Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

INTRODUCTORY NOTE xix
language and character. This proves that the Gaelic
language and character were then used in legal
documents in Scotland (Celtic Gleanings), disproves
the Irish claim to the exclusive use of the old
character, and refutes the assertion that Gaelic was
not a written language. It might as well be argued
that English was unwritten because the Times does
not use Chaucer's language and black letter.
It is evident that tales about the Feinne were
commonly known to the Lowlanders of Scotland in
1450, the time of William Dunbar, who wrote for
them.
The Book of the Dean of Lismore contains 11,000
lines of poetry, some of which are attributed to
Oisein and his comrades, some to bards of the period.
Probably a collection written from dictation, it gives
according to the writer's ability a faithful represent-
ation of the current language and traditional poems
of the district of Lome in the sixteenth century.
Even a few sheets of this publication prove beyond
question that the groundwork of the first book of
Temora had been made the subject of a Gaelic poem
written down more than three centuries ago, but the
poem of 1807 is not there. This MS., then, disposes
of a great deal of the Ossianic controversy and
clears the ground. Lome is close to Morven, but
there is no mention of Fingal or his kingdom. It is
thus proved that Fionn and his heroes are not simply
creatures of Macpherson's brain, or worthies who
belong exclusively to Irish romance.
In 1571 the first book was printed in the Irish
character with a press and types got from Queen
Elizabeth. It is a catechism ; and, so far, it appears
that Gaelic Scotland was ahead of Ireland in the
literary race, for the first known GaeUc book was
printed in Edinburgh.
At this day men still point out Dun Finn in