Ossian Collection > Life and letters of James Macpherson

CHAPTER X.
Visits North America. — Returns to write for
THE Press.— His " Introduction to the
History of Great Britain ". — ^Translates
THE " Iliad ". — Continues Hume's " His-
tory". — Carte's Papers. — Visits Paris. —
Publishes the " Original Papers ". — The
Attack upon them.
In the story of Macpherson's life we now
approach a period which, although it was by no
means uneventful, was not marked by much
work of abiding importance ; nor is it much
illuminated by personal detail. A brief chapter
will suffice for it.
Hume had stated that his untamed young
friend would probably depart for Florida. By
the Treaty of Paris, Spain had, in February, 1763,
ceded that colony to England ; and in October,
one George Johnstone was gazetted Governor
of the Western Provinces and ordered to Pen-
secola. Like most of the other American
Governors, Johnstone was a Scotchman. Mac-
pherson was offered an appointment as his
secretary, and in addition the posts of president
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