Ossian Collection > Defence of the Scots Highlanders, in general; and some learned characters, in particular

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"We mufl then refer Mr. Pinkerton to the
Rev. Mr. Mac Nicol, who has troiinfed the
old man very foundly ; and he will con-
vince him, that Gaelic was well known in
Scotland long prior to this foolilh date.
There is an old woman of my acquaintance
inHerries, aged upwards of a hundred years,
and fpeaks only the Gaelic taught her by
her mother, who alfo was aged before her
death ; and this woman, ftill alive, remem-
bered her grandmother, and her old faying,'^
which flie rehearfes to the youngfters in the
family by \\;ay of advice. Surely the grand-
mother was cotemporary with King James
the Sixth of Scotland, more than two hun-
dred years back ; of courfe Mr, Pinkerton's
affertion muft fall to the ground. This
clergyman, however, will teach him more
than reading the thoufands of volumes he
announces to the public as a neceflary qua-
liiication before any perfon fhould venture
to lay his works before their bar for their
judgment.
Then we HvaW inform him from Mr. Mac
Nicol's knowledge, or, if he pleafes, from
the Authors own reading, tliat, anno 1249,
a High-