and peculiar beauties, by which the genuine poetry of the Celtic bard is so happily distinguished.

As to the third point, various circumstances are brought forward, to prove, that the Celtic tribes in general, were ad

• Dr Johnson's Journey to the Western Isles, edit. 1798, p. 205.