Blair was one of the figures who first drew attention to the Ossian cycle of James Macpherson to public attention.G. A. Kennedy, Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition Form Ancient to Modern Times (University of North Carolina Press, 1999), , p. 282. Macpherson (1736–96) was the first Scottish poet to gain an international reputation. Claiming to have found poetry written by the ancient bard Ossian, he published "translations" that were proclaimed as a Celtic equivalent of the Classical epics. Fingal, written in 1762, was speedily translated into many European languages, and its appreciation of natural beauty and treatment of the ancient legend has been credited more than any single work with bringing about the Romantic movement in European, and especially in German literature, through its influence on Johann Gottfried von Herder and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.J. Buchan, Crowded with Genius (London: Harper Collins, 2003), , p. 163. Eventually it became clear that the poems were not direct translations from the Gaelic, but flowery adaptations made to suit the aesthetic expectations of his audience.D. Thomson, The Gaelic Sources of Macpherson's "Ossian" (Aberdeen: Oliver & Boyd, 1952).
blair was one of the figures who first drew attention to the ossian cycle of james macpherson to public attentiong a kennedy classical rhetoric and its christian and secular tradition form ancient to modern times (university of north carolina press 1999)  p 282 macpherson (1736–96) was the first scottish poet to gain an international reputation claiming to have found poetry written by the ancient bard ossian he published "translations" that were proclaimed as a celtic equivalent of the classical epics fingal written in 1762 was speedily translated into many european languages and its appreciation of natural beauty and treatment of the ancient legend has been credited more than any single work with bringing about the romantic movement in european and especially in german literature through its influence on johann gottfried von herder and johann wolfgang von goethej buchan crowded with genius (london harper collins 2003)  p 163 eventually it became clear that the poems were not direct translations from the gaelic but flowery adaptations made to suit the aesthetic expectations of his audienced thomson the gaelic sources of macpherson's "ossian" (aberdeen oliver & boyd 1952)