§ Sir J. Mackintoshsaid, he held in his hand a petition of rather a singular nature. It was one from Mr. Hugh Campbell, a student at law, complaining of the conduct of the Highland Society of London. The petitioner, it appeared, had been inspired by a laudable zeal for the literature 218 of his country, and had undertaken tours through the Hebrides, and the province of Ulster, for the purpose of illustrating the topography of the poems of Ossian, and particularly that of Fingal. It might be worthy of remark, that in the college of Madrid were to be seen large and accurate maps of the tour of Don Quixote through the various provinces of Spain, and the petitioner seemed to be actuated by a wish to perform some such task with respect to the poems of Ossian. In the petition he had asserted that the Highland Society was bound to remunerate him for his labour, and he complained that that society had refused him compensation. The hon. member was not aware in what manner relief could be afforded to the petitioner; but he felt it his duty to lay the petition before the House.
§ Ordered to lie on the table.