Ossian Collection > Defence of the Scots Highlanders, in general; and some learned characters, in particular

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When it fuits his purpofe, he allows Fingal
to have had an exiftence; in other refpeds,
no fuch perfon lived, and the ftory of that
hero is a falfehood of Macpherfon's fabri-
cation.
Here, however, this ambidextrous gentle-
man has failed in the very firft trial of his
Ikill, becaufe both the found and fenfe dlf-
agree with thefe names in Gaelic ; for the
lignification of his firft Italian word, which
fignifies a plaee for fmging and dancing, is
not more adapted to that agreeable piece of
entertainment, than to all other parts over the
North-weft Highlands, mufick and dancing
being a great part of their paftime : but the
real Englilh is, a fortunate held; ach^ a field,
zvidfonn lucky or fortunate. He is equally
unhappy in aird nial'iy for a plain field ; a'lrd
is high, and mali the fummit or face of that
apex, and there \%2idaUmhaU2X the bottom of
that eminence, where a parifh church ftaads.
A c H
* Is a river in the old German language,
* and he applies this exotic ach to Auchter-
' tool, Auchinfleet, and Auchinleck.' This
may be true Vv'ith regard to the German ach ;
E iut