SHAW contra Extracts from Mr. Extracts from Mr. Shaw's Analyfis. ftance, who, in advanced years, has learned to read and write it; and now drinks of the Fierian fpring untainte ed, by reading fragments of Poetry in Fingal's own language. P. xvii. The richness of a langunge confifts in the number of its primitives, and their capacity of various compofition. The original fimple princip les of the Galic make it far excel any of the modern, and rival the most ancient languages. The little variegated flection of its nouns and verbs, which is peculiar to itself, and the abundance of its compofitions, render it capable of beautifully defcribing and expreffing the emo Shaw's Inquiry. I the help of his fpear. The re was much of enchantments, fairies, goblins, incantations, rhimes, and the fecond fight. When I heard thofe of one country, hear all; for they all repeated in general the fame ftories and when I had the narration of a few, I had every thing. P. 57. I can fhew, from the language of religion, (for although Earfe was never the vehicle of learning, and fierce chieftains would not fubmit to civil government, yet religion, blended with fuperftition, was in fome degree acknowledged by them), nay, from even the tile of the pulpit at prefent in the Highlands, and the few books of piety they have lately published, that the Irish Galic was the lan SHAW contra SHAW. Extracts from Mr. emotions of the mind, others: Extracts from Mr. language of law, divinity,. and poetry. The common Catechifm, the Confeffion of Faith, the verfion of the Pfalms fung in churches, are written in Irifh; and the language of the minister when he preaches, and the extemporaneous effufion of the peafant's prayer, border upon it. As they received in the Highlands their knowledge of the Christian religion from Icolumkill, and Icolumkill from Ireland, all the terms in divinity are inmediately Irish, and in the remote parts of the Highlands, at this day, not well underftood. The Earle dialect is rather barren of words, having never been cultivated; and the preacher that introduces any idea be yond the Calvinistic system, tics, and Natural Philofophy is difficultly understood. in It 1 SHAW Contra SHAW. Extracts from Mr. in all its parts, terms can Sounds are either quick or flow, rough or fmooth, ftrong or feeble. From the various modifications of thefe in a language, may, perhaps, be discovered, the manners, the temperament, and feelings of a people, at the time of its formation. The Gael, when their language was formed, feem to have been in that ftate of fociety, when the arts of peace and war were not entirely ftrangers; when it was an approved maxim, to “bind "the strong in arms, but "Spa -Extracts from Mr. It will be in vain to reafon When I afked, and particularly thofe who were posfeffed of any poetry, fongs, or tales, who Fionn was? for he is not known by the name of Fingal- by any: I was answered, that he was an Irishman, if a man; for they fometimes thought him a giant, and that he lived in Ireland, and fometimes came over to hunt in the Highlands. This is the univerfal voice of all the Highlanders, excepting those who are posfeffed of abili ties 1 SHAW contra ŚHAW. Extracts from Mr. "pare the feeble hand; be Extracts from Mr. ties and knowledge to per- In the Chronicon Scotorums from which the lift of the Scotch kings is taken; and the pretended manufcripts, they fo much boast of, to be feen in the Hebrides; there, is not one fyllable said of such a name as Fingal. A man fo thirsty af ter fame, would furely Greek and Latin, chained to certain terminations, which refuse rhyme; but at once admits of all the variety of court an opportunity of SHAW contra SHAW. Extracts from Mr. ancient and modern verfifica- ear, and certain pieces of mufic; and for that reafon, though we may eafily fee, what fort of measure each piece delights in, the uniformity of the fame number of fimilar measures in every li ne does not always return. P. cxxx. The measure of Offian's poetry is very irregular and various. Generally he has couplets Extracts from Mr. meeting the contemporary It is impoffible, if ever they eyfifted, that the bards and others, who could write, within these three last centuries, fhould not have collected them. Whatever fongs and epifodes Offian fung, did not long furvive himfelf; and it was diffi cult for former bards, to anticipate the compofitions of the age of chivalry. P. 61. All the Highlands has not yet been able to fhew three lines, excepting those Mr. |