#fingal

Context: Ossian is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson, originally as Fingal (1761) and Temora (1763), and later combined under the title The Poems of Ossian.

“I am rejoiced to see Hazlitt speak for Ossian. There is nothing more contemptable in that contemptable man (tho' good poet, in his department) Wordsworth, than his contempt for Ossian. And nothing that more raises my idea of Napoleon than his great admiration for him.—The loneliness of the spirit of Ossian harmonized with the loneliness of the greatness of Napoleon.”

Melville wrote this around 1862 in the margins of his copy of Hazlitt’s Lectures on the English Comic Writers and Lectures on the English Poets

Fingal: what makes you say that

finboy | fingirl minboy | mingirl ninboy | ningirl xinboy | xingirl

finboy(/guy/man): a gender that is both feminine-in-nature and male, or being both a feminine-in-nature gender and a male gender

fingirl(/gal/woman): a gender that is both feminine-in-nature and female, or being both a feminine-in-nature gender and a female gender

minboy(/guy/man): a gender that is both masculine-in-nature and male, or being both a masculine-in-nature gender and a male gender

mingirl(/gal/woman): a gender that is both masculine-in-nature and female, or being both a masculine-in-nature gender and a female gender

ninboy(/guy/man): a gender that is both neutral-in-nature and male, or being both a neutral-in-nature gender and a male gender

ningirl(/gal/woman): a gender that is both neutral-in-nature and female, or being both a neutral-in-nature gender and a female gender

xinboy(/guy/man): a gender that is both xenine-in-nature and male, or being both a xenine-in-nature gender and a male gender

xingirl(/gal/woman): a gender that is both xenine-in-nature and female, or being both a xenine-in-nature gender and a female gender

fin-/min-/nin-/xingender + boy/girl combos! i needed a minboy flag for a request and got carried away lol.

(finboy and mingirl are technically subsets of rosboy and azurgirl respectively - they aren’t quite synonyms, but they are definitely related)

Above left: BEST SHETLAND PONY in the show: Rushlight of Fellbridge, ten-year-old stallion by Emilius of Earlshall out of Radiola of Sansaw. Bred and exhibited by Mrs. G. E. Atkinson of Rudgwick, Sussex.  

Above right: EXMOOR PONIES: Carpet Slippers, two-year-old bay filly (nearest camera) by Fisherman out of Moccasin, won her class, and Battle Cru, three-year-old, by Caractacus out of an Acland mare, was the best stallion of his breed. He was bred by Mr. C. M. Westcott, of Dulverton, and the filly was bred by Miss M. G. Etherington, also of Dulverton, who showed them both. 

Below left: FELL PONY: Linnel Sandpiper, three-year-old, by Linnel Romany 2nd out of Linnel Sapphire, won her class and was best of her breed. Exhibited by Mr. R. B. Charlton, she was bred by the late Mr. Roy Charlton, and is to be exported to Australia. 

Below right: HIGHLAND PONY: Fingal, aged thirteen, by Gray Jock out of Mary Carmichael, was the best stallion of his breed. He was bred by the late Mr. J. H. Munro Mackensie and shown by Mr. J. V. R. Bullough, of Carlisle, Cumberland.

Fingal: Pregnancy tests are Maybe Babies

Hope: Socks are feetie heaties

Urchin: Forks are stabby grabbies

Hope: Defibrillators are Heartie Starties

Urchin: Nightmares are Dreamy Screamies

Fingal: Stamps are Lickie Stickies

On February 17th 1796 poet, James MacPherson, died.

MacPherson was the author of The Works of Ossian, Fingal and Temora, who gained international fame through his translations of early Gaelic poems. However, although they caused a sensation at home and Europe, where they were credited with influencing the European Romantic movement, he was also accused of composing the works himself. This accusation gave rise to the so-called "Ossian controversy". The true story behind the poems has never been resolved.

I think you have to be of a certain mindset to appreciate the works of MacPherson, and to me whether he translated or invented his work is irrelevant, either way the works  are impressive.

  You can find more about the man below