on high. Hard polished bits shine in a wreath of foam. Thin thongs bright-studded with gems, bend on the stately necks of the steeds. The steeds, that like wreaths of mist fly over the streamy vales! The wildness of deer is in their course, the strength of eagles descending on the prey *7. Their noise is like the blast of winter, on the sides of the snow-headed Gormal. 47 The wildness of deer is in their course, the strength of eagles descending on their prey.] Saul and Jonathan were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 2. Sam. i. 23. My days have passed away, as the eagle that hasteth to her prey. Joв, ix. 26. HAB. i. 8. The original of Cuthullin's chariot is an Irish ballad, in the dialogue form, on the appearance of a number of chariots and horsemen on the plain. It contains the names of the hero, and his two horses; but no description whatsoever of the chariot, no reference to any epic poem; much less the impropriety of putting such minute particulars, as the ornaments of the chariot, and the very names and trappings of the horses, into the mouth of a breathless and terrified scout. In the course of Johnson's journey through the Highlands, Boswell proposed, as a test of the authenticity of Ossian, that Mr Macqueen, whose evidence had been produced by Blair, should repeat such passages as he knew of the original, while another gentleman examined the translation. Mr Macqueen then (among other Irish ballads,) repeated, in Earse, a description of one of the horses in Cuthullin's car. Mr Macleod said, Mr Macpherson's English was nothing like it.---BoswELL's Journal. Yet, the same gentleman assured Blair, that " he had heard the description of Cuthullin's car, repeated to severals, with some variations. It "Within the car is seen the chief; the strongarmed son of the sword. The hero's name is Cuthullin, son of Semo, king of shells. His red cheek is like my polished yew. The look of his blue-rolling eye is wide, beneath the dark arch of his brow. His hair flies from his head like a flame, as bending forward, he wields the spear. Fly, king of ocean, fly! He comes, like a storm, along the streamy vale!" "When "When did I fly,” replied the king? fled Swaran from the battle of spears ? When did I shrink from danger, chief of the little soul? I met the storm of Gormal, when the foam of my waves beat high. I met the storm of the clouds; shall Swaran fly from a hero? Were Fingal himself before me, my soul should not darken with fear. Arise to battle, my thousands! pour round me like the echoing main. Gather round the bright steel of your king; is very grand in the original. There are four horses described in it, with a string of epithets applied to each, of which the translator dropped a few through his fingers."---Letter from Mr Macqueen to Dr Blair. Nothing but the principal fact is concealed, that there is no description whatsoever of the chariot, and that no part of the pretended translation, the names of the horses excepted, is to be found in the original. VOL. I. strong as the rocks of my land; that meet the storm, with joy, and stretch their dark pines to the wind!" Like autumn's dark storms, pouring from two echoing hills, toward each other approached the heroes. Like two deep streams from high rocks meeting, mixing, roaring, on the plain 48; loud, rough, and dark in battle, meet Lochlin and Innis-fail. Chief mixes his strokes with chief, and man with man; steel, clanging, sounds on 48 Like autumn's dark storms pouring from two echoing hills.Like two deep streams from high rocks, meeting, mixing, roaring on the plain.] POPE's Iliad, iv. 516. As torrents roll, encreased by numerous rills, With rage impetuous down their echoing hills, Rush to the vales, and poured along the plain, Roar through a thousand channels to the main; The distant shepherd, trembling, hears the sound, So mix both hosts, and so their cries rebound. VIRGIL'S Æneid, xii. 523. Aut ubi decurso rapido, de montibus altis, Dant sonitum spumosi amnes, et in æquora currunt Quisque suum populatus iter. "This comparison of rivers meeting and roaring, with two armies mingling in battle, is an image, which, to say the least of it, was worthy the invention of Homer, and the imitation of Virgil." POPE's note, Iliad, ib. But in Ossian, there is no imitation as in Virgil; nothing but the original invention of Homer. steel. Helmets are cleft on high. Blood bursts and smokes around 49. Strings murmur on the polished yews. Darts rush along the sky. Spears fall like the circles of light, which gild the face of night. As the noise of the troubled ocean, when roll the waves on high. As the last peal of thunder in heaven 5°, such is the din of war! Though Cormac's hundred bards were 49 Blood bursts and smokes around.] 'Pse d'aïpatı yata. Iliad, iv. 451." "Blood forms a lake around." Highlander, ii. 115. The reader may compare this passage with a similar one in Homer. MACPHERSON. Now shield with shield, with helmet helmet closed, With streaming blood the slippery fields are dyed, The difference between the two passages is this, that, in Ossian, the simile of the two torrents precedes, and in Homer, it succeeds the description of the battle. 5o As the noise of the troubled ocean, when roll the waves on high. As the last peal of thunder in heaven.] From the introductory simile to the first battle in the Iliad. POPE's Iliad, iv. 479. As, when the winds, ascending by degrees, there, to give the fight to song; feeble was the voice of a hundred bards, to send the deaths to future times"! For many were the deaths of heroes; wide poured the blood of the brave! Mourn, ye sons of song, mourn the death of the noble Sithallin 5. Let the sighs of Fiona rise, on the lone plains of her lovely Ardan. They fell, like two hinds of the desart, by the hands 51 Though Cormac's hundred bards were there-feeble was the voice of an hundred bards.]- to give the fight to song. Oudt μοι δέκα μὲν γλῶσσαι. Iliad, ii. 489. GEORG. iii. 42. Æn. vi. 625. Non ego cuncta meis amplecti versibus opto, 52 Sithallin signifies, a handsome man; Fiona, a fair maid; and Ardan, pride. MACPHERSON. The apostrophe to Cormac's hundred bards, and the next apostrophe to the maid of Inistore, are both taken from two beautiful apostrophe's in Hardyknute, introduced, as here, in the very midst of the battle. "Mourn, ye sons of the song; mourn the death of the noble Sithallin. Let the sighs of Fiona rise, on the lone plains of her lovely Ardan.” Wae to the knight he ettled at, Lament now queen Elgreid! High dames, to wail your darling's fate, His youth and comely meid. |