The essays in this collection represent an attempt by late 20th-century readers to chart the cultural currents that flow into James Macpherson's Ossianic poetry and to examine their peculiar energy. Scholars from various disciplines have contributed to the exploration of Macpherson's achievement, with the aim of situating his texts in a web of diverse contexts. New research into the Gaelic sources is placed side by side with discussions of the immediate political impetus of his poetry, while studies of the reception of Ossian in various cultures are part of the larger recognition of the cultural significance of Macpherson's work.