The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-27
criticism of DIR. Blair, and in some degree by COM

down from heaven and burnt up the imposition.
together with every vestige of evidence cuniured
up for its support.
Toput an end to the CONTROVERSY excited bv the
3irst appearance OF those extraordinary poems,
Dr. Johnston repeatedly called for the producti-
ons OF the original the only infillble criterion
whereby to Judge of their authenticity. But
those originals would have exposed, as they have
subsequently exposed, one OF the most extraordi-
nary literary frauds or torgcres to be met with i'm
history; and Mr.. Mcpherson fed from the proof
The mystery that attended the publication of
these poems IN their present shape, suggested to
7he learned in Ireland, (who also laid Claim to
poet OF the name of Osin, Ossein, or, Ossian) the
Proprlety OF closer and more accurate investi-
CATION OF their surviving antiquities. The uni
rersity of Dublin had fortunately become the de-
Pository OF those precious remains. A concur
renee oil favorable circumstances still farther
1ended to render this enquiry easy and successful
Ihe legacy OF the eloquent = Lo d excited u gene
raj attentionto the study OF the Irish language,
and the establishment OF the royal Irish academy
afforded wide and luminous focus to the DIVER
gng and retractcd rays of national genius I'm.
der the influence Of these causes, 1T was inrne
diately discovered that no such thing as an Epic
Poem existed in the Gaelic or Celtic LANGUAGES ::
That Temsra, Fingal, &c. were made UP of Sc
terM distinct songs, or Duans strung together by
the industrious ingenuity of Mr. Mcpherson :
That he had altered the date of his originals as
well as their matter and form: That he suppress
ed the name of ST Patrick, Nc Alpin, which
Frequently appears in these poems, and only occa-
sionaly alludes to him under the name of 4 Cul.
dee, or one of the first christian missionaries He.
introduced the words "the sons of Streamv
Morven," which are not to be found in the oriei
nal to support his indetcnsible fiction that Ossian
was of that country, and for the same reason.
- The hilis OIL Ardven. The noble I" fans of
ireland are altered into the mobiles and great
chieftains,' and tor ''lreiand he substitutes the
whole land" Almhuin, it is sometimes
written Albhein he translates Scotland the Pa
lace of Fin in Leinster, near the bog of Allen,
which in all lgish songs and rom:nces is general
ly called Almhuin Leathan NOR Lagoon, + G. the
great and spacious Almhuin or Leinster The
Two golden apples, he translates into an arrow
of gold and then adds, without any authority
from the Original, that these were the signs of
i'iioTTeH's peace; IT ar:c;hc: place, without a
ny authority, from the original, he calls Oscar
Son OF Woody Morvcn; this, however, is but the
Slight aadlio.: u an epithet Dir. Blair terms it
III his elegant dissertation the authenticity of
those poems. We snail content ourselves with
citing one other fact, which is deemed sufficient
to remove Ill doubt from this subject One OF
the professors ot the university of GLASGOW ,ha-
wing entertained some doubts of the authcnt CITY
of the translation, wrote to Mr. Macarthur mi
mister OF Mali, whose name is frequently ment;-
oned in the course of the CONTROVERSY, reuuestinr
that he would send him some of the originals
from winch inc TRANSLATION nae been made. Mr.
Macarthur III his answer, told the professor
F'thatthere were many othe spurious Irisi, .iia,is
wandering through the country: ~ But to satisfy
his scruPles, he sent him!thc four following fraG-
ments as extracts from the genuine poem of Os-
sian-The two tlrst contain descriptions of the
fight between Fingai and SzDaran-see Fingal, B.
s. The third relates to the death of Oscar-see
Timora, B. l. The lasti from the battle of I.o
fa-The first and second fragments aree xtracted
from the poem entitled, OsSin 0gus an CIerick
which is in M. Hills collection, which is cur
ss.... IN Ireland and of which beautiful COPY is
preserved in the library of the university of Dub
hin. 1t is entitled Laor IWhani1s 3fioir-A mu-
tated copy OF it is also printed in the Perth edi-
zion, p. lS, under the uue of Fhein agus Milan
2lis. The thirds taken from the lNhy6Iroun o.
Gair /; and the tourti from the poem entitled q.
5ar Catar '.iite asuS 10. Maronnard, a copy of
which is amongst tie manuscripts i'll the uniyer-
sity OF Dublin. 1t happens then, SAYS the ccle-
DRAFTED astronomer, DR.. Young, from wham have
taken thlsaccount, that these spurious Irish bal
lads. as they are called by MIR. Mcpherson and
Mr.. Nc Arthur, are the very originals from which
the former compiled his Ossian. For "A more full
and circumStanrial account of this singular trans
action, the American reader IS referred 10 the
letters OF Mr.. Hill and the proceedings of the
Royal Irish Academy, and if his patience will
permit him TO Il comparison of the Irish poems
with the OsS.an of Mcpherson by which the. i'm
posture is instantly detected. Il viii be sniff
cent in this place to state, that Ccrrnic Cuchal-
2en, Fin OF F.AgaI, Oissin, inAc Ossein or Cssian
Oscar or Ossgin, G4u, &c. are not fncif,l be-
1ngs, but personages in Irish history, ard that the
Fem or Firms were a military order, kept w for
the defence OF the state who were finally DESTROY
ed at the 4,attle of Gabra by Cormac, 26o wears
after the coming of Christ
Instead OF specifying the authors of their mar
tiI and amatory ballads, the Scotch content
themselves that they are tie compositions If Os-
sian and other highland bsrds. BY taking AWAY
Ossian, to whom it rs established, they have not
the shadow of tltle, after fair and elaborate
Examination in the face Of Europe, those f.ncied
beings and other highland bsrds unsupported by
Abe taESmanc name of the Celtic bard, vanish in
to the air Ike those ghosts he has so happily des
cribcd.
Robert BuTns's suspicion that the bards of Scot
land and ireland vent errant through both cOun-
tries, and that some fayorte tunes might have
thus become &c both, although intended
as compromise arnicable adjustment of the
diffei encc, cannot be admitted.
The cG:!su:a!...e s.ll ard higl, reputation of
the IrIsh narpers and balds would hold out few
Inducements to musical Grants from Scotland
which had no performers the harp, and no re-
Putaton Tor music The same circumstances ad-
ded to the vicinity Of both countries would rem
der probable the frequent visits of Irish harpcrs
10 Scotland. Indeed, we know that these visits
actually took place during the rebclIions of 1715
and lY4S, Wueuthc SVmf, of nptiD,C 40.