published anonymously in 1760 his _Fragments of Ancient
Poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland and translated from the
Gaelic or Erse Language_. This publication contained in all fifteen
translations, preceded by a preface from the pen of Blair. Published
under such auspices, Macpherson's venture was bound to succeed. In the
preface it was stated that among other ancient poems an epic of
considerable length existed in Gaelic, and that if sufficient
encouragement were forthcoming the author of the versions would
undertake to recover and translate the same. A subscription was raised
at once, and Macpherson set out on a journey of exploration in the
Highlands and islands. As the result of this tour, on which he was
accompanied by two or three competent Gaelic scholars, Macpherson
published in London in 1762 a large quarto containing his epic styled
_Fingal_ with fifteen other smaller poems. In the following year a still
larger epic appeared with the title of _Temora_. It was in eight books,
and contained a number of notes in addition to _Cath-Loda_ and other
pieces, along with the seventh book of _Temora_ in Gaelic as a specimen
of the original. Ten years later a new edition of the whole was issued.
The authenticity of Macpherson's translations was soon impugned by Dr
Johnson, Hume and Malcolm Laing, and the author was urged by his friends
to publish the originals. Macpherson prevaricated, even though the
Highlanders of India sent him a cheque for L1000 to enable him to
vindicate the antiquity of their native literature. Macpherson at
different times, and particularly towards the end of his life, seems to
have had some intention of publishing the Gaelic of his Ossian, but he
was naturally deterred by the feeling that his knowledge of Gaelic was
becoming shakier with his continued absence from the Highlands. At any
rate he left behind a quantity of Gaelic matter in MS. which was
ultimately published by the Highland Society of London in 1807. This
MS., however, was revised and transcribed by Ross and afterwards
destroyed, so that we are ignorant of its nature. The Highland Society
also instituted an inquiry into the whole question, but their
conclusions were somewhat negative. They succeeded in establishing that
the characters introduced by Macpherson were familiar in the Highlands
and that Ossianic ballads really existed, which Macpherson had utilized.
Macpherson's claims still found ardent advocates, such as Clark,