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

IS LFTTERS TO DR. BLAIR.
behind him by the prince of Scottish bards would have been
so far overlooked, or despised, as not to obtain the sarife
advam à
I have not Mr Lhoyd's AffcHseòlogià Britannica by me at
present, but remember, I think, perfectly well, that in the
catalogue lie gives of the Irish manuscripts in the duke of
: »s*s library; there is one which gives, inverse, an
•account cf the exploits performed by Fingal, Gaul, Oscar,
&c. and may perhaps be much the same with the works ct
Ossian.
I am, with the highest esteem and respect,
Dear Sir,
Your most obedient, and
much obliged humble servant,
John Macpherson;
(5. From Mr ANGUS Mac Neill, Minister of Hovemore,
dated Hcvcmore in South U:st, 2jd December 170" 3.
Rev. Dear B^other^
1 was favoured a consider-
able time since with your very genteel letter concerning the
ancient Gaelic poems lately translated and published by Mr
Macphersoii the poet, and would, long before now, have
made some sort of return to it, but that I deferred it from
time to time in hopes to collect proper materials to answer
your queries ; but I have the dissatisfaction to find, that the
success of my enquiries on the subject you proposed, has
fallen greatly short of rny expectations. ' However, if
the few following hints will be of any use, they are at
your service.
In answer then to your ennuiries, please know thai
though I do not remember to have seen any manuscripts,
©r written copies, of the original of any of these poems