Ossian Collection > Small tribute to the memory of Ossian

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gentleman alluded to could not lielp hinting, on various
occasions, and 5a defiance, no doubt, of a solemn pro-
mise to the contrary^ that the pv.hUcailon luas his.
The love of £\me has justly been denominated the
universal passion^ the influence of which every man must
have felt at some period of his life, in a greater or less
degree. The esteem of the world is the well-earned
wages of ,s;enuine merit, to be wholly indifferent to
which, would bespeak a man to be something less, or
something vastly superior to human nature. Nay, it
may fairly be asserted, that such a being as would de-
spise the love of fame, would be a monster in nature,
and he who never felt it its influence, does not exist
upon earth.
When I hear it asserted by the biographers of the great
and good Dr Samuel Johnson, that he never knew what
it was to compose any work but for the sake of subsist-
ence, i am absolutely inclined to declare it is false. The
harmonious flow of his periods, and the fascinating elo-
quence of his whole language, demonstrate the reverse ;
and perhaps no man ever lived who would have been
more sensibly touched by the severity of censure. One
of his most elaborate' and best performances was given to
the world after he was independent, being then in the
possession of ^.300 a-year, by the influence of the earl
of Bute. I mean his admirable work, called The Lives of
the Poets, which would transmit liis name with applause
to the latest posterity, althoygh he had never been the
author of any thing else.
I had almost said, that a total indifTerence to fame,
reputation, or the esteem of our fcllovv creatures, would
constitute a miracle. It is the love of fame that gives
life and energy to a spirif of emulation, which in its turn,
has ever been the parent of the most splendi-d and brilliant
actions that have done the greatest hojiour to humanity
in every age of the world." Without being actuated by
the love of fame, we should be strangers to emulation.