James Macpherson

James Macpherson was an 18th-century Scottish writer known for claiming to have collected and translated ancient Gaelic poetry called the Ossian cycle. His works, published as "translated" poems, gained widespread popularity and influenced European literature, especially Romanticism. However, it was later revealed that Macpherson had largely composed the poems himself, basing them on folklore and his imagination rather than authentic ancient texts. Despite this, his work significantly impacted literary history by sparking interest in Celtic culture and inspiring other writers, though it also raised questions about originality and the nature of translation.