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Critical DISSERTATION
ON
THE
POEMS
of
OSSIAN,
THE
SON
of FINGAL
LONDON:
Printed
f o r T.
B
e c k e t
an d
P. A. De Hon
dt, a t
T u l i y ' i -
Head, i n
the
Strand. MDCCLXIII.
-
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i f
.
>
J
UU •
. : S
I
«M7
-
r
p v
J.U
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Advertisement.
THEubstance of the following D i s s e r t a t i o n w as
delivered by the Au t h o r
i n
the Course of h i s
Lectures on Rh e to r i c k an d
B e l l e s -
L e t t r e s , i n the
U n i v e r
s i t y of
Ed i n b u r g h. At
the
Desire
of s e v e r a l of h i s
Hearers, h e has enlarged, an d
given
i t t o the Publick, i n
i t s
present
Fo r m.
In
t h i s
D i s s e r t a t i o n , i t
i s
proposed,
t o
make
some Ob
s e r v a t i o n s
on t he an ci en t
Poetry of
Nations,
p a r t i c u l a r l y
the
R u n i c
an d the
C e l t i c ; t o point out those Characters
of
Antiquity, w h i c h the Works of
Osiian
bear
;
t o give an
Idea
of
the
S p i r i t
an d
S t r a i n
of
h i s
Poetry
;
an d
a f t e r
ap
plying
the
Rules of Criticism t o Fingal, a s an E pi c
Poem, t o e x a m i n e
the
Merit of O f f i a n ' s Com pos itions in
general, w i t h R e g a r d t o Description, Imagery, an d
S entiment.
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Critical DISSERTATION
ONTHE
POEMSof O
SSI
AN,
THE
SONof
FINGAL
AMONG
he
m o n u m e n t s remaining
of the a n c i e n t s t a t e of
n a t i o n s , fe w a r e m o r e v a l u a b l e than t h e i r p o e m s o r s o n g s .
History,
when i t
t r e a t s
of
r em ot e an d
dark
a g e s , i s seldom
very
i n s t r u c t i v e . The beginnings of s o c i e t y , i n every country, a r e
involved
i n
fabulous
confusion
;
an d
though
they
w e r e
n o t ,
they
would
f u r n i s h fe w e v e n t s
wor t h r e c o r d i n g .
But,
i n
every p e r i o d of
s o c i e t y , human m a n n e r s a r e
a
curious s p e c t a c l e ; an d
t h e
most n a t u r a l
p i c t u r e s of
a n c i e n t
m a n n e r s a r e e x h i b i t e d
i n
the a n c i e n t p o e m s of
n a t i o n s . Th es e p r e s e n t t o u s ,
what
i s
much
m o r e
v a l u a b l e
than the
h i s t o r y
of such
t r a n s a c t i o n s a s
a
rude age can a f f o r d , The h i s t o r y of
human imagination
and
p a s s i o n . They make us acquainted with
the
n o t i o n s
and f e e l i n g s of ou r f e l l o w - c r e a t u r e s i n the mos t a r t l e s s
a g e s
; d i s c o v e r i n g
w ha t o b j e c t s they admired,
an d
w ha t p l e a s u r e s
they p ur su ed , be for e
t h o s e refinements
of
s o c i e t y
h ad taken
p l a c e ,
which e n l a r g e
i n d e e d , an d
d i v e r s i f y the
t r a n s a c t i o n s , but d i s g u i s e
t he
m a n n e r s
of
ma nki n d.
B B e s i d e s
I
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2
A
critical DISSERTATION
Besides t h i s merit, which ancient poems h a v e w i t h philosophical
observers of
human
nature, t h e y h a v e
another
w i t h persons of t a s t e .
They
p r o m i s e some of
t he h ig he st beauties of poetical writing. I r
regular an d un po l i s h e d we may expect the productions of unculti
vated
ages
to
be
;
but
aboun d i n g,
a t
t h e
fa m e
time,
w i t h
that
e n
thusiasm, that
vehemence
an d
f i r e ,
which ar e
th e
soul of poetry.
For many circumstances of those t i m e s which we c a l l barbarous, ar e
favourable
t o the poetical s p i r i t . That
s t a t e ,
i n
which
human
nature
shoots
wild
an d
f r e e ,
t h o u g h
u n f i t f o r
other
i m p r o v e m e n t s ,
certainly
e ncou rages th e h i g h exertions of fancy an d p a s s i o n .
In t h e infancy of
s o c i e t i e s , men l i v e s c a t t e r e d an d d i s p e r s e d , i n t h e
m id s t of s o l i t a r y
r u r a l scenes,
where t he beauties of
nature
ar e
their
c h i e f e n t e r t ai n m e n t. They m e e t w i t h many o b j e c t s ,
to
them new
an d
strange
;
t h e i r wonder
an d
surprize
ar e
frequently
excited
;
and
by
the s u d d e n
c han g e s of
fortune occu rri ng i n their unsettled s t a t e
of l i f e , t h e i r passions
ar e
r a i s e d t o
t he
ut mo s t. T h e i r passions h a v e
n o t h i n g t o
r e s t r a i n them : t h e i r
imagination
has n o t h i n g
t o
c h e c k i t .
They display
t h e msel ves
to
on e
another
w i t hout disguise
;
an d con
verse an d a c t i n t h e u n c o v e r e d simplicity of nature. As t h e i r f e e l i n g s
are strong,
s o
t h e i r language, of i t s e l f , assu mes a
p o e t i c a l -
turn.
Prone
t o exaggerate, t h e y
describe
e v e ry
t h i n g
i n
t h e strongest co
lours ;
which
of
course
r e n d e r s
t h e i r
s pe e c h picturesque
an d figura
t i v e . Figurative language owes i t s r i f e chiefly
to
two causes ;
t o
t h e
want of
proper
names f o r
o b j e c t s , an d t o
th e
influence
of
i m ag i n a
t i o n
an d
p a s s i o n
over t h e
form
of
expression.
B o t h
these
causes
con-
curr i n the infancy of
s o c i e t y .
Figures ar e commonly considered as
a r t i f i c i a l modes of speech, devised by orators an d p o e t s , a f t e r t h e
w o r l d h ad
ad van c e d
t o
a
refined s t a t e .
The contrary of
t h i s
i s t he
t r u t h . Men
n e v e r
h a v e used
s o
many
figures
of
s t y l e , a s i n
those
r u d e ages, when, besides t he power of a warm imagination t o sug
gest
l i v e l y images, th e want of p ro p e r an d p r e c i s e t e r m s f o r t he i d e a s
t h e y
would
express, obliged them
t o
h a v e recourse
t o
c i r c umlocu
t i o n ,
m e t a p h o r ,
comparison, an d
a l l those
s u b s t i t u t e d forms
of e x
p r e s s i o n , which
give a
poetical a i r t o language. An American
c h i e f ,
a t t h i s
day,
harangu es a t
th e h e a i of
h i s t r i b e , i n
a
more
bold metaphorical s t y l e ,
than a
modern E u r o p e a n would a d v e n t u r e
to use i n
an E p i c
p o e m .
5
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on
the
POEMSof O S S I A N. 3
^
In t h e
progress of
s o c i e t y , th e
genius an d m a n n e r s of
men
u n
d e r g o
a c h a n g e more favourable t o accuracy than t o
s p r i g h t l i n e s s
an d
sublimity. As th e world advances, the u nde r sta ndi ng gains g r o u n d
upon
t h e
imagination
; th e
u n d e r s t a n d i n g i s
more
exercised ; t h e
imagination,
l e s s .
Fewer objects
occur
t h a t a r e
new
or
surprizing.
Men apply t h e m s e l v e s t o t race t he causes of t hi n gs; t h ey correct
and r e f i n e on e an ot he r; t he y sub du e or
d i s g u i s e t h e i r p a s s i o n s
; t h e y
form t h e i r exterior
m a n n e r s upon
on e
u niform
standard of
p o l i t e n e s s
an d c i v i l i t y . Human nature i s p r u n e d according t o method an d
r u l e .
