Blair Collection > Celtic gleanings, or, Notices of the history and literature of the Scottish Gael

116 LECTURE III.
controversy arose, not very creditable either to
the good temper or good manners of the com-
batants. We can hardly form an idea, at this
distance of time, of the bitterness with which
the war raged. It was more like one of the
ancient clan fights of the Highlands than any-
tliing associated with civilization and intelli-
gence. It was a combat in which nothing-
would seem to satisfy either party but the very
blood of their opponents. It was, to use a
Highland expression, striving to get the length
of the dirk into each other. Everything was
dragged into the conflict that possibly could,
however it might serve to display personal and
national rancour more than argument. It was
something to wound the feelings of an adver-
sary, if nothing else could be done. At one
time it was a pitched battle betvv^een England
and Scotland, at another between the High-
lands and the Lowlands. National prejudices
and antipathies helped largely to swell the tide
of battle. Johnson, who travelled into Scotland
for the purpose of being able to speak with some
authority on the subject, and who cordially hated
Macpherson, struck hard on his return, and was
retaliated upon, if not with equal power, at least
with equal heart. It Vvas discovered, or thought
U) he so, that his grandfather had been hanged