Ossian Collection > Critical dissertation on the poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

n A DISSERTATION.
The Romans give the firft and, indeed, the only authentic ac-
counts of the northern nations. Deftitute of the ufe of letters,
they themfelves had no means of tranfmitting their hiftory to po-
fterity. Their traditions and longs were loft, or altogether corrupt-
ed, in their revolutions and migrations, which were fo frequent and
univerfal, that no kingdom in Europe is now poffeffed by its origi-
nal inhabitants. Societies wore formed, and kingdoms erected,
from a mixture of nations, who, in procefs of time, loft all know-
lege of their own origin.
If tradition could be depended upon, it is only among a people;
from all time, free of intermixture with foreigners. V/e are to"
look for thefe among the mountcuns and inacceffible parts of a,'
country : places, on account of their barrennefs, uninviting to ah.
enemy, or whofe natural ftrength enabled the natives to repel in-
vafions. Such are the inhabitants of the mountains of Scotland.
We, accordingly, find, that they differ materially from thofe v/ho
poflefs the low aud more fertile part of the kingdom. Their lan-
o-uao-e is pure and original, and their manners are thofe of an an-
tient and unmixed race of men. Confcious of their own antiquity,
they long defpifed others, as a new and mixed people. As they
lived in a country only fit for pafture, they were free of that toil
and bufinefs;^ which engrofs the attention of a commercial people.
Their amufement eonfifted in hearing or repeating their fongs and
"traditions, and thefe intirely turned on the antiquity of their nation,
"and the exploits of their forefathers. It is no wonder, therefore,
that there are. more remains of antiquity among, them, than among
any other people in Europe. Traditions, however, concerning re*
mote periods, are only to be regarded, in fo far as they co-incidc-
with cotemporary writers of undoubted credit and veracity.
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