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

HUGH M'DONALD. ol
These things (and a thousand other arguments that
might be adduced,) prove incontestibly that Ossian lived ;
that he sung at a very early period ; that many of his
best poems are still preserved ; and that no other bard has
ever been compared with him by his countrymen.
Written at Tigheary, in North Uist, on the I2th of
August, 1800, by Mr Edmund Mac Queen, Minis-
ter of the Gospel at Barra, as spoken in Gaelic by
Hugh Macdonald. It was read aloud, word for
word, at the house of Mr Mac Lean of Boreray, in
presence of that gentleman ; of Major Alexander
Macdonald of Valay ; of Captain Ewen Macdon-
ald of Griminish ; of Mr James Mac Qiieen, Mis-
sionary Minister, in Harris ; and of Mr Roderick
Mac Neil, younger of St Kilda : All of whom
declared, that, although what was spoken by Hugh
Macdonald, and thus written by Mr Mac Queen,
is perfectly just and satisfactory, with regard to the
authenticity of Ossian's poems ; yet, infinitely
more might be adduced to prove, that Ossian lived
in times far beyond our modern period, and that
liis works secure to him exclusively the rank of
•he Chief of Caledonian Bards.
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