Ossian Collection > Morison's edition of the Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

38s APPENDIX.
Grant of Delracliny, Efq ; both in the Shire of Invernefs,
delire to be named as vouchers for the poem of Fingal in
particular. They remember to have heard it often in tiieir
younger days, and are pofitive that Mr Macpherfon has
given a jull tranCation of it.
Lauchlan Macpherfon of StrathmaOiie, in Invernefs- fliire,
Efq ; gives a very full and expUcit teftimony, from particu-
jar knowledge, in the following words : That in the year
1760, he accomfanied Mr Macpherfon during fome part of
his journey throuj^h the Highlands in iearch of the poems
of OfiiaiJ , that he afiifted him in colleding them ; that he
took down from oral tracilion, and tranfcribed from old
manufcripts by far the greateft part of thofe pieces Mr Mac-
pherfon Jias publillied ; that fince the publication he has
carefully compared the tranflation with the copies of the
originals in his hands ; and that he finds it amazingly literal,
even to fuch a degree as often to prefervc the cadence of
the Galic verfification. He affirms, that among the manuf-
cripts vvliich were at that time in Mr Macpherfon's pofief-
fion, he faw one of as old a date as the year 141c.
Sir James Macdonald of Mjcdonald, in the Ifland of Sky,
Baronet, affured me, that after having made, at my defire,
all the inquiries he could in his part of the country, he
entertained no doubt that Mr Macpheifon's collcdion con-
fifted entirely of authentic Highland poems ; that he had
lately heard feveral parts of them repeated ip the original,
in the IGand of Sky^ with fome variations from the printed
tranflation, fuch as might naturally be expcded from the
circumftances of oral tradition ; and fame parts, in particu-
Jar the epifode of Fainafollis in the third book of Fingal,
which agree literally with the tranfiation ; and added- that
he h.id heard recitations of other poems not tranllated by
Mr Macpherfon, but generally reputed to be of Oflian's
compofition, which were of the fame fpirit and (train with
fuch as are tranfiated, and which he efteemed not ipferior
to any of them in fublim.ity of defcription, dignity of fenti-
ment, or any other of the beauties of poetry. This lad
particular nr.uft have great weight ; as it is well known how
much the judgment of Sir James Macdonald deferves to be
lelied upon, in every thing that relates to literature and tafte.
The late reverend Mr Alexander Macfarlane, minifter of
Arrachar in Dumbartoniliire, who was remarkably eminent
for his profound knowledge in Galic learning and antiqui-
ties, wrote to' me foon after the publication of Mr Mac-
pherfon's work, terming it a mafterly tranflntion ; inform-
ing me that he had oftec heard feveral of thcfe poems in
the