Language advances from s t e r i l i t y
t o
copiousness,
an d a t
the
same t i m e, from
fervour an d
enthusiasm,
t o correctness
an d
preci
s i o n . S t y l e b e c o m e s more chaste ; but l e s s animated. The
progress
of t he wo r l d
i n
t h i s respect r e s e mbl e s th e
progress
of
age i n
man.
The p o w e r s
of
imagination
ar e
m o s t vigorous an d
p r e d o m i n a n t
i n
youth
;
those
of the u n d e r s t a n d i n g ripen more
slowly, an d
often
a t
tain
not
t h e i r
maturity,
t i l l
th e imagination
be g i n
t o
f l a g .
H e n c e ,
poetry, which
i s
t h e child of imagination,
i s
frequently m o s t glow
i n g an d an i m a t e d i n the f i r s t ages of s o c i e t y . As
t he
i d e a s of our
youth ar e remembered w i t h
a peculiar
pleasure on account of t h e i r
l i v e l i n e s s
an d
vivacity
;
s o
t h e m o s t ancient poems
h a v e often
p r o v e d
th e greatest
favourites
of
n a t i o n s .
Po etry has b e e n
s a i d
t o
be
more
ancient
t han prose : an d how
e v e r p ar ad oxi c al such an a s s e r t i o n may s e e m , y e t , i n a qualified
s e n s e , i t i s t r u e . Men
certainly
n e v e r conve r se d
w i t h
on e
a noth e r
in
regular
numbers;
but
e v e n
t h e i r
ordinary
language
would
i n
ancient
times,
f o r the
reasons before
assigned,
a p p r oa c h
t o a
p o e t i
c a l
s t y l e ;
an d
th e f i r s t
compositions
transmitted t o p o s t e r i t y , beyond
doub t,
w e r e, in
a l i t e r a l s e n s e , poems ; that i s , compositions i n
which imagination had the chief han d, f o r m e d into
some
kind
of
n um be rs , an d
p r o n o u n c e d w i t h a musical m o d u l a t i o n or
tone.
Musick or s o n g has b e e n f o u n d coæval w i t h s o c i e t y among the
m o s t barbarous nations. The only s u b j e c t s which could prompt
men, i n
t h e i r
f i r s t
r ud e
s t a t e , t o
u t t e r t h e i r t h ough ts
i n
com pos i
t i o n s of an y length, w e r e such a s naturally as s u m e d the tone of
poetry ; p r a i s e s of
their
gods, or of t h e i r ancestors ; commemora
t i o n s
of
t h e i r
own
warlike
e xp loi ts ; or
lamentations
over
t h e i r
mis
fortunes. And b ef or e w r it i ng was invented, n o other compositions,
except
songs or
p o e m s , could
take
such hol d of the imagination and
B 2 memory,
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4 A critical
DISSERTATION
memory, a s to be preserved by o r a l
t r a d i t i o n ,
an d h a n d e d down
f r o m
on e
race t o another.
Hence
we may
exp ect
t o f i n d poems
among
t he
a n t i q u i t i e s
of a l l
nations.
I t
i s
probable
t o o ,
that
an
extensive
search
would
discover
a c e r t a i n
d eg re e
of r e s e m blan c e among a l l
the m o s t ancient
p o e t i c a l
productions, from w ha t e v e r country t h ey h a v e proceeded.
In a
s i m i l a r s t a t e of
m a n n e r s ,
s i m i l a r objects an d p a s s i o n s operating upon
t he i mag in at ion s of men, will s t a m p
t h e i r productions w i t h
t h e
fame general character.
Some d i v e r s i t y
w i l l ,
n o
doubt,
be
occa
sioned by
climate an d
genius. B u t
mankind
n e v e r
bear such r e
s e m bl i n g f e a t u r e s , a s
t h e y
do i n the be g i n n i n g s
of s o c i e t y .
I t s
subs e q ue n t revolutions give r i f e t o the principal d i s t i n c t i o n s among
nations;
an d d i v e r t ,
i n t o channels w i d e l y s ep ar at ed , t hat
current
of
human
genius
an d
m a n n e r s ,
which
d e s c e n d s
o r i g i n a l l y
from
on e
s p r i n g . What we h av e be e n long ac c u s t o m e d t o c a l l t he oriental
v e i n of poetry,
because
some of the e a r l i e s t p o e t i c a l productions
h a v e come t o us f ro m t he East,
i s
probably no more o r i e n t a l t han
occidental;
i t
i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l
of an age
rather than a country ; an d
belongs,
i n some mea su re, t o
a l l nations
a t
a c e r t a i n
period.
Of
t h i s the w o r k s of Ossian s e e m to furnish a r e markable proof.
Our
present subject l e a d s us
to
i n v e s t i g a t e the
ancient poetical
r em ai ns , n ot s o much of t h e e a s t ,
or
of t he Gr ee ks an d Romans,
a s
of th e northern
nations ; i n
order
t o
discover
w h e t h e r the
Got h i c
p oe t ry has
an y
r e se mbla nce
t o
t h e
Celtic
or
Galic,
which
we
ar e
about
t o
consider. Though
the
Got hs, u n d e r
which name we
usually comprehend a l l the Scandinavian t r i b e s , w e r e a people a l t o
g e t h e r f i e r c e
an d martial,
an d noted,
t o a
proverb, fo r t h e i r igno
rance of th e l i b e r a l a r t s , ye t t h e y
t o o ,
from the e a r l i e s t times,
h ad
t h e i r poets an d t h e i r songs. Th e i r poets w e r e distinguished by the
t i t l e of S c a t t e r s , an d t h e i r songs w e r e t e r me d Vxfes.* Saxo Gram-
maticus,
*
Olaus Wormius, i n the appe n d ix t o invention,
h e
f a y s e x p re f l y , t h a t
among
h i s Treatise
d e
Literatura Runica, has a l l
t h e s e
measures, rhyn.e, or c or re s pon -
gi v e n
a p a r t i c u l a r
account
of
the Go t h i c d e n ce
of
f i n a l
s y l l a b l e s ,
w as never
em>
poetry,
commonly
c a l l e d
Run ic, fr om
ployed.
He
a n a l y s e s
t h e
s t r u c t u r e
of
o n e .
Runes, w h i c h s i g n i f i e s the Gothic
l e t t e r s . of t h e s e kinds of
v e r s e , t h a t
i n
w h i c h the
He
informs
u s t h a t t h e r e
w e r e n o
fewer poem c f
L o db ro g,
afterwards
quoted, i s
than 136
d i f f e r e n t
heads of
measur e
or written ; w h i c h
e x h i b i t s
a very singular
v e r s e
u s e d i n t h e i r V y f ei ;
an d t h ou gh
we s p e c i e s o f h ar m o n y, i f i t can be allowed
a r e accustomed t o c a l l r h y m e a Gothic t h a t n am e , d e p e n d i n g n e i t h e r u p o n rhyme
n or
v
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on the POEMSop O S S I A
N.
maticus,
a
D a n i s h Historian of considerable note, who
flou ri s he d i n
t h e thirteenth century,
i n for m s
us
that
very many of
these
songs,
containing t he
ancient traditionary s t o r i e s
of t h e
country, w e r e
f o u n d
e n g rav e n u p o n rocks i n
t he ol d
Runic
character
; s e v e r a l
of
which
he
has
translated
i n t o
Latin,
an d
i n s e r t e d
i n t o
h i s
History.
B u t
h i s
v er si on s ar e p l a i n l y
s o paraphrastical,
an d forced into
such
an imita
tion
of the
s t y l e an d
t h e m eas ur es of t h e
Roman p oets, that one
can
form no
judgment
from them of the native s p i r i t of the o r i
g i n a l . A more
curious
monument of the true
Goth ic
poetry i s
preserved by Olaus
Wormius i n h i s
book d e Literatura Runica.
I t
i s
an
E p i c e d i u m ,
or funeral
song, composed by Regner
Lodbrog
;
an d
t r a n s l a t e d
by Olaus, word f o r w o r d , from t h e o r i g i n a l . T h i s
Lodbrog
w as a king
of Denmark, who l i v e d
i n
t he e igh th
century,
fa mou s f o r
h i s war s an d v i c t o r i e s ; an d
a t
t h e f am e t i m e an
emi
n e n t Scalder or
p o e t .
