Ossian Collection > Essay on the authenticity of the poems of Ossian

lOS ON THE AUTHENTICITY
kind of evidence justly, it would seem indis-
pensibly requisite, that the person, who ven-
tures to offer verbal or etymological criti-
cisms, on any work, should possess some
knowledge of the language, in which that
work is composed. Without this know-
ledge, it is idle to lay down canons of criti-
cism : however just they may be, when ab-
stractly considered; it is only the application
of them tliat can give them any value.
Mr Laing's attempt to attain some ac-
quaintance with the Gaelic language was
surely laudable; but with the very imper-
fect knowledge of it, which he had acqui-
red, it was, at least, a hazardous attempt to
offer a critical and etymological discussion
of the fragments of our poetry, which had
fallen under his eye.
His remarks, on this part of the subject,
however trivial and ill-founded, may have
some weight with persons, who are still less
qualified than himself, to judge of this mat-