Ossian Collection > Enquiry into the authenticity of the poems ascribed to Ossian

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*' reafons which I here dare you to
*' refute. — Your abilities, fince your
*' Homer, are not To formidable j; and
" what I hear of your morality, in-?
'* clines me to credit rather what you
" fhall prove, than what you (hall
<* fay.
** S. Johnson."
At this kind of argument, youth
might prevail over age ; but the origi-
nal caufe is generally weakened, if it
does not fhew that no better can be
produced, by fuch an appeal. — For the
honour of my country, and for the fake
of a language on which I have beftowed
fo much pains, I am forry the editor of
Offian has had no better method of de-
fence. Had the heroes, however, met, it
is likely poflerity, with greater certainty,
might look for and examine at home
the fields where Fingal and Swaran,
Robin Hood and Little John, fought
their fingle combat, without giving the
curious