James Macpherson

Born in Ruthven, Inverness-shire, in 1736, he studied at King’s College, Aberdeen, and Marischal College before turning to writing. He first published poetry in English, but his reputation was made by the works he presented as translations of ancient Gaelic verse, especially the Ossian poems.

Those books became a sensation across Europe, admired for their melancholy grandeur and their powerful evocation of a heroic past. At the same time, they drew fierce criticism, and arguments over whether they were faithful translations, adaptations, or literary inventions have followed his name ever since.

Later in life, he also worked in politics and as a historian. He died in 1796, but his influence continued well beyond his lifetime, shaping readers and writers interested in folklore, national identity, and the early Romantic movement.