THE POEMS OF OSSIAN, IN THE ORIGINAL GAELIC, WITH A LITERAL TRANSLATION INTO LATIN, BY THE LATE ROBERT MACFARLAN, A. M. TOGETHER WITH A DISSERTATION ON THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE POEMS, BY SIR JOHN SINCLAIR, BART. AND A TRANSLATION FROM THE ITALIAN OF THE ABBE CESAROTTI'S DISSERTATION ON THE CONTROVERSY RESPECTING THE AUTHENTICITY OF OSSIAN, WITH NOTES AND A SUPPLEMENTAL ESSAY, BY JOHN M'ARTHUR, LL. D. PUBLISHED UNDER THE SANCTION OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY OF LONDON. MAGNA EST VERITAS ET PREVALEBIT. VOL. I. LONDON: PRINTED BY W. BULMER AND CO. CLEVELAND-ROW; SOLD BY G. AND W. NICOL, BOOKSELLERS TO HIS MAJESTY, PALL-MALL; CREECH, BELL AND BRADFUTE, CONSTABLE AND CO. EDINBURGH; AND ARCHER, DUBLIN. 1807. ! Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Macpherson, James, 1736 1796. The poems of Ossian, in the original Gaelic. Reprint of the 1807 ed. printed by W. Bulmer, London. I. Macfarlan, Robert. II. Cesarotti, Melchiorre, 1730-1808. III. Title. PR3544.A57 1975 ISBN 0-404-08730-2 891.6'3'12 70 144460 Reprinted from the edition of 1807, London ADVERTISEMENT. In the poems now published, some words and pas sages, which are to be found in Mr. Macpherson's translation, are wanting. These might have been supplied from other transcripts, or oral tradition; but the Committee appointed to superintend the printing of this Work, were scrupulous about making any addition to the manuscripts left by Mr. Macpherson. A celebrated Italian poet, Cesarotti, having not only translated OSSIAN'S POEMS in a very superior manner, but having also written a Dissertation on their authenticity and beauties, which is not generally accessible to English readers, it was thought proper to annex to this Work a translation of the same, which is inserted in the Third Volume, together with Notes and a Supplemental Essay.* The Committee beg leave also, to allude to the translation of the first book of Fingal, by the Rev. Mr. Ross, included in the Preliminary Dissertation, which furnishes the most satisfactory evidence, that * A translation of Cesarotti's notes, on the first book of Fingal, is annexed to the Preliminary Dissertation, as a proof of that author's critical taste, and of the excellence of his judgment in poetical discussions. |