Ossian Collection > Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, appointed to inquire into the nature and authenticity of the poems of Ossian

4 REPORT ON THE
When Dr Blair, in 1763, wrote his difiertation
on the poems of Oman, he propofed to accompany
it with certain documents in fupport of the authen-
ticity of thefe poems. It appears that he had apply-
ed to his celebrated friend, Mr David Hume, for his
opinion as to what mould be the nature of the evi-
dence he mould endeavour to obtain on that fubject.
In anfwer to this requeft, Mr Hume wrote the fol-
lowing letters, which, notwithstanding their value
to the reader, the Committee mould have felt fome
fcruples againft inferting here, if they had not al-
ready appeared in another publication.
COPY OF A LETTER FROM DAVID HUME, ESQ. TO
THE REVEREND DR HUGH BLAIR, ON THE SUB-
JECT of ossian's POEMS.
Lisle Street, Leicester Fields,
Dear Sir, I9tb Septem. 1763.
I live in a place where I have the plea-
fure of frequently hearing juftice done to your dif-
fertation, but never heard it mentioned in a com-
pany, where fome one perfon or other did not ex-
prefs his doubts with regard to the authenticity of
the poems which are its fubjecl, and I often hear
them totally rejected, with difdain and indignation,
as a palpable and mod impudent forgery. This opi-
nion