I t was h i s mi sfortu ne t o
f a l l
a t
l a s t
i n t o
t h e
h a n d s of
on e
of h i s e n e m i e s , by
whom
h e
w as t hr ow n i nt o p r is on ,
an d condemned t o
be destroyed by s e r p e n t s . In
t h i s
s i t u a t i o n he
solaced h i m s e lf w i t h reh earsing
a l l t h e exploits
of
h i s
l i f e .
The
poem i s divided i n t o t w e n ty- n i n e stanzas, of
ten
l i n e s
each ;
and
e v e ry
stanza begins w i t h these wor d s,
Pugnavimus
Ensibus, We
h a v e
fought
wi t h our
swords. Olaus's version
i s i n
many places
so
obscure a s t o
be
hardly i n t e l l i g i b l e . I
hav e
subjoined
t he w h o l e be
low,
n or upon met r ical s e c t ,
or
q ua n t i ty
of
s y l l a b l e s , but
chiefly upon th e number
of
t h e
s y l l a b l e s ,
an d
t h e d i s po si t i on
of
the
l e t
t e r s In e v e r y s t an z a
was
an
e qu a l
number
of l i n e s : i n e v e r y
line
f i x s y l l a
bles. In e ach d i s t i c h .
i t
was requisite
that t h r e - e wercis should
b e g i n
w i t h the
same letter;
two of
th e
co r r e s p o n d i n g
words
placed i n t h e f i r s t line of
t he
dis
t i c h , t h e
third,
in
t he
s e c on d l i n e . In
e ach l i n e were a l s o r e q u i r e d
two
s y l l a b l e s ,
but
n e v e r th e
f i n a l
ones, f o r m e d either
of
t he
fame consonants,
or
fame v ow e l s .
As an
example
of
t h i s m e as u r e, Olaus
gi ve s us
these two
Lat i n l i n e s , constructed
exadiy
acco r d i n g
to
t h e
abo v e
rules
of
l l u i i i c verse
;
Christus
cap u t
n o s t r u m
Coronet t e
bonis.
The
i n i t i a l
l e t t e r s of Christus, Caput
an d C o r o n e t ,
make
t h e t hr ee
c o r r e s p o n d
i n g l e t t e r s
of t h e
d i s t i c h .
In
t h e
f i r s t
line,
t h e
f i r s t
syllables
of
Ch r i s t u s
an d
of
n o s t r u m
;
i n the
s e c on d l i n e , t h e
e n in
co r o n e t an d i n
bonis make the requisite
c or r e s p on d e n c e o f s y l l a b l e s . F r e q u e n t i n
v ers ions an d
transpositions
were
p e r m i t t e d
in t h i s p o e t ry ; which would
naturally
follow from
such laborious
at te nt ion t o
t h e collocation o f w or d s.
The curious on t h i s subject may con
s u l t
likewise
D r . Hicks's Thesaurus
L i n -
guarum S j p t e n t r i o n ali u m ;
particularly
t h e
23d ch ap t e r of his
Grammaiica
Anglo S axonic a Mæso Gothica; where
t h e y
w i l l
sind a
f u l l
acco u n t
of
t h e
l t r u 6 , -
t u r e oft h e Anglo-Saxonverse, which n early
r e s e m b l e d th e Go t h i c . They will find a l s o
some s p e c i m e n s both of
Gothic
an d
Saxon
poetry. An extract,
which
Dr.
Hicks
h as i i i v e n from t h e work of one of t h e
b
DaniQv
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A critical
DISSERTATION
low, exactly a s h e
has published i t
;
and s h a l l
t r a n s l a t e a s
much
a s
may g i v e
t h e English
r e a d e r
an
i d e a
of t h e
s p i r i t an d s t r a i n
of
t h i s
kind
of
poetry.*
We
hav e fought wi th our
swords.
—
was
young,
w h e n ,
t o -
wards t h e e a s t , i n the bay of Oreon, we m a d e t o r r e n t s of blood
f l o w , t o
gorge
the ravenous
b e a s t of p r e y ,
and
the yellow-
footed
b i r d .
Th e r e resounded the
hard
s t e e l upo n the
l o f t y
hel-
m e t s
Dan i s h
S c a l d e r s , e n t i t l e d , Hcrvarer Saga,
containing
an
evocation from
the
dead,
may
b e fo un d i n the 6t h
v o l u m e
of Mis
cellany P o e m s , published by Mr. Dry -
den.
*
I .
Pugnavimus Ensibus
Haud
p o s t
l o n g u m
t e m p u s
Cum i n Gotlandia accessimus
Ad s e r p e n t i s i m m e n s i necem
Tune i m p e t r a v i m u s Thoram
Ex h oc vocarunt me v i r u m
Quod
s e r pe n t e m
transfodi
Hirfutam b rac cam o b i l l a m c e d e m
Cusp idc
i ctum
i n t u l i i n co lu b r u m
Ferro luc idorum flipendiorum.
2.
Pugnæ f a c t a copia
Cum Helsingianos postulavimus
Ad aulam O d i n i
N a v e s direximus
i n
ostium V i s t u l a ;
Mucro
p o t u i t
t u r n m o r d e r e
Omnis e r a t vulnus u n d a
T e r r a
rubefacta
Calido
Frendebat
glad i
u s i n l o r i c a s
Gladius
f i n d e b a t Clypeos.
5 -
Menvni neminem tune f u g i s s e
P r i u s q u a m i n
navibus
H e ra u d n s
i n b e l l o caderet
Non f i n d i t navibus
Alius
baro præslantior
Mare ad p o r t u m
In
navibus l o n g i s p o s t ilium
Sic a t t u l i t p r in ce p s p as si m
Alacre i n bellum c o r .
ultum
juvenis f u i q u a n d o
a c q u i s i v i -
mus
O r i e n t e m
v e r s u s
i n
O r eo n i c o
f r e t o
Vulnerum a m n e s avidæ
feræ
Et f l a v i p e d i
a v i
A c c e p i m u s ibidem fonuerunt
Ad sublimes galeas
Dura f e r r a magnam
es cam
Omnis
e r a t oceanus
vulnus
Vadav it corvus i n
sanguine
Cæ s o ru m .
Alte tulimus tune lanceas
Quando
v i g i n t i
annos n u m e r a v i m u s
Et ce leb r e m l a u d e m c o m p a r a v i m u s passim
V i c i m u s
octo barones
In
o r i e n t e ante D im i ni p or tu m
Aqui l æ i m pe t rav i mu s tune
s u f f i c i e n t e m
H o s p i t i i sumptum i n i l i a s t r a g e
Su dor
d e c i d i t
i n v u l n e r u m
Oceano p e r d i d i t exercitus s e t a t e m .
6 .
Exercitus a b j e c i t
clypeos
Cum hasta v o l a v i t
A r d u a ad virorum
pectora
Mombrdit S carforum cautes
Gladius i n p u g n a
Sanguineus
e r a t Clypeus
Antequam
Rafno rex caderet
Fluxit
ex
v i ro rum
c a p i t i b u s
Calidus i n l o i i c a s s u d o r .
7 -
Habere potuerunt t u r n corvi
A n t e fndirorum
i n s u l a s
Sufficientem
prædam
dilaniandam
Acquisivimus
f e r i s carnivoris
Plenum p r an d i u m un i co actu
D i f f i c i l e e r a t unius f a c e r e
m e n t i o n e m
O r i e n t e s o l e
Spicula
v i d i
p ung ere
P ro pule ru n t arcus ex f e f e r r a .
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on
the POEMSop
OSSIAN.
7
* * metsofmen.
