Ossian Collection > Notes on the authenticity of Ossian's poems

THE POEMS OF OSSIAN. 41
pherson in his collections, stood, in point of knowledge,
Dr Blair; and he, writing to Mr Mackenzie on the
,20th December 1797, says:""" "Scepticism has indeed
been entertained by many how far his work, supposing
it to be no imposture on the whole, could be relied
upon as an accurate and faithful translation of his
Gaelic originals ? That in some of the longer works
lie may have combined and brought together some
pieces which he found scattered and broken ; and that,
in comparing the different copies which he frequently
found of the same poem, either in manuscript or by
rehearsal, he selected from them all such as he thought
the best readings, I make no doubt, nor did he himself
seek to disown it. I also think it probable that he
may have left out some rudenesses and extravagances
which he might occasionally find in the old Gaelic
songs. But, after all the inquiries I have been at pains
to make, I can find no ground to suspect that his devia-
tions from the original text were at all considerable, or
his interpolations any more than what were simply ne-
cessary to connect together pieces of one whole which he
found disjointed. That his work, as it stands, exhibits
a genuine authentic view of ancient Gaelic poetry, I
am as firmly persuaded as I can be of anything."
The view taken by Dr Blair of the mode of arrange-
ment of the pieces collected by Macpherson, is to a
certain extent corroborated by Macpherson himself in
his letter to Mr M' Lagan, where he says : " I have met
with a number of old manuscripts in my travels ; the
poetical part of them I have endeavoured to secure.
* H. S. R, App., p. 61.