Now the only, and to many the great, difficulty in the way of accepting such proof in its entirety, is the boldness of the author's assumption that the Frith of Clyde must have been from seventy to eighty feet higher in Ossian's era--that is, in the time of the Romans--than it now is; but if this be proved it adds another conclusive proof to the authenticity of Ossian, for Macpherson was ignorant likewise of this. The possibility of such a fact has already been loudly challenged by a scientific reviewer in the _Scotsman_, whose objections, however, have been conclusively answered by Dr Waddell in the same paper, and in the last three numbers of the _Celtic Magazine_; indeed the exquisite photographic views in the work of the actual marine formations on the Clyde, and the sectional views of the coast at other points, leave no room for serious doubt on the subject. Besides all this, Dr Waddell adds a critical dissertation on Macpherson's text, to shew the impossibility of his having tampered with the original, illustrating this part of his argument by references to _Berrathon_, _Croma_, and _Conlath_ and _Cuthona_. He has also introduced an interesting statistical summary, gathered from Ossian, of the manners, customs, religious observances, and scientific knowledge of the age; which may be studied with much benefit. In the appendix we have a curious history of the Irish people from the earliest traditional dates down to the time of Ossian, compiled from reliable chronicles, hitherto, we suspect, very little known; the whole book being illustrated by many beautiful wood-cuts and original maps. The exquisite little poem which completes the work we cannot omit:-- TO GOATFELL, ARRAN: ON FIRST SEEING IT FROM THE SHORE. [AT BRODICK.] Born of earthquakes, lonely giant, Sphinx and eagle couched on high; Dumb, defiant, self-reliant, Breast on earth and beak in sky: Built in chaos, burnt out beacon, Long extinguished, dark, and bare, Ere life's friendly ray could break on Shelvy shore or islet fair: Dwarf to atlas, child to Etna, Stepping-stone to huge Mont Blanc; Cairn to cloudy Chimborazo, Higher glories round thee hang! Baal-tein hearth, for friend and foeman; Warden of the mazy Clyde; In thy shadow, Celt and Roman, Proudly galley'd, swept the tide! Scottish Sinai, God's out-rider, When he wields his lightning wand; From thy flanks, a king and spider Taught, and saved, and ruled the land! Smoking void and planet rending, Island rise and ocean fall, Frith unfolding, field extending-- Thou hast seen and felt them all. Armies routed, navies flouted, Tyrants fallen, people free; Cities built and empires clouted, Like the world, are known to thee. Science shining, love enshrining, Truth and patience conquering hell; Miracles beyond divining, Could'st thou speak, thy tongue would tell.