The w hol e ocean
was on e
wou n d. The c ro w
w a d e d i n
the
blood
of the s l a i n . When
we h ad
n u m b e r e d
t w e n ty y e a r s ,
we
l i f t e d our
s p e a r s on
high, an d every
w h e r e
s p r e a d
ou r r e now n. Eight barons we ove r ca me i n the
e a s t ,
be-
f o r e
t h e
p o r t
of
Diminum
;
an d
p l e n t i f u l l y
we
f e a s t e d
the
eagle
« i n
8 .
A l t u m
m u g i c r u n t e n s e s
Antcquam i n Laneocampo
E i f l i n u s rex
c e c i d i t
P r o ce f li m u s a ur o d i t a t i
Ad
terram
prostratorum
d i m i c a n d u m
Gladius s e c u i t C ly p eor u m
Picturas i n galearum c o n v e n t u
C e r v i c u m
mustum ex
vulneribus
Diffusum
per
c e r e b r u m
f i s l u m .
9 -
Tenuimus Clypeos i n sanguine
Cum hastam
u n x i m u s
A n t e Bo r i n g holmum
Telorum
n ube s
d i f r u m p u n t cly p e u m
Ext r us i t arcus e x f e m e ta l l u m
Vol nir c e c i d i t
i n
c o n f l i c t u
Non e r a t
i l l o
rex major
Cæsi
d i s p e r s i
l a t e per httora
Feræ amplectebantur
escam.
10.
Pugna
manifeste
crescebat
Antequam Freyr rex
caderet
In Flan d r o r u m t e r r a
Cæp i t
c a e r u l e u s
ad
i n c i d e n d u m
S a n g u i n e i l l i t u s i n aur ea m
L o r i c a m
i n p u g n a
D u r u s armorum m u c r o
olim
V i r g o
deploravit
m at u t i n am lanienam
Multa
p ræ da dabatur f e r i s .
11.
C en t i es c e nt e n os
v i d i jacere
In n av ibu s
U bi Æn g lan e s vocatur
Na v i g a v i mu s
ad
pugnam
P e r s e x d i e s a n t e q ua m
e x e r c i t u s
caderet
T r an s e g i m u s mucronum
miffam
In
exortu
s o l i s
Coactus
e s t
p ro n o s t r i s
g l a d i i s
Valdiofur i n b e l l o o c c u m b e r e.
12.
Ruit
pluvia
sanguinis d e g l a d i i s
P ræ c c p s i n Bardafyrde
Pallidum c or pu s p r o a c c i p i t r i b u a
Mu r m u r a v i t arcus u b i mucro
Acriter mordebat Loricas
In
c o n f l i c t u
O d i n i Pileus Galea
Cucurrit
arcus ad v ul nu s
V e n e n a t e
ac ut us c on sp er sus s ud or e
fan*
guineo.
Tenuimus m ag i ca scuta
Alte
i n pugnæ ludo
An t e H ia d ni n g um
s i n u m
V i d e r e l i c u i t t u r n v i r o s
Qui g l a d i i s
Iacerarunt Clypeos
In
g l a d i a t o r i o
murmure
Galeæ a t t r i t æ v i r o r u m
Erat
s i c u t s ple n d i dam
v i r g i n e m
In l e c t o juxta s e collocare
Dura
venit
tempestas
Clypeis
Cad av e r c e c i d i t i n
terram
In N o r t u m b r i a
Erat c i r c a m a t u t i n u m
t e m p u s
H o m i n i b u s n e ce s su m
e r a t fugere
Ex
prælio
u b i
acute
C a f l i d i s c a m p o s m o r d e b an t g l a d i i
Er at h oc v e l u t i
Juvenem v i d u a m
In p r im ar i a s e d e o s c u l a r i .
5 -
Herthiofe
e v a s i t
fortunatus
In Australibus
Orcadibus i p s e
Victorias i n n o s t r i s h o m i n i b u s
Cogebatur
i n
armorum
n i m b o
Rogvaldus
oc c umb e r e
I s t e v e n i t summus super
a c c i p i t r e s
Luctus
i n
gladiorum ludo
S trenue j a c t a b a t
concussor
Galeæ
sanguinis
t e l i . , j 5.
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8
A
critical DISSERTATION
i n t h a t s l a u g h t er . The warm stream of
w o u n d s
r a n i n t o the
* * o c e a n .
The a r m y f e l l
b e f o r e u s . When we s t e e r e d
our
( h i p s
i n t o
the m o u t h
of t h e V i s t u l a ,
we
s e n t
the
Hellingians t o the
Hall of O d i n. Then
d i d
the sword b i t e . The waters w e r e a l l
'
on e
wou n d.
The
e a r t h
was
dyed
r e d
with
t h e
warm
stream.
« The
16.
Quilibet jacebat
t r an s v er fi m s up r a
alium
Gaud e ba t p u g n a lætus
Accipiter ob gladiorum ludum
Non f e c i t
aquilam
au t
aprum
Qui f r la nd i am g ub e r na vi t
Co n v e n t u s
s i e b a c s e r r i
Clypci
Mars tanus rex j e j u n i s
Fiebat i n
v e d r æ s i n u
Præda
data
c o r v i s .
17
-
Be llator e m multum v i d i cadere
Mane
ante
machæram
Virum i n mucronum d i f f i d i o
Filio meo
i n c i d i t
m a tu r e
Gladius
juxta
cor
Egillus
f e c i t Agnerum
spoliatum
Impe r t e r r i t u m v i r u m
v i t a
S o n ui t l an c ea pro pe Hamdi
Gr i s ea m loiicam splcndebant v e x i l l a .
18.
V;rborum tenaces v i d i d i f l e c a r e
Haut m i n u t i m
p ro
l u p i s
Endili
maris
ensibus
Erat pe r
Hebdomadæ fpacium
Quas i mulieres v i n u m apportarent
Rubefactæ erant naves
V a l d e i n s t r ep i t u armorum
S c i f T a
e r a t
l o r i c a
In Scioldu ngorum
p r æ l i o .
' 9 -
P u l c h r i c o m u m
v i d i crepusculascere
Virginis a m a t o r e m c i r c a m a t u t i n u m
Et
consabulationis
amxum
v i d u a ru m
Erat s i c u t calidum b a l n e u m
V i n e i v a s i s
nympha
p o r t a r e t
Nos
i n
l l æ
f r e t o
Antiquam Orn rex caderet
S a n g u i n e u m Clypeum v i d i
r u p t u m
Hoc i n v e r t i t v i r o r u m vitam.
20.
Egimus gladiorum
ad cædem
Ludum i n L indis i n f u l a
Cum regibus t r i b u s
Pauci potuerunt inde
I x t a r i
Cecidit
multus
i n rictum ferarum
Accipiter
d i l a n i a v i t
c a r n e m cum lupo
Ut
s a t u r
inde
d i f e e d e r e t
Hybernorum s a n g u i s
i n oceanum
Copiose d e c i d i t p e r m ac t at i on i s
t e m pu s.
21 .
Alte g l a d i u s
mordebat
CIypeo3
Tune
cum
a u r e i c o l o r i s
Hasta f r i c a b a t
l o r i c a s
V i d e r e l i c u i t i n O n l ug s i n f u l a
P e r s e c u l a multum p o s t
l b i
s u i t ad gladiorum ludos
R e g e s proceflerunt
Rubicundum e r a t c i r c a infulam
Ar volans D r a c o vul nerum.
22.
Q u i d e s t v i r o
f o r t i
m o r t e
c e r t i u s
E t s i
i p f e
i n
armorum
n i m b o
Adveifus c o l l o c a t u s s i t
S æ p e
deplorat
æ t a t e m
Qui
nunquam pr e m i t u r
Malum f e r u n t t i m i d u m i n c i t a r e
Aqui l a m ad gladiorum l u d u m
Meticulofus
venit
n u f p ia m
Cordi fuo
u f u i .
23-
Hoc
numero
a e q uum u t
procedat
In c on t ac tu gladiorum
Juvenis
unus contra alt e ru m
Non
retrocedat v i r a v i r o .
Hoc
s u i t
v i r i f o r t i s
n o b i l i t a s diu
S e m p e r debet amoris am i cu s v i r gi n um
Audax
e s s e i n fremitu a r m o r u m .
24.
