ty of Offian's poems, by Dr. Blair in his Cri tical Disfertation. The public fhall be left to judge, whether the evidence of fo refpectable a number of men of fortune, veracity, ability, and learning, or that of Mr. Shaw, is most to be relied on, from the specimens, I have given of his adherence to truth.

Mr. Shaw fays, "A gentleman promised to "ornament a fcolloped fhell with filver, if I should "bring him one from the Highlands, and to "Swear it was the identical fhell, out of "which Fingal used to drink." P. ult.

I fhowed this paragraph to a respectable baronet, little knowing, he had any concern in it. He started from his chair, with marks of the utmost astonishment; and told me, that he himself was the gentleman alluded to. He faid, that he had once defired Mr. Shaw, to bring a fcolloped fhell from the Highlands, fuch as our ancestors used to drink out of; and that he would have it mounted with filver, to show his friends the manner of drinking in the days of Fingal. This was the whole of the story; and Mr. Shaw is hereby challenged, to abide by that he has given, or to give any other

repre

reprefentation of it. The gentleman himself makes no fecret of the affair; but an illuftrious race of ancestors, joined to his own equally illuftrious character, renders his name too refpectable, to be mentioned in conjunction with that of our author.

Were I at liberty to men.

tion the obligations, Mr. Shaw lies under to him, the reader would see falfehood and ingratitude to an extent, which they have feldom attained in the most corrupted age,

I have not yet been able to discover the Highland clergyman, who is faid to have of fered himself, and alfo to procure others, to fwear to a lie. In name of the whole body of Scotch clergymen, however, I pronounce it a falfehood; which, from the fpecimens I have given of the integrity of this lover of truth, the public will, I hope, find little difficulty in admitting.

But, if Mr. Shaw is moft unjustly and illi berally fevere on the private characters of thofe who oppofe his asfertions, he is fcarcely more favourable to fuch as are friends to himself and his allegations; for they cannot be called his opinions. The immortal Dr. Johníon, as he

terms

terms him, is his known patron; not, I belie ve, from an opinion of his genius and good qualities, but on account of his (Mr. Shaw's) = exertions to gratify his refentment or his prejudices. But notwithstanding the obligations, he is faid to owe to the Doctor; either through folly or defign, he expofes him in the pamph let, which is the fubject of this Effay, by printing, as I am told, a mutilated copy of a letter, alleged to have been written by Dr. Johnson to Mr. Macpherson, in the year 1775.

The letter, whether real or fictitious, is of
The fact, I am asfured by a friend,

no moment.

was as follows:

Mr. Macpherson had written to him, by the hands of a gentleman, that, as he had de elined to withdraw from his book the injurious expreffions reflecting on Mr. Macpherson's pri vare character, his age and infirmities, alone, protected him from the treatment due to an infamous liar and traducer. The letter he could receive only through the hands of Dr. Johnson, who could alfo have fupplied him with the other. But it seems, they were afraid to exhibit both together, as the contrast must have

appeared ftriking, between the reprefentation of a gentleman on an occafion, which called fo loudly for an explanation; and the polite epithets or terms, foolish, impudent, ruffian, cheat, impofture, immoral, which conftitute the Doctor's answer.

"There has been lately publifhed at Lon"don, a book entitled Remarks on Dr. John"fon's Tour into the Hebrides. This book has "been many years in compofing. It underwent "a vaft variety of editions in manuscript; and "has been corrected, amended, and improved, "by many hands in Scotland; and, finding its "way to London, was prepared for the prefs "by a friendly embellifher. These amendments "and additions are afcribed by many to Mr. "Macpherson himself. How far this is trué, f "do not pretend to fay: but I am certain, it "has been done by fome perfon, who has lived "in England, fome man different from the osStenfible author; for there are fuch local cir"cumftances mentioned in the book, as a per"fon, who had never been fouth of the Tweed, "could not have been acquainted with. If it "be Mr. Macpherson's compofition, it is his laft "effort in this controverfy.

"I fhall

"I fhall not take up my time with making Bobfervations on the illiberalities and fcurrilities, "of which it is made up; but only will point "out to the world fuch a fresh inftance of im"pofture, as will astonifh, in which the author "triumphs, as having proved the authenticity "of Offian's poems. The book was writ

"ten on purpose, to establish the genuineness "of the poems. How far it has fucceeded, ap"pears from the following fraud, the only ar"gument adduced: But as Dr. Johnson

"may think it too great a trouble, to travel again "to the Highlands for a fight of old manufcripts, “I shall put him on a way of being satisfied "nearer home. If he will but call some morning "on John Mackenzie, Efq. of the Temple, Secre"tary to the Highland-Society, he will find in "London more volumes in the Galic language and "character, than perhaps he will be pleased to look "at, after what he has faid. Among these is "a volume, which contains fome of Offian's poems."

On reading the last sentence, I was over"joyed, that the originals of Offian were at "laft discovered, notwithstanding my own bad "fuccefs in meeting with them. Being impa"tient to see them, I accordingly loft no time' "in waiting on Mr. Mackenzie; and, having looked