A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans

44 HISTORY OF THE HIGHLANUS.
should disengage himself from all other employment, and set out -with-
out delay on this poetical mission through the Highlands; but, as his
circumstances did not admit of his engaging in this at his own expense,
that the whole expense he might incur was to he defrayed by a col-
lection raised from the meeting with the aid of such other friends as
they might choose to apply to for that purpose. When this meeting
was about breaking up, Mr. Macpherson followed Dr. Blair to the door
and told him, that from the spirit of the meeting, he now, for the first
time, entertained the hope that the undertaking to which he had so
often prompted him M-oidd be attended with success ; that hitherto he
had imagined they were merely romantic ideas which the Doctor had
held out to him, but now he saw them likely to be realized, and should
endeavour to exert himself so as to give satisfaction to all his friends.
Under this patronage Mr. Macpherson set out on his literary journey
to the Highlands in the year 1760 ; and during his tour he transmitted
from time to time to Dr. Blair and his other literary friends, accounts
of liis progress in collecting, from many different and remote parts, all
the remains he could find of ancient Gaelic poeti-y, either in writing or
by oral tradition. In the course of his joiuTiey he w-rote two letters to
the Rev. James M'Lagan, formerly minister of Amakie, afterwards of
Blair in Athole, which, as they throw much light on the subject of these
poems, and particularly on the much contested question, whether JNJacpherson
ever collected any manuscripts, are given entire. The first of these
letters is dated from Ruthven, 27th October, 1760, and is as follows:
" Rev. Sir,—You perhaps have heard, that I am employed to make
a collection of the ancient poetry in the Gaelic. I have already tra-
versed most of the Isles, and gathered all worth notice in that quarter.
I intend a journey to Mnll and the coast of Argyle, to enlarge my col-
lection.
"By letters from Edinburgh, as well as gentlemen of your acquaint-
ance, I am informed, that you have a good collection of poems of the
kind I want. It would be, therefore, very obliging should you transmit
me them as soon as convenient, that my book might be rendered niore
complete, and more for the honour of our old poetry. Traditions are
uncei-tain poetry delivered down from memory must lose considerably ;
;
and it is a matter of surprise to mo, how we have now any of the beauties
of our ancient Gaelic poetry remaining.
" Your collection, I am informed, is pure, as you have taken pains to
restore the style. I shall not make any apology for tliis trouble, as it
will be for the honour of our ancestors, how many of their pieces of
genius will be brought to light. / have met imth a number ofold manu-
scripts in my travels; the potical part of them I have endeavoured to
secure.
" If any of that kind falls within yoiu- hearing, I beg it of you, to have
them in sight.
" I shall probably do myself the pleasm-e of waiting on you before I
retui'ii to Edinburgh. Yoiu- correspondence iii the meantime wiil be
—