Matheson Collection > Popular tales of the west Highlands > Volume 4

78 OSSIAN — TRADITIONS, WRITINGS, ETC.
which the English public knew, and the Celts seem to
mean one thing, while the Saxons meant another. These
collections have disappeared.
The quarto edition of Fingal and other translations
published, with a fine title page picture of Ossian, and
a lady in flowing robes, who might pass for any classical
characters that ever conversed.
Temora and other poems ; this volume contains the
Gaelic of the seventh book of Temora, 423 lines. It is
said that a manuscript copy in the handwriting of
MacPherson of Strath Mashie, with all manner of cor-
rections, still exists. I have not seen it.
This edition is commonly bound with that of 1762,
and the selling price for the large quarto is now 5s.
The following are specimens of the Gaelic, as printed
by MacPherson in 1763, in Roman type. He says it is
" stripped of its own proper characters," that " a copy
of the originals of the former collection lay for many
months in the bookseller's hands for the inspection of
the curious ; " and that the " erroneous spelling of the
bards is departed from in many instances."
Published Gaelic and English, divided according to
the rhythm : —
Linna doir-choille na Leigo,
From the wood-skirted waters of Lego,
Air uair, eri ceo taobh-ghorm nan ton ;
ascend, at times, gray-bosomed mists ;
Nuair dhunas dorsa na h' oicha
when the gates of the west are closed,
Air iulluir-shuil greina nan speur.
on the sims's eagle-eye.
Tomhail mo Lara nan-sruth
Wide over Lara's stream