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on the POEMSof O S S I A N.
* '
The s w o r d
r u n g
upon t h e
coats of
mail,
an d clove
the bucklers
i n
twain.
• None f l e d on that day, t i l l
among
h i s s h i p s
Heraudus
' ' f e l l . Than him n o braver baron
cleaves
the s e a
w i t h
ships ;
a
chearful heart did he ever
bring t o
the combat. Then the hos t
' '
t h r e w
away their
s h i e l d s ,
when
t he
u p l i f t e d
spear
flew
a t
t h e
b r e a s t s of heroes.
The
s w o r d b i t the Scarfian rocks; bloody
' ' was t he s h i e l d i n b a t t l e , u n t i l Rafno t h e king was s l a i n .
From
t h e h ea ds of warriors th e warm
sweat
st r ea med down t h e i r ar -
m o u r .
The c r o w s around
t h e Indirian i s l a n d s h ad an ample
' ' prey. I t w e r e d i s s i c u l t to s i n g l e out on e
among
s o many deaths.
At t h e r i s i n g of th e fu n
I
b eh el d the
spears
piercing the bodies of
f o e s , an d the bows t h r o w i n g forth t h e i r steel-pointed arrows.
K Loud roared t h e s wor d s
i n
t he plains of Lano.—
he
v i r g i n long
b ewa iled t he s laug ht er
of
that mor n i ng. —n t h i s s t r a i n the poet
continues
to
describe s e v e r a l other military e x p l o i t s .
The i m a g e s
ar e not much varied ;
t he noise of
a rms, the s t r eam i n g
of
blood,
an d
24 .
Hoc videtur m i h i r e vera
Quod f a t a scqui mu r
Rarus t r a n s g r e d i t u r f a t a Pa r c a r um
Non
d e s t i n a v i £llæ
De
v i t a exitu
mcæ
Cum e g o s a n gu i n e m
s e m i m o r t u u s
t e g e r e m
Et
naves i n aquas
p r o t r u s i
Passim
i m pe t rav i mu s t u r n f e r i s
Eseam
i n
S c o t i a e
s i n u b u s .
25.
Hoc
r i d e r e
me
f a c i t
s e m p e r
Quod Balderi p a t r i s
s cam n a
Parata s c i o i n
aula
B i b e m u s cerevisiam b r e v i
Ex
concavis c r a t e r i b u s c raniorum
Non g e m i t v i r f o r t i s contra mortem
Magnifici
i n O d i n i d o m i b u s
Non
v e n io
desperabundis
V - e r b i s ad
odini
aulam.
27.
VaHe i n c l i n a t u r ad hær e d i tat e m
Crud e le s t a t nocumentum
a vipera
A n gu i s
i n h a b i t a t aulam c o r d i s
S p e r a m u s a l t e r i u s ad
O t h i n i
Virgam i n
Ellæ sanguine
F i l i i s m e i s l i v e f e e t
S ua
irarubescet
Non a c r e s j uvenes
S cflion e m t ranq uillam f a c i e n t .
28.
26.
Hi e v e l l e n t
n u n c omnes
F i l i i Aflaugæ
g l a d i i s
Amarum bellum e x c i t a r e
S i exacte
s c i r e n t
Calamitates
n o s t r a s
Q u e r n n on pauci
angues
V e n e n a t i
me
discerpunt
Matrem accept m e i s
. F i l i i s i t a ut corda v a l c a n t .
Hab eo
quinquagies
Prælia sub s i g n i s
f a c t a
Ex b e l l i i n v i t a t i o n e semel
Minime putavi h o m i r r u m
Quod
me futurus e s s e s
Juvenis d i d i c i mucronem rubesacere
Alius
rex præstantior
Nos
Asæ invitabunt
Non e s t l u ge n d a m o r s .
29 .
Fert
a n i m u s f i n i r e
Invitant me Dyfæ
Quas
e x
O t h i n i Aula
O t h i n u s
i r r i i h i
m i s i t
L æ t u s cerevisiam cum Ask
In summa s e d e b i bam
V i t æ e l a p s a e
sunt
h o n e
R i d e n s
moriar.
dj
t bc
'-
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i o
A
critical DISSERTATION
t h e f e a s t i n g
t h e birds
of prey, often recurring. He m e n t i o n s
t h e
d ea th
of two of
h i s
sons i n b a t t l e ; an d the
lamentation
h e describes
a s
made
f o r on e of them i s very s i n g u l a r . AGrecian
or
Roman poet would
h a v e i n tr od uc ed t h e
virgins
or nymphs of t he w o o d ,
bewailing
the u n
t i m e ly
f a l l
of
a
young
hero.
But,
s a y s
our Got hi c
poet,
when
Rogvaldus w as
s l a i n , f o r him mourned a l l the hawks of h eav e n,
a s
lam e n t i n g a benefactor who
h ad s o
l i b e r a l l y supplied them w i t h
p r e y ;
f o r
boldly,
a s
h e
adds, i n
t he
s t r i f e
of
swords,
d id
the
br eake r of h e l m e t s
throw the spear
of
blood.
. r r T . ' ' j v r t r j n • • . . | i ' : : • . ' u > . > t . s . u u J J . : - - i ' . ' • - - • • .
The poem concludes
w i t h sentiments of
t he h ig he st
brav e ry
an d
c o n t e m p t of death. What i s more c e r t a i n t o the brave man t h a n
.
death, t h o ug h am i d s t th e s t o r m of swords, h e stand
always
r eady
to oppos e i t ? He only r e g r e t s t h i s l i f e who hath n e v e r known
d i s t r e s s .
The
t i morous man a l l u r e s
the
d e v o u r i n g eagle
to t h e
f i e l d
of
b a t t l e .
The
coward, w h e r e v e r
h e
c o m e s , i s
u s e l e s s
t o
him-
s e l f . T h i s I e s t e e m
honourable,
that t h e
youth should
ad van c e
to
t h e
combat f a i r l y
m a t c h e d on e
against a noth e r ;
n or
man r e t r e a t
from m a n . Long
w as
t h i s th e warrior's
highest glory.
He
who
a s p i r e s t o
t he lov e of v i r g i n s ,
o ug h t always to
b e f or e m os t
i n the roar
of ar ms.
I t
appears
t o me
of t r u t h ,
that
we ar e l e d by th e Fates.
Seldom can an y overcome
th e
a p p oi n t m e n t o f d e s t i n y . L i t t l e d i d
I f o r e s e e that
Ella
* w as t o h a v e my l i f e i n h i s
han d s,
i n t h a t d ay
when
fainting 1
concealed my blood, an d p us he d forth my ships
into
the w a v e s ; a f t e r we h ad
spread
a r e p a s t f o r
th e
beasts of p r e y
t hroughou t
the
S c o t t i s h
bays.
But*
t h i s
makes
me
always
r e j o i c e
that
i n the h a l l s of our father Ba lder [ o r O d i n ] I know there are
f e a t s pr e pared,
w h e r e , i n
a short
time,
we
s h a l l
be d r i nk i n g a l e
out
of the
h o l lo w s k u l l s
of
our e n e m i e s.
In t h e
hous e
of
the
m i g h t y O d i n , n o brave man la men t s
death.
I come n ot wi th t h e
voice
of despair
to
Od i n ' s h a l l . How eagerly would a l l th e son s
' '
o f A sl au g a now r us h
to
war,
d i d
t h e y know t h e
d i s t r e s s
of
t h e i r
f a t h e r , whom
a
multi tu de of venomous serpents t e a r I have g i v e n
t o
my children a
mother
who hat h f i l l e d t h e i r hearts w i t h valour.
1
am
s a s t
approac h i n g t o my end. A
cruel
d ea th
awaits me from
th e
v i p e r ' s b i t e .
A
snake
dwells
i n
th e m i d s t
of my heart. I
h o p e
that
t he
s w o r d
of
some
of
my
sons
ma il
yet
b e
s t a i n e d
w i t h
the blood of E l l a . The v a l i a n t youths w i l l wax
re d
w i t h
anger,
an d
w i l l
not s i t
in
peace. F i f t y
an d
on e t i m e s hav e I reared t h e
*
T h i s
was
t h e name
of
h i s enemy
who
h ad
c on d em ne d h i m t o
d e a t h .
