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

xJv A D I S S E R T A T I O N.
Scots were as fimilar as the different natures of the countries they
poflelTed permitted.
What brought about a total change in the genius of the Scots
nation, was their wars, and other tranfadtions with the Saxons,
Several counties in the fouth of Scotland were alternately poflelled
by the two nations. They were ceded, in the ninth age, to the
Scots, and, it is probable, that moll: of the Saxon inhabitants re-
mained in pofleflion of their lands. During the feveral conquefts
and revolutions in England, many fled, for refuge, into Scotland, to
avoid the oppreflion of foreigners, or the tyranny of domeftic ufurp-
crs ; in fo much, that the Saxon race formed perhaps near one half
of the Scottifli kingdom. The Saxon manners and language daily
gained ground, on the tongue and cuftoms of the antient Caledoni-
ans, till, at laft, the latter were entirely relegated to inhabitants
of the mountains, who were ftill unmixed with Grangers.
It was after the acceffion of territory which the Scots received,
upon the retreat of the Romans from Britain, that the inhabitants
of the Highlands were divided into clans. The king, when he
kept his court in the mountains, was confidered, by the whole na-
tion, as the chief of their blood. Their fmall number, as well as
the prefence of their prince, prevented thofe divifions, which, af-
terwards, fprung forth into fo many feparate tribes. When the
feat of government was removed to the fouth, thofe who remain-
ed in the Highlands were, of courfe, neglefted. They naturally
formed themfelves into fmall focieties, independent of one another.
Each fociety had its own regiilus, who either was, or, in the fuc-
cefiion of a few generations, was regarded as chief of their blood.
— The nature of the country favoured an inflitutian of this fort.
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