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

152 OBSERVATIONS» ETC.
or the sportive humour of his informers. I must also con-
sider it as unfortunate, that Mr. Hill should have thought
it requisite for the success of his undetaking, ** to assume
" the character of a profest author, zealous to defend the
*' honour of Ossian and Mr Macpherson." For of such as
could recite the poems, many did not know that Mr Mac-
pherson ever had a being. And, with respect to the hon^
our of Ossian, so inveterate a hold has it taken of all the
speakers of Gaelic in Scotland, that they regard the de-
faming of it to be as idle, as the defending of it is unneces-
sary. Were all of them even capable, as but few of them
are, of understanding the language of Mr. Hill, or of rating
the value of his eloquence, they could be reduced to no
Other conclusion than this,
^' Non tali auxilio nee defensoribus istis
" OisENeget,"
. ''^'i