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

POEMS OF OSSIAN. E7
The iaft mentioned gentleman, naturally intereft-
ed in whatever related to the poetry of tlje paffions,
happening to be at Moffat, a watering place in Dum-
friesmire, then of pretty general refort, in the fum-
mer of 1759, met there with young Macpherfon,
officiating as tutor to Mr Graham, younger of Bal-
gowan (now Colonel Graham), whofe father's fa-
mily was then refident at that place. Mr Home,
in the courfe of inquiries at Mr Macpherfon about
the manners and cuftoms of the Highlands, was in-
formed that one of their favourite amufements was
to liften to the tales and compofitions of their an-
cient bards, which were mentioned by Mr Macpher-
fon as containing much pathos and poetical imagery,
and, at Mr Home's defire, he translated fome frag-
ments which his memory ferved him to recolleci:.
The beauty cf thofe fragments ftruck Mr Home
and his friends at Moffat to whom he communicat-
ed them, fo forcibly, that they prevailed on Mr
Macpherfon, who was rather averfe to the under-
taking, to publim them in a fmall volume at Edin-
burgh, of which they agreed to fuperintend the pub-
lication, and to defray its expence. To this little
volume Dr Blair wrote an introduction. Its publi-
cation attracted univerfal attention ; and the literary-
circle at Edinburgh, of which the individuals, Mr
D. Hume, Dr Robertfon, and others, have been
fince fo well known to the world, agreed to induce
its editor, by a fubfeription, to perform a tour
through the Highlands, for the purpofe of collect-
ing larger and more complete pieces of poetry which
he