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

'24 REPORT ON THE
It was unlucky that Stone did not think of giv-
ing his originals to the public ; but Mr Chalmers
of London, whofe diligence and acuteneis as an
antiquarian are fufficiently known, happened to pur-
chafe at a fale a parcel of books and writings which
once belonged to Jerome Stone. Part of thole
MSS. appears to confift of copies of fome of the
original Highland poetry which Stone had col-
lected ; and Mr Chalmers having, with his accus-
tomed liberality and zeal to promote literary inqui-
ry, communicated them to this Committee, the ori-
ginal of Stone's tranflation, along with the tranfla-
tion itfelf, are given in t{ie Appendix, NO. 7 ; but
his letter to the editor of the Magazine, which the
Committee confiders as one of uncommon excel-
lence; when the period of its being written is con-
sidered, the Committee takes the liberty of fubjoin-
ing here.
TO THE AUTHOR OF THE SCOTS MAGAZINE.
Sir, Dunkehf, Nov. \5th, 1155.
Thole who have any tolerable acquaintance
with the Irifh language muft know that there are a
great number of poetical compositions in it, and
fome of them of very great antiquity, whofe merit
entitles them to an exemption from the unfortunate
neglect, or rather abhorrence, to which ignorance
has fubjected that emphatic language in which they