f the
Ossianic poems, but also to their literary value; it cannot be altogether
ignored in this account. The principal facts upon which it turned may be
given in a nut-shell. In 1759 Mr. John Home, author of the tragedy of
"Douglas," who had become interested in the subject of Gaelic poetry, met
in Dumfriesshire a young Scotchman, named James MacPherson, who was
traveling as private tutor to Mr. Graham of Balgowan. MacPherson had in
his possession a number of manuscripts which, he said, were transcripts
of Gaelic poems taken down from the recital of old people in the
Highlands. He translated two of these for Home, who was so much struck
with them that he sent or showed copies to Dr. Hugh Blair, Professor of
Rhetoric in the University of Edinburgh. At the solicitation of Dr.
Blair and Mr. Home, MacPherson was prevailed upon to make further
translations from the materials in his hands; and these, to the number of
sixteen, were published in the "Fragments" already mentioned, with a
preface of eight pages by Blair. They attracted so much attention in
Edinburgh that a subscription was started, to send the compiler through
the Highlands in search of more Gaelic poetry.

The result of the researches was "Fingal, an Ancient Epic Poem in Six
Books: Together with several other poems, composed by Ossian the son of
Fingal. Translated from the Gaelic language by James MacPherson,"
London, 1762; together with "Temora, an Ancient Epic Poem in Eight
Books," etc., etc., London, 1763. MacPherson asserted that he had made
his versions from Gaelic poems ascribed to Ossian or Oisin, the son of
Fingal or Finn MacCumhail, a chief renowned in Irish and Scottish song
and popular legend. Fingal was the king of Morven, a district of the
western Highlands, and head of the ancient warlike clan or race of the
Feinne or Fenians. Tradition placed him in the third century and
connected him with the battle of Gabhra, fought in 281. His son,
Ossian, the warrior-bard, survived all his kindred. Blind and old,
seated in his empty hall, or the cave of the rock; alone save for the
white-armed Malvina, bride of his dead son, Oscar, he struck the harp and
sang the memories of his youth: "a tale of the times of old."

MacPherson translated--or composed--his "Ossian" in an exclamatory,
abrupt, rhapsodical prose, resembling somewhat the English of Isaiah and
others of the books of the prophets. The manners described were heroic,
the state of societ