Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

JL HE preceding chain of evidence would be sufficient, one should
think, to settle any point of controversy whatever. At least we
are in the habit of believing traditions in themselves the most in-
credible, upon authority far less satisfa61:ory. If additional proof
is however wanted, we refer the reader to a Dissertation on the
Authenticity of Ossian's Poems, inserted by the reverend Mr.
Smith, in his Galic Antiquities. This Gentleman has not only
added his own testimony to the foregoing evidence, but has sub-
joined a numerous list of correspondents, and of persons to whom
he was indebted " by oral recitation" for a considerable part of
the originals of the poems which he has translated, and which are
intimately connected with the present coUeftion. As it had been
loudly demanded,* that the originals themselves should be pro-
duced, Mr. Smith has printed his Galic Poems in a quarto vo-
lume, extending to an hundred and seventy-four pages. If any
reader can resist the conviction of such evidence, as to the ex-
istence of Ossian's Poems in the Galic language, he must be
ranked with those hardy sceptics who would not believe, though
one had arisen from the dead.
* This paragraph is addressed, in particular, to the admirers of the late Dr,
Samuel Johnson. For his petulence upon this subjcA, the hereditaryf distemper
of lunacy forms a melancholy vindication. An apology of the same kind may be
advanced for the buffoonery of James Boswell, Esq.
f « I HAD IT FROM MY FATHER."
^-;— ~03r. Johnson.