Early political careers of James "Fingal" Macpherson (1736-1796) and Sir John Macpherson, Bart. (1744-1821)

Abstract

The purposes of this thesis could be summarised as follows:

1. To examine the joint and separate careers of James and John Macpherson until 1778; and to place James Macpherson's literary interests in perspective, by showing them as the means to an end, and not an end in themselves.

2. To trace the personal motives which governed the Macphersons public actions, and to show how these personal motives affected their dealings with such men as Lauchlin Macleane and Warren Hastings.

3. To illustrate the modus operandi of two successful political adventurers.

4. To identify all the people with whom the Macphersons had any dealings until 1778.

5. To identify, as far no available evidence allow, nil the pseudonyms which they used as political journalists until 1773.

6. To provide a background for the study of their later careers.

7. To examine all their correspondence (especially thoir Gaelic correspondence) until 1773.