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

84 REPORT ON THE
I felt for, becaufe the tranflation, highly finifhed as
it is, did not them full juftice, in my opinion. If
there is any blame, perhaps the language into which
he writ fliould bear it.
I recoiled (it was often matter of converfation),
that by worm-eating, and other injuries of time,
there were here and there whole words, yea lines,
fo obfcured, as not to be read ; and I, to w^hom
this was then better known than to any elfe, one
excepted, gave great credit to Mr Macpherfon ;
concluding, that if he did not recover the very words
and ideas of Offian, that the fubftitution did no dif-
credit to that celebrated bard ; and this, as I told
you, I then confidered as one of Mr Macpherfon's
chief excellencies.
As I did, at the mod early ftage of the bufmefs,
ftand convinced that Fingal was no impofition, you
may gather from the above that I do fo ftill, not-
withflanding what Dr Johnfon, fortified by Dr
M' Queen of Sky, has aiferted. The latter appear-
ed to me the moll intemperate admirer of Offian I
ever faw, and I both admired and envied w^hat he
colleded of the works of that bard, and the accu-
racy and pathos with which he repeated them, though
I am perfuaded, at that time of day, he did not fee
the original or tranflation.
I was provoked, perhaps beyond meafure, when
I faw a friend, for whom I had a high efleem, giv-
ing way fo fervilely to the prejudices of Dr John-
fon. I knew Dr M' Queen fond of literary fame,
and confidered by feveral as rather vain pf how he
flood