J. F. Campbell Collection > Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, appointed to inquire into the nature and authenticity of the poems of Ossian

POEMS OF OSSIa'n. 'S5
' tion, by Dr Donald Smith, which, though of fome
length, and bearing more the air tof difcuffion than
the Committee in general allows itfelf to affume, are
too valuable to the antiquary and the Celtic fcholar
to be omitted.
If the authority of travellers into thofe parts of
the country where the ancient poetrj is moll gene-
rally found, is to be reforted to, the Committee may
quote the opinion of two of the latefl and bed in-
formed who have vifited the W'eftern Highlands and
Iflands ; whofe teftimony muft have the greater
weight, from their being eminent in fciences which
require peculiar accuracy in their dedudions, and
call for demonftration in their proofs : Lord Webb
Seymour, and Mr Professor Playfair, l^he former
was fo obliging as to communicate to the Chairman
of the Committee an extraft from his note-book, kept
during a tour through the Hebrides, which is here
fubjoined in the fliort and hafty form as taken down
by his Lordfliip at the time ; a form which adds to
its genuinenefs, though it may injure its ftyle. Mr.
Playfair defircd to iignify to the Committee the per-
fecl coincidence of his opinion with that of his Noble
friend and fellow-traveller.
' Isle of Sky. O.^siAN.*
* Heard Mr Nicholfou repeat a poem, or part of
a poem, which was tranflated to us by Mr M'Don-
ald of Scalpa, in a flight outline of the ftory. It re-
D 4 jirefented