Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

INTRODUCTION. xxxiii
ullin's chariot — Fingal, Book i, p. u. The rehearsers
are John Macdonald of Breakish in Strath, Isle of
Skye, gentleman ; Martin Macllivray, tenant in
Slate ; and Allan Macaskle, farmer in Glenelg."
Here follows a long list of passages, with the
names of the rehearsers attached.
Letter from Lieutenant Duncan MacNicol, late
of 88th Regiment, Sockrock, in Glenurchy, Jan.
1764 : — " I have been at some pains in examining
several in this country about Ossian's poems, and
have found out as follows : — Fingal, B. in., p. 45,
' Oscar I was young like thee when lovely Fainea-
sollis,' etc., to the end of the third book. Fingal,
B. iv., p. 50, ' Eight were the heroes of Ossian,' etc.,
mostly word for word to p. 58 or the end of the
fourth book." And an array of further passages,
among which is one beginning " Then Gaul and
Ossian sat on the green banks of Lubar," a passage
Laing asserted to be an imitation by Macpherson
of the 137th Psalm.
Letter from Sir John Macpherson, Lauriston, Feb-
ruary 4th, 1760 : — " I do myself the pleasure of
presenting you with a few specimens of Ossian in
his native dress. . . . The three pieces which I
have selected had each a particular title to regard.
. . . The Address to the Evening Star* claimed
attention on account of its inimitable beauty and
* In " The Songa of Selma."