Page:Poems of Ossian.djvu/35

xxxii chariot—Fingal, Book i, p. 11. The rehearsers are John Macdonald of Breakish in Strath, Isle of Skye, gentleman; Martin Macllivray, tenant in Slate; and Allan Macaskle, farmer in Glenelg." Here follows a long list of passages, with the names of the rehearsers attached.

Letter from Lieutenant Duncan MacNicol, late of 88th Regiment, Sockrock, in Glenurchy, Jan. 1764:—"I have been at some pains in examining several in this country about Ossian's poems, and have found out as follows:—Fingal, B. iii., p. 45, 'Oscar I was young like thee when lovely Fainea-sollis,' etc., to the end of the third book. Fingal, B. iv., p. 50, 'Eight were the heroes of Ossian,' etc., mostly word for word to p. 58 or the end of the fourth book." And an array of further passages, among which is one beginning "Then Gaul and Ossian sat on the green banks of Lubar," a passage Laing asserted to be an imitation by Macpherson of the 137th Psalm.

Letter from Sir John Macpherson, Lauriston, February 4th, 1760:—"I do myself the pleasure of presenting you with a few specimens of Ossian in his native dress The three pieces which I have selected had each a particular title to regard The Address to the Evening Star claimed attention on account of its inimitable beauty and