Ossian Collection > Essay on the authenticity of the poems of Ossian

OF OSSIAN'S POEMS. 285
" ral practice, when any passage occurred,
" which they did not well understand, either
" to pass it over entirely, or to gloss it over
" xvith any expressions that might appear to
" coalesce easily with the context."
So far Mr Irvine. He furnishes a very
important key to Mr Macpherson's transla-
tions ; and, it will be shewn, that, in trans-
lating the Seventh Book of Temora particu-
larly, these gentlemen have too often had
recourse to this process of skimming over
the surface, and neglecting to render the
true sense of the originals before them.
Considering it as of much importance,
with regard to this point, to adduce every
authentic fact that can now be collected,
with regard to Mr Macpherson's conduct in
this matter, I beg leave to give an extract
of a letter, from my esteemed friend Dr
Duncan Macfarlane, Minister at Drymen,
(of June 2, 1806,) stating a conversation