James Macpherson's The Poems of Ossian (1760-1763) were one of the publishing sensations of the eighteenth century. Macpherson's supposed discovery of the epic poet Ossian in the Scottish Highlands provoked fascination and controversy in equal measure. His vision of a romantic Celtic past of melancholy heroes and mournful bards made an immediate impact on all aspects of eighteenth-century culture across Europe and influenced at least two generations of poets, novelists, painters and composers.
Many of the most important documents of the Ossian phenomenon have hitherto only been...