Ossian Collection > Original collection of the poems of Ossian, Orrann, Ulin, and other bards, who flourished in the same age

PREFACE. Ixi
could be more chaste, more delicate, and constant
iti their attachment than Isaac and Rebecca.
But Mr. Laing seems to think the existence of
such refined sentiments, in such a state of society,
so utterly impossible, that no positive evidence
should be received in support of it; we may,
therefore, soon expect another ingenious disserta-
tion, to prove that the writings of Moses are also
a forgery of the nineteenth century.
The absurdity which Mr. Laing so triumph--
antly insists upon, in the idea that the High-
landers should have become more barbarous as
they approached to civilization, would probably
have disappeared, had he been anxious to come
at the truth, rather than establish a theory. Are
there not in history, numerous instances of nations
who had attained to a great degree of humanity,
gentleness, and refinement, becoming even sud-
denly rude and ferocious to a great degree, in con-
sequence of strong excitements being presented
to the worst principles of their nature. Will not
Mr. Laing allow that the nation, among whom the
gallant and polite court of Edward the Third
could arise, where the ideas of freedom and equal
rights had begun to blossom; where njen of wit
and learning (a Chaucer), and many other poets
flourished. Will he not allow that this nation
had become more barbarous during the struggles
of York and Lancaster, when literature was ut-
terly extinguished, and the whole kingdom pre-
r