Ossian Collection > Small tribute to the memory of Ossian

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fatiiated as to their opinion of these poems being forgeries,
Macpherson might have claimed them as his own without
much danger ; for the sentiments of Dr Johnson, and a
few other literary characters, would have borne down
the opposition of reason anci commion sense, "^llie im-
possibility of the thing niight have been gradually forgot-
ten, and he might have enjoyed a degree of fame and re-
putation which rarely falls to the lot of any human crea-
ture. But reason and common sense shall now speak
out, and neither prejudice, ignorance, nor self-conceit,
shall be able to drown tlie thunder of their voice. Such
unexampled fame and reputation Macpherson rejected,
by an exertion of intellectual apathy or indifference, for
which, if he was really the author of the poems, no created
being will ever be able to account. This is nature com-
pletely reversed, and Mr Macpherson is thus represented
as possessing powers and faculties of mind, diametrically
opposite to those of every other man upon earth.
i believe I\ir Macpherson was perfectly aware that he
could not possibly compose such poems as those of Ossian,
alihougii Transtweedian authors were disposed to pay him
such an unaccountable compliment. He was also certain,
notvi'ithstanding numbers w^ere inclined to dispute it, tliat
many of the original manuscripts could easily be produced;
and therefore had he been infatuated enough to claim the
honour of being the author of them, every Gaelic scholar
Mould have been qualified to detect his presumptuous
arrogance, and consign his name to everlasting infamy.
I have proved, that he could noi be the author of them,
and I have no doubt that lie felt it equally impossible to
impose upon the intelligent part of mankind. I'his is a
better ground of silence upon his part, or even of a solcnm
declaration that he did not compose them, than any; that
all mankind v.'ere not fools, although a few literary men
might be so, and therefore he rested satisfied with tljc
Immble character of a translator, which was suflicient to
Hiake his fortune. Had he claimed the honour of being