fact that when challenged to produce his
Gaelic MSS., he advertised that they were deposited at his
booksellers--Beckett & De Hondt, Strand, London--and offered to publish
them if a sufficient number of subscribers came forward. The booksellers
certify that his MSS. had lain for twelve months at their place of
business.

3. It is a fact that several persons, well able to judge of the matter,
and of unimpeachable character, such as the Rev. Dr Macpherson, of
Sleat; Rev. Mr Macleod, of Glenelg; Rev. Mr Macneill, &c., &c., did, in
1763--that is, 44 years before the publication of the Gaelic
Ossian--compare Macpherson's English with Gaelic recited by various
persons in their respective neighbourhoods. They give the names of these
persons, and they certify that they found the Gaelic poetry recited by
these, who never had any correspondence with Macpherson, to correspond
in many instances--to the extent of hundreds of lines--with his English.
One very significant fact is brought out in these certifications, that
Gaelic was found to agree with Macpherson's English in cases where he
never gave Gaelic. The English Ossian contains various poems for which
he never gave Gaelic; but here Gaelic, corresponding to his English, is
found in the mouths of people with whom he never held any communication.

Now, what are we to say to all these things? Shall we believe that
Macpherson advertised his MSS. when he had none? The belief implies that
he was insane, which we know was not the case. And are we further to
believe that such men as the above deliberately attested what they knew
to be false, and what, if false, might easily be proved to be so? It is
impossible for a moment to receive such a supposition.

But it is said these, though good men, were prejudiced, spoke loosely,
and therefore are not to be relied on in this enlightened and critical
age. This, however, is assuming a great deal, and in so doing is
_un_critical. Prejudice is at work in the nineteenth century even as it
was in the eighteenth. These men had far better opportunities of judging
the matter than we have. They give their judgment distinctly and
decidedly, and I never yet saw any good reason for setting that judgment
aside.

I must add further, on the historic evidence, that several Gaelic
pieces, and these among the gems of Ossianic poetry, were published by
Gillies in 1786; that some of these are found in the Irvine MS. about
1800; that there is no proof of Macp