J. F. Campbell Collection > Dàn an Deirg agus Tiomna Ghuill (Dargo and Gaul)

it, since they exliibit many signs of modernness, and are
extremely verbose in style. Also many portions of
Macpherson's Ossian were well known in the Highlands
at an earlier date, and are found in independent collec-
tions, e.g., Cuchullin's Chariot, Ossian's Courtship of
Evirallin, the Battle of Lora, Darthula, and many
others, all which were rehearsed to Dr. Macpherson of
Sleat in 1763. Malvina's Dream, and part of Ossian's
answer to her, is found in GiUies' collection (1786),
with only slight verbal differences from the narrative of
the same in Macpherson's Croma. All these indepen-
dent collections date from 1763 onwards, and ^^'^^cede
the publication of the Gaelic Ossian (1807) ; and among
thera are some poems which appear in Macpherson's
translation, but of which the Gaelic was never published
by him.
2. Dr. Clerk admits that the " mere vocables " of the
Gaelic text of Ossian prove nothing as to its date ;
becaiise many old MSS. show very slight signs of differ-
ence from modern Gaelic, while some, on the other
hand (as the Book of Beer), differ very greatly. But
the syntax, he thinks, is certainly ancient, and he notes
the seventh Duan of Temora as showing especial marks of
age, hard consonants being used for soft, and the rule of
caol ri caol agus leathan ri leathan being often dis-
regarded.
3. The similes of Ossian are easy and natural, being