Ossian Collection > Authenticity of the poems of Ossian

Archeology too, is throwing its light on the subject,
for while in the tombs of the Allophylians, the im-
mediate predecessors of the Celts in the occupation of
the country, only stone weapons and implements are
to be found, in those of the latter, who were their
conquerors, weapons of bronze are met with, cor-
responding in this respect with the Greeks of Homer.
One of Johnson's objections to the genuineness of
the poems, was on the score of the great deUcacy and
respect shown in them to women ; whereas, in the
remote and savage times to which they pretend to
belong, women must have been treated barbarously.
But archeology is proclaiming from the tombs of the
Caledonians, of the pre-historic time, that the women
were buried with the greatest care, with their brace-
lets on their arms, and their combs in their hair, thus
indicating a degree of civilization and refinement, not
inferior in this respect, and which may have been
superior to that of wife-beating England in the present
time. " When we consider these facts," says Chambers,
" together with the gallant and systematic resistance
offered to the Romans, we are obliged to admit that the
Caledonians had attained to a higher state of civilization
than classic writers uniformly allowed them." Instead of
imagining a condition of society to suit our prejudices,
and then labouring to overthrow these Avritings, be-
cause they do not harmonise with our theory, let us
rather allow them to be illustrative of what actually
existed, and many difficulties will thus be got over
that must otherwise remain unreconciled. Should we
be permitted to attach due importance to the com-
positions of Ossian, this state of things will be further
confirmed. In these poems, we find very frequent
allusion made to the forge of the smith, to the sword,
the spear, and the shield, none of which could have
been fabricated without considerable mechanical skill,
and witliout which, resistance to the disciplined Roman
legionaries could not have been sustained for a single
day. Of the nature of this resistance, wc are not left
in ignorance. Over and above what classic writers
have left on record on the subject, the extensive re-
mains of Roman camps, to be seen at Ardoch and
elsewhere along the Caledonian frontier, clearly testify
that the kings of the world, after having conquered
all else, had, at length, met with a formidable foe.
Nor will it do to oppose this conclusion by asserting