Macfarline (the greatest antiquarian we this country), and who insists strongly on torical truth, as well as the poetical beauty productions. I could add the Laird an Macleod, with many more, that live in d parts of the Highlands, very remote fro other, and could only be acquainted with w become (in a manner) national works.* T a country surgeon in Lochaber, who has by the entire Epic Poem mentioned by Mr. Ma son in his preface; and, as he is old, is p the only person living that knows it all, an never committed it to writing, we are in the haste to recover a monument, which will cer be regarded as a curiosity in the Republic of ters: we have, therefore, set about a subscri All this external evidence, and much more, has been collected and published by Dr. Blair (see his Appe to his Critical Dissertation on the Works of Ossian); yet notwithstanding a later Irish writer has been h enough to assert, that the Poems in question abound the strangest anachronisms: for instance, that Cuc lived in the first, and Fingal in the third century; princes who are said to have made war with the Dane nation never heard of in Europe till the ninth; which could not possibly have happened till 500 years after death of the supposed poet who sings it. (See O'Hallora Introduction to the Study of the History and Antiquities Ireland, quarto, 1772.) To whatever side of the questi truth may lean, it is of little moment to me; my doub arising (as I have said in the former note) from intern evidence only, and a want of proof of the fidelity of th translation.-Mason. at my feet, but in the company of a women, that wore my spirits, though not th The rest of the season I was at Cambri duller and more congenial situation. D you that our friend Chapman, a week be died, eat five huge mackerel (fat and full at one dinner, which produced an indigesti on Trinity Sunday he finished himself with part of a large turbot, which he carried to his poor man! he never held up his head after. Cambridge I am come hither, yet am goin Kent for a fortnight or so. You astonish wondering that my Lady Cobham left me no For my part, I wondered to find she had giv £20. for a ring, as much as she gave to sev her own nieces. The world said, before her that Mrs. Speed and I had shut ourselves up her in order to make her will, and that after we were to be married. There is a second edition of the Scotch F ments, yet very few admire them, and almos take them for fictions. I have a letter from Hume, the historian, that asserts them to be ge ine, and cites the names of several people ( know both languages) who have heard them curr in the mouths of pipers, and other illiterate pers in various and distant parts of the Highlan There is a subscription for Mr. Macpherson, wh will enable him to undertake a mission among t Mountaineers, and pick up all the scattered re believe it will succeed, for the French The Duke is well recovered of his par tack, though it is still visible in his face speaks. It has been occasioned by the lon mission of his usual violent exercises, for h ride or walk much on account of a dropsy to a certain part, and not dangerous in itse he appears at Newmarket, but in his chaise Mason and Mr. Brown send their best se Dr. Heberden enquires kindly after you, a his good dinners as usual. Adieu, dear S present my compliments to Mrs. Wharton. ever truly yours, Pemb. Col. Jan. 176 THE best piece of news I have to send you is, Mason is Residentiary of York, which is wo near £200 a year. He owes it to our friend F. Montagu, who is Brother-in-Law to De Fountayne. The Precentorship (worth as mu more) being vacant at the same time, Lord H dernesse has obtained that too for him. But f |