5 standard
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on the
POEMS
of
O 8 S
I
AN, i r
standard
i n
b a t t l e . In
my
youth
I
learned
to d ye
t he
s w o r d in
blood
:
my hope was th en, that n o ki n g among men would be
more
r e n o w n e d than m e .
The
goddesses
of d eat h
w i l l
now
soon
c a l l
me
; I
must
not mourn my
death. Now
I e n d my
song.
The
goddesses
i n v i t e
me
away;
t h e y
whom
Odin
has
s e n t
to
me from
h i s
h a l l . I w i l l
f i t
upon a l o f t y f e a t ,
an d
d r i n k
a l e
joyfully
w i t h the goddesses of death. The
hours
of my l i f e ar e
u r un out.
I
w i l l smile when I d i e .
• - - : r t :.. i
. :
- ; : . . .
. \ l - < - . y f - . / i . . . - • .
This
i s
s uc h
poetry a s we might expect f ro m a
barbarous nation.
I t breathes a m o s t ferocious s p i r i t . I t i s wild, har s h an d i r r e g u l a r ;
but a t t h e s a m e t i m e
a n i m a t e d
an d strong ; t h e s t y l e, i n the o r i g i n a l ,
f u l l of i n v e r s i o n s , and, a s we learn from some of Olaus's
notes,
h i g hly metaphorical
an d
figured.
But
when
we
o p e n
the
works
of
Ossian, a
very
d i f f e r e n t
scene
presents i t s e l f . There we f i n d the f i r e an d the e n t h u sia sm of t h e
m o s t early
times,
combined
w i t h an a m a z i n g
d e g r e e
of
regularity
an d a r t . We f i n d tenderness, an d e v e n
delicacy
of sentiment, greatly
p r e d o m i n a n t over f i e r c e n e s s
an d
barbarity. Our hearts ar e
m e l t e d
w i t h
th e
s o f t e s t
f e e l i n g s ,
an d a t
th e f am e t i m e elevated w i t h
th e
highest i d e a s of m a g n a n i m i t y , generosity, an d true heroism. When
we turn
f r o m
the
poetry of Lodbrog
to that
of Ossian,
i t i s l i k e
passing from a savage
d e s a r t , into
a
f e r t i l e an d cultivated
country.
How i s t h i s t o
be
accounted f o r ? Or b y what means t o
b e
recon
c i l e d w i t h
t he
r e m o t e antiquity
attributed
to
these poems
? T h i s i s
a
c ur i ou s p oi n t
;
an d
requires
t o
be
i l l u s t r a t e d .
That
t he an ci en t
Scots
were of Celtic o r i g i n a l , i s p a s t a l l doubt.
T h e i r
conformi ty
w i t h
t he C el t ic n at i on s
i n
language, m a n n e r s an d
r e l i g i o n ,
proves i t
to
a
f u l l demonstration.
The Ceftæ, a great
an d m i g h t y
people,
altogether d i s t i n c t from
th e
Got h s
an d Teu
tones, on ce e xt en de d t h e i r d o m i n i o n over
a l l
the
west
of Europe
;
but s e e m
t o
h a v e
h ad t h e i r
m o s t f u l l
an d
comp l eat
establishment in
Gaul.
Wherever the
Celtæ
or
Gauls
a r e
m e n t i o n e d by ancient wr i
t e r s , we s e l d o m f a i l
t o hear
of
t h e i r
D r u i d s an d
t h e i r Ba rds
; t he
i n
s t i t u t i o n
of
which two
orders,
was
t h e
c a p i t a l
d i s t i n c t i o n
of
t h e i r
man
ners
an d policy. The
D r u i d s
w e r e
t h e i r philosophers an d
p r i e s t s
;
t h e Bards, t h e i r
poets an d
recorders of h eroic actions : And both
these
orders
of
men,
s e e m t o h a v e s u b s i s t e d
among
t h e m , a s
chief
C 2 members
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12 A critical DISSERTATION
members of t h e
s t a t e , f ro m t i m e
immemorial
* . We
m u s t
n or
therefore
i mag i n e
the Celtæ to
hav e
b e e n altogether a gross
an d r u d e
ration. They p o s s e s s e d from
v e ry r e m o t e ages
a f o r m e d s ys t e m of
d i s c i p l i n e an d m a n n e r s , which
appears t o have
h ad
a d e e p
an d l a s t
i n g
influence.
Ammianus
Marcellinus
gives
them
t h i s
express
t e s t i
mony,
t h a t
there f l o u r i s t i e d
among them
the
study
of
t he
mo s t laud
able a r t s ; introduced
by
the
Bards, whose
o f f i c e
i t was
t o fing i n
heroic v e r s e ,
th e
gallant
actions
of
i l l u s t r i o u s men
;
an d
by
t h e
D ru ids,
who l i v e d together
i n colleges
or s o c i e t i e s ,
a f t e r th e Pythago
rean m a n n e r , an d philosophizing upon the highest s u b j e c t s , a s s e r t e d *
t he immortality of t h e human f o u l - j - . Though Julius Cæsar i n h i s - .
account
of
Ga ul , d oe s n ot
exprcsly
m e n t i o n the
Bards,
ye t
i t
i s plain
that
u n d e r t h e
t i t l e of D ru ids, h e comprehends
that w h o l e college
or order; of
which t h e Bards, who, i t
i s
probable,
w e r e t h e d i s
c i p l e s
of
t he
Druids,
u ndoub te dly
made a
p a r t .
I t
deserves
remark,,
that according to h i s account, the Druidical i n s t i t u t i o n f i r s t took r i f e
i n B r i t a i n ,
an d
passed
from
t h e n c e into
Gaul
; s o that t h ey who as
pired t o b e t h or ou gh masters of that learning w e r e wont t o r e s o r t to
B r i t a i n .
He
a dds t o o , that such as
w e r e
t o be i n i t i a t e d among t h e
Dr ui d s, were obliged t o commit t o t h e i r memory a gr eat number of
v e r s e s , i n s o m u c h
that
s om e e m pl oye d t w e n t y years i n t h i s course of
education ; an d
that t h ey did
not
think
i t lawful to r e cor d these
poems i n writing,
but sacredly h a n d e d them down
by t r a d i t i o n
from
race t o race £.
So
strong
w as
t h e
at t ac h m e n t
of
t h e
Ce l ti c n at i on s
to t h e i r
p o et ry
an d t h e i r B ar ds , t hat
amidst a l l
the c han g e s
of
t h e i r g o v e r n m e n t and-
m a n n e r s , e v e n long a f t e r the
order
of the
D r u i d s
w as extinct,
•
T«'»
f
?A«
t uv
T i f A U f j t t v u v Sutfieovraf p e r B a r d e s Euhages Druidas. Et
• V » . BxfSoi t( x , «2tei?, x j Afii^ai. B t s t . 3 - B a r d i quidem f o r t i a v i r o r u m illustrium.
l o t
f j . i v
CfiLvmxl x ) T r o i t i T a i .
btrabo.
l i b . 4. fac ta h e r oi c is
c o m p o s i t a
versibus
cum
dul-
E ' i f l - ( i r af au-roJV x a s t i r o i r n a . ) f j . t X u v , cibus l y r æ m o d u li s cantitarunt. Kuliages
( fixesus o \
f t - a C v a - w . »T0i
3 t - p . t r ifyot- v e r o scrutantes
scr i e m
sublimia n a t u i x
v . w v ,
r a . 7 f Au«
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ow
the POEMS op as SI
AN.
