Ossian Collection > Thoughts on the origin and descent of the Gael

436
Ossjaii's poems, is but an imitation of the address
to the sun in Milton's Paradise Lost, and is a
mere forgery, committed by the pretended tran-
slator of those poems. The facts respecting this
address to the sun, are worthy of particular at-
tention. On the margin of a copy of the first
edition of Mr Macpherson's translation of Ossian,
which had been left at his Highland place of
residence, and found there by the Rev. Mr An-
derson, one of his executors, there is written in
Mr Macpherson's hand-writing, " Delivered all
" that could be found of Carthon to M)" John
" Mackenzie.'"* It appears, that some parts of
the original of Carthon, and particularly the ad-
dress to the setting sun, could not be found,
therefore it is wanting in the publication of the
originals of Ossian's poems, executed under the
patronage of the Highland Society of London.
The original of this address, as in tlie hands of
the translator, was preserved by Captain Alex-
ander Morrison, who was a good Gaelic scholar,
and had assisted Mr Macpherson in translating
the orfginals collected by him in the Highlands.
The manner in which he got this address is stat-
ed by himself, in his answers to queries trans-
mitted to him from the Committee of the High-
land Society of Scotland, respecting Ossian's,
and other ancient poems. His words are : " That
* Ldle Secretary lo the Highland Society of London, and one
'if Mr Macpherson's executors.