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

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'' that although he underftands not the
** orlgifial, yet the tranjlator feems to
•** have been animated with no fmall
** portion of Offian's fpirit." — I believe
the w^hole of Offian's fpirit -, for no
tranflation was ever well done, at leaft
equal to the original. This is faid by-
Mr. Macpherfon hiqifelf to be literal j
and Dr. Blair fays, it is animated with
a great portion of Offian's fpirit. Is
not this a ilrong argument it is no
tranflation ? and the Dodtor, how ftre-
nuoufly foever he has endeavoured to
make them appear authentic, mufl have
known better,; for fome fay it is the
promifcuous production of the Dod:or
and Mr. Macpherfon. (Vide DiiT. of
Dr. Blair, p. 218.)
Before I have done with internal evi-
dence, 1 mull take notice of what has
been faid by Mr. Smith, in a late dif-
fertation on the genuinenefs of Oflian's
poems. This gentleman, although a
man of great modelly and w^orth, yet,
warmed by national zeal to fee u re the
D 4 honour