J. F. CAMPBELL.

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Kilmallie Manse, September 25, 1875.

SIR,--There is no man living who has done so much for Gaelic literature
as Mr Campbell, and, just in proportion to my sense of the greatness of
his services, is my reluctance to put myself, even for a moment, in
opposition to him. But his opinion on the Ossianic question, expressed
in his letter, constrains me to oppose him.

One word as to what he says about Jerome Stone's MS. Dr Laing kindly
lent it to me, and it is now in my possession. I referred to it
frequently in my edition of Ossian, 1870. Had I known that Mr Campbell
wished to see it, I would gladly place it at his service. There is no
mystification about this MS.; and I am sorry to say that it will not
turn the scale either way in the present controversy.

But to the main point. Mr Campbell holds "that the Gaelic Ossian of 1807
is a manifest translation from English." Dr Johnson expressed the same
opinion more than a hundred years ago; but while Mr Campbell can speak
with a thousandfold the authority of the great moralist, who knew
nothing of Gaelic, yet even Mr Campbell submits no positive proofs to
support his decision--no new fact of any kind. As far as external
evidence goes, he founds his opinion entirely on what is negative. Now,
I submit that the history of the case presents many undoubted facts all
going to prove the priority of the Gaelic to the English Ossian, and
these facts must be disposed of before Mr Campbell's conclusions can be
adopted.

Let me say in one word that I do not for a moment pretend to solve the
Ossianic mystery. Any theory which has yet been proposed presents
serious difficulties, but I maintain that Mr Campbell's presents the
greatest of all, and in the present state of our knowledge cannot be
adopted.

For proof, I must submit a brief outline of facts certified in the
report of the Highland Society on the subject, and which, though they
are undeniable, are often unaccountably overlooked in the controversy.

1. It is the case that Macpherson, before publishing in English, got
several Gaelic MSS., which he acknowledged in his letters still extant,
and which he showed to his friends; further, that he asked and obtained
the assistance of some of these friends--Captain Morison, Rev. Mr Gallie,
and, above all, Strathmashie--to translate them into English.

2. It is a most important