13
and the
national
r e l i g i o n a l t e r e d , t h e Bar d s
conti nu ed
t o f l o u r i s h ;
not
a s a
s e t of s t r o l l i n g s o n g s t e r s , l i k e the Greek
'Ao^oi
or
R ha p s o -
d i s t s , i n Homer's time, but a s an order of men highly respected in
t h e
s t a t e , an d su p po rte d by a publick establishment. We find
t h e m ,
according
to
t h e
testimonies
of
Strabo
an d
Diodorus,
before
t h e
age of Augu stu s Cæsar
;
an d we f i n d them r e m a i n i n g
u n d e r
t h e
lame n a m e ,
and
e xe rc is in g t he s a m e functions
a s
of o l d ,
i n
Ireland,
an d i n th e nor t h of Scotland, almost down t o our own times. I t i s
well known t h a t
i n
both these c o u n t r i e s ,
e v e ry
Regulus or
chief
had
his
own Bard, who
was considered a s
an o s s i c e r o f r an k
i n h i s
court;
an d h ad lands a s s i g n e d . h i m , which d e s c e n d e d
t o h i s
family. Of t h e
honour
i n which
th e B a r d s w e r e
held, many
instances
occur in
Ossian's p o e m s . On a l l i mpo rta nt occasions, t h e y
w e r e
the amba ssa
dors b e t w e e n c o n t e n d i n g c h i e f s ;
an d t h e i r pe rsons w e r e
h eld sacred.
u Cairbar feared
to s t r e t c h h i s s w o r d
to
t he
bards,
t h o u g h h i s foul
was dark.—oose the bards, s a i d h i s brother
C a t h m o r , t h e y
ar e
t he sons of other times.
T h e i r
voice s h a l l be h e a r d i n other a g e s , .
' ' w h e n . t he
kings
of Temora h a v e f a i l e d
*.
From a l l t h i s , the Celtic
t r i b e s
c l e a r l y appear
t o h a v e
b e e n ad «
dicted
i n s o h i g h
a
d e g r e e to poetry, an d t o have made i t
s o much-
t h e i r study
from t he
e a r l i e s t t i m e s , . , a s may remove our wonder at
m e e t i n g with a
v e i n of h i g h e r
poetical r ef ine me n t
among
t h e m ,
t h a n
was a t f i r s t s i g h t
to h a v e
be en e xp ect ed
among
nations,
. whom we
ar e ac c u s t o m e d
t o c a l l
harbarous.
Barbarity,
.
I must
observe,
i s
a .
v e r y
equivocal
t e r m ;
i t a dmits
of
many
d i f f e r e n t
for ms an d
degrees;
an d t h ough,
i n
a l l of t h e m ,
i t exclu de
polished m a n n e r s *
i t i s ,
how-*
e v e r , n ot inconsistent w i t h g e n e r ous s e n t i m e n t s an d tender a f f e c - ?
t i o n s - f - . What degrees of friendship, love and. h e r o i s m , may
p os
s i b l y
•P. 188. 366
an d
4 . 0 . 6 . I s h a l l s u bj o i n S c he f f e r ' s
- f Surely among
the wild
Laplanders,
Latin
v e r s i o n
of on e of
t h e m , w h i c h
has
i f an y whe r e, b a r b a r i t y i s i n i t s most per- the a pp e a ra n ce of being s t r i c t l y l i t e r a l .
s e c t s t a t e . Yet t h e i r love son gs w h i c h S o l , clar i s s i mum e m i t t e l u m e n i n palu-
Scheffer h as g iv e n
us i n h i s Lap ponia, a r e
dem Orra.
S i
e i i i l u s insumma
picearum
a
proof t h a t n a t u r a l tenderness
of
sentiment c a c u m i na
scirem
me
visutum
O r r a palu-
may
be
found
i n a
country,
i n t o w h i c h
the d e m ,
i n ea e n i t e r e r , u t
v i d e r e m
i n t e r
quos
l e a s t
g l i m m e r i n g
of
s c i e n c e
has
n ev er p e-
a r n i c a mea
e s s e t s t o r e s ;
o m n e s
suseinderem
n e t r a t e d . To most
English
r e a d e r s t h e s e f r u t i c e s i b i enatos, omnes
ra m o s præse-
songs a r e well known
by
the elegant cat e m, hos v i r e n t e s ramos. Cursum n u-
t t a n i l u t i o n s of t h e m i n t h e s p e ct at or, No. biujn eflem s e c u t u s , quæ h e r s u u m i n s t i
t u t i n g .
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14 .
A critical
DISSERTATION
s i b l y be fou n d
to p r ev a i l i n
a
r ud e
s t a t e of
s o c i e t y ,
n o on e can s a y .
Astonish i ng
instances of
them we know, from h i s t o r y , h a v e
some
t i m e s appear e d : an d a few characters d i s t i n g u i s t i e d by those h i g h
q u a l i t i e s ,
might l a y
a foundation for a s e t of m a n n e r s b e i n g
intro
d u c e d
i n t o
the songs
of
t he B ard s,
more r e f i n e d ,
i t
i s
probable,
an d
exalted,
according t o
th e usual p o e t i c a l
l i c e n c e ,
t h a n th e r e a l m a n n e r s
of th e country. In p a r t i c u l a r ,
w i t h
respect
t o h e r o i s m
;
t he great
employment of t h e Ce lt ic bar ds ,
was to
delineate th e characters,
an d
sing t h e p r a i s e s of heroes. S o
Lucan
;
Vos quoque
qui f o r t e s
a nimos,
belloque
p e r e m p t o s,
L au d i bu s i n longum vates d i f f u n d i t i s
ævum
P l u r i m a securi f u d i s t i s c a r m i n a Bardi. P h a rs. 1 . j .
Now
when
we
consider
a colle g e or
order
of men,
who,
cultivating
poetry
t h r o u g h o u t
a
long
s e r i e s
of
a g e s ,
h ad
t h e i r
imaginations
con
tinually employed on t h e i d e a s of h er oi sm ; who h ad
a l l
the poems
and
panegyricks, which w e re c om p os e d by t h e i r predecessors, handed
down
t o them
w i t h
care; who r i v a l l e d
an d e n d e a v o u r e d to
outstrip
those who h ad gon e before
t h e m ,
eac h i n the celebration of h i s
particular h e r o ; i s i t n ot natural
to
think, that a t length t he
c h a
racter of a h e r o would appear i n t h e i r songs w i t h
t he h igh es t
l u s t r e ,
an d be ad or ne d w i th q u a l i t i e s truly noble ? Some of the
q u a l i t i e s
i n d e e d
which
distinguish
a
Fingal,
modera tion, h u m a n i t y,
an d c l e
mency,
would n ot p r ob ab ly be t he
f i r s t
i d e a s of
h e r o i s m occurring
to
a
barbarous
p eo p le
:
B u t
n o sooner h ad such
i d e a s b e g u n t o
dawn
on
t he m i n d s
of p o e t s , than, a s
th e
human mind e a s i l y o p e n s to t h e
native
representations
of
human perfection,
t h e y
would
be seized
an d
e m b r a c e d ; t h ey would enter into t h e i r panegyricks; t h e y would af
ford m at er ial s for
succeeding
bards
to
work u p o n ,
an d
i m p r o v e ;
tuunt v e r s u s
p a l u d e m O r ra,
s i ad t e volare
catenæve
f e r r e æ , quæ d ur i flim e l igan t ?
poflem a l i s , cornicum
a l i s .
S ed m ih i de-
Sic a mor
c on t or q ue t c ap u t
nostrum,
mu tat
s un t al æ,
al æ
querquedulæ,
pedesque,
an -
cogitationes
s c n t e n t i a s .
P u e r o r u m vo-
sc rum pedes plantæve bonæ, quæ d e s e r r e l u n t a s, voluntas v e n t i ; juvenum cogita-
me
valeant ad t e . S a t i s
e x p e c t a s t i
d i u
; t i o n e s , l o n g æ c o g i t a t i o n e s .
Quos
s i au -
per t o t d i es , t o t d i e s tuos optimos, o c u l i s d i r e m
o m n e s ,
a v i a , a v i a
j u s t a
d e c l i -
t u i s jucundiflimis, corde tuo amicissimo. narem. Unum e s t consilium quod ca-
Quod
s i
longissime
v e l l e s
e f f u g e r e ,
c i t o
p i a m
;
i t a
s c i o
v ia m
rectiorem
me
r e p e r -
t a m e n t e consequerer. Quid fermius
turum.
