That is:-"They are found so polished in "rhyming ditties, and in expression, that "they produce beauties of words and senti

ment, of wonderful and exquisite inven"tion; whence you may find poets amongst "them (whom they call Bards) appointed for "this purpose."

The passage is important; it shews not only how unfounded is the assertion of Mr Laing, but that, from the nicety (subtiles) and perfection to which the Welsh had, in the days of Giraldus, carried the invention of rhyme, its use amongst them must necessarily have been of great antiquity. Indeed, were this the proper place for such a disquisition, it might not be difficult to shew, that rhyme had its first origin amongst the nations of Celtic stock. When we consider the ac

+ It is admitted by a learned journalist, (Edinburgh Review, No. VII. p. 206.) that rythmicis is the adjective agreeing with cantilenis.

count of Cæsar and of Mela, already cited,"that the disciples of the Druids, during a

course of study, which sometimes was " continued for twenty years, learned a vast "number of verses, which they committed "to memory,"-it appears highly probable, at least, that, in order to facilitate the retention of such a mass of verse, they found it necessary to have recourse to rhyme,—an invention evidently calculated to ease the labours, and to promote the accuracy, of the Bardic recitations.

I have now done with my observations on the criticisms of Mr Laing. I hope that on no occasion, in considering his arguments, have I said any thing inconsistent with the respect which I bear to his abilities, and to his honourable profession. Mr Laing deprecates abuse I trust, that I shall not be deemed to have given him any. But I can

not help expressing something more than regret, when he allows so many intemperate expressions to escape himself, in speaking of such respectable characters as Dr Blair, Lord Kames, Dr Smith, &c. Speaking of those gentlemen of the Highlands, "who have at"tested the authenticity of Mr Macpher"son's translations," he says, "had Mr Mac

pherson, instead of an epic poem, pro"claimed the discovery of a new Gospel, I "verily believe, he would have obtained the "same attestations." I must beg leave to tell Mr Laing, in return to the indecent flippancy of this remark, that there are, in the Highlands of Scotland, persons who, whilst they believe the poems ascribed to Ossian to be ancient and authentic, are able also to form a proper estimate of the infinitely more important objects of their religious faith; and who, whilst they can innocently amuse themselves in perusing a page of Homer or of

Ossian, with as much taste as the learned gentleman, know, and value, the Sacred Vo

lume too highly "to receive another Gospel, though it were preached to them by an "angel from heaven."

SECTION VIII.

Estimate of the different Collections of Gaelic Poetry, which have been made,—by Mr Jerome Stone, Mr Duncan Kennedy, and Dr John Smith.

Ir would seem, that there is no method better calculated to elucidate the subject of the authenticity of these poems, than a particular enquiry into the manner in which the different collections of them have been conducted and given to the world. Of these collections, that of Mr Macpherson undoubtedly claims our principal attention; but it is not foreign to our argument to notice, shortly, those of Mr Stone, Dr Smith, and Mr Kennedy.