BIB_ID
403336
Accession number
MA 8917.26
Creator
Boyd, Hugh Stuart, 1781-1848.
Display Date
[1843 January 9].
Credit line
Acquired from the University of Illinois, 1961.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 22.7 x 18.6 cm
Notes
Date of writing determined from the postmark and internal evidence: the letter is postmarked January 10, 1843 and Boyd refers to the time and day of writing within the letter as "Monday evening", which would have been the 9th. No place of writing is given but Boyd was known to be living in London at that time and there is a Hampstead postmark on the letter. See the published editions of the correspondence, cited below, for additional information.
A separate sheet of paper served as the envelope. The letter is addressed to: "Miss Barrett/ 50 Wimpole Street/ London."
Boyd was blind; this letter is in the hands of two amanuenses.
A separate sheet of paper served as the envelope. The letter is addressed to: "Miss Barrett/ 50 Wimpole Street/ London."
Boyd was blind; this letter is in the hands of two amanuenses.
Provenance
Acquired from the University of Illinois, 1961.
Summary
Expressing his astonishment at the fact that EBB does not believe in the authenticity or greatness of the Scottish bard Ossian, and moreover believes that James Macpherson forged his translations from Ossian; defending Ossian and comparing his work to Homer's: "In most of the instances of the sublime, Ossian is decidedly superior. In some cases, his superiority is very great and striking. In the instances of the pathetic, Ossian is certainly superior. In specimens of the beautiful, they are perhaps equal. In sublimity, the superiority of Ossian is so great; that if you were sitting by my side, I feel confident you would not attempt to deny it"; mentioning that he has been reading Hugh Blair's Dissertation on Ossian; defending Macpherson, especially against Dr. Johnson's criticisms; asking if she owns an earlier edition of Ossian (from 1774 or before), and if so, whether could he borrow it, as he wants to compare the modern and early editions.
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