S c h e f f e r i Lap ponia, Cap. 25.
v a l i d i u s v e
e s s e
p o t e s t quam
contorti n e r v i ,
t h e y
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on the POEMSof
OSSIAN.
15
t h e y would con tr ibut e n ot a l i t t l e to exalt t he publick m a n n e r s .
For such songs a s t h e s e , familiar t o the
Celtic warriors
f ro m t h e i r
childhood, an d t hr oug hout t h e i r whole l i f e , both i n war an d i n
peace,
t h e i r
principal entertainment; m u s t
h a v e h ad a very consi
derable
influence
i n propagating among
them
r e a l m a n n e r s
nearly
a p p r o ac h i n g t o
t he
p o e t i c a l an d i n f o r m i n g e v e n such a
h e r o
a s
Fingal. Especially
when
we consider that among t h e i r limited
objects
of
ambition,
among
t h e
few
advantages
which
i n a
savage
s t a t e ,
man could
obtain over man,
the chief was
Fame,
an d that Im
mortality which t h ey e xp e ct e d
t o
receive
f ro m
t h e i r v i r t u e s an d e x
p l o i t s , i n the
songs of
bards
- f - .
Having made t h e s e r e ma rk s on the Celtic poetry an d Bar d s i n g e
n e r a l ,
I
( h a l l n ext consider
t h e particular
advantages which
Oman
p o s s e s s e d . He appears c l e a r l y to h a v e l i v e d i n a period which e n
joyed
a l l
t he
b e n e f i t
I
j u s t
now
m e n t i o n e d
of
traditionary
poetry.
The exploits
of
Trathal,
Trenmor,
an d the other
ancestors of
Fi n
g a l ,
ar e
s p oken
of
a s
f a m i l i a r l y known. A n c i e n t bards
ar e frequently
alluded
t o .
In
on e r e markabl e p a s s a g e , Ossian
describes
h i mself a s
living
i n a f o r t of c l a s s i c a l age, e n l i g h t e n e d by the m e mor i al s of f o r
mer times, c o n v e y e d
i n t h e
songs of bar d s ; an d points
a t
a p e r io d
of darkness an d
ignorance
which l a y
b eyo n d
th e reach of t r a d i t i o n .
Hi s
words,
f a y s
he,
came
only
by
halves
t o our ears ;
t h e y
w e r e
d a r k a s
th e
t a l e s
of
other
times,
before t h e
l i g h t of the
son g
a r o s e |. Ossian, himself, appears
t o h av e be en
endowed b y n a
ture w i t h an exquisite s e n s i b i l i t y of heart ; p r o n e
to
that tender me
lancholy
which
i s
s o
often
an
attendant
on
great
genius
;
an d
sus
ceptible equally of strong
an d
of
s o f t
e m ot ion s . Fi e was not only a
p r ofe ss ed b ar d, educated
w i t h
c a r e , a s
we
may
e a s i l y
b e l i e v e , t o
a l l
t h e
p o e t i c a l a r t
t h e n
known, an d connected, a s h e
s h e w s us
himself,
i n
i n t i mat e f ri e n d sh i p w i t h the other c o n t e m p o r a ry bards, but
a war
r i o r
a l s o ; an d t h e son of
the m o s t r e n o w n e d h e r o an d
prince of h i s
age. Th i s f o r m e d a
c on j u nc t i on o f
circumstances, uncommonly f a
vourable t owar d s exalting
the
imagination
of
a
poet. He
r e l a t e s
e x
peditions i n
which
h e h ad
b e e n
e n g ag e d
;
h e s i n g s of b a t t l e s i n
f
When Edward
I . con que r e d
Wal e s , t h e people ;
an d
of
w hat nature
h e
j u d g e d
h e
put
t o
death
a l l
the
Welch
b a r d s ,
t h a t
i n f l u e n c e
t o b e .
The
Welch
bards
T h i s
c r u e l
p o l i c y
p l a i n l y shews, how
w e r e
of
the fam e C e l t i c race wi t h the
great
an
influence
h e
i magi n e d the
songs
S c o t t i s h an d I r i s h ,
of
t h e s e bards
t o
have over
the
m i n d s
of % P .
101.
which
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76 A critical DISSERTATION
which h e
h ad sought an d
overcome ; h e
h ad b eh el d the m o s t i l l u s
trious scenes which that ag e c oul d e x h i b i t , bot h of h e roi s m
i n
war,
an d magnificence i n peace. For however r u d e t h e ma gnificenc e
of those times may
s e e m t o
u s ,
we
m u s t remember that a l l
ideas
of
mag n ifi c e n c e
a r e
com parat i v e
;
an d
that
t h e
age
of
Fingal
was
an
a e r a of distinguished splendor i n that
part
of
th e
wor ld. Fi n gal
r e i g n e d
over
a
considerable t e r r i t o r y ; h e was e n r i c h e d w i t h t h e
s p o i l s
of t he
Roman p ro vinc e
; h e
was
e n n obl e d by h i s
v i c t o r i e s
an d
great actions;
an d w as i n a l l
r e s p e c t s
a personage
of much h i g h e r
• d i g n i t y
than
an y of
the c h i e f t a i n s ,
or h ead s of Clans, who l i v e d
i n
t he
fame country, a f t e r
a
more
extensive
monarchy was e s t a b l i s h e d .
The
m a n n e r s of O s s i a n ' s age,
s o
s a r
a s
we
can
gather them from
h i s writings, w e r e abundantly
favourable t o
a
p o e t i c a l genius. The
two d i s p i r i t i n g v i c e s ,
to
which L o n g i n u s
i m p u t e s
t he
decline
of
poetry,
covetousness
an d
effeminacy,
w e r e
a s
y e t
unknown.
The
cares of men w e r e few. They l i v e d a roving indolent l i f e ; h u n t i n g
an d
war t h e i r principal e m p l o y m e n t s ;
an d
t h e i r
chief
a m u s e m e n t s ,
t h e
m u s i c k of
bards an d
t he f e a s t of
s h e l l s .
The great
object
p ur
sued by h eroic s p i r i t s , was
to
receive t h e i r fame, that i s ,
t o
become
worthy
of
b eing celebrated i n
t he s on gs of bards;
an d
' '
t o h a v e
t h e i r
name
on the four gray stones. To d i e , u n l a m e n t e d b y
a
bard,
was
deemed so great a misfortune, a s e v e n
t o
disturb t h e i r
ghosts
i n
another s l a t e . After death,
t h ey
exp ecte d
t o
follow em
p l oy m e n t s
of the fame nature w i t h those which had amused them on
earth ;
to
f l y
w i t h t h e i r friends
on
clouds, t o
p u rsu e a i r y
deer,
an d
to
l i s t e n
t o t h e i r
p r a i s e i n
t h e
mouths
of
bards.
In s uch
t i m e s
a s
t h e s e , i n a country where poetry
h ad
b e e n s o long c u l t i v a t e d , an d
s o
h igh ly h o n o u r e d , i s i t
an y
wonder
that
among
the
race an d
succession
of
bards,
on e Homer should a r i s e ; a man who,
endowed
w i t h
a
n a
t u r a l h a p p y genius, favoured by peculiar advantages of birth and
condition,
an d
m e e t i n g i n
t he c our se of
h i s
l i f e , w i t h a v a r i e t y of
incidents p ro p e r t o f i r e h i s imagination,
an d to
touch
h i s
heart,
should
a t t a i n a
degree of e m i n e n c e
i n
poetry, worthy
t o
draw
t h e
admiration
of more refined ages ?
The
compositions
of
Ossian
ar e
s o
strongly
marked
w i t h
charac
t e r s of
an ti qu it y, t hat
although there w e r e n o external proof t o sup
port that
antiquity,
hardly an y
reader
of judgment
an d
t a s t e ,
could
h e s i t a t e
i n
referring
t b ,
m
t o
a
very r e m o t e a e r a . There ar e
four
great s t a g e s t h r o u g h which men s u c c e ss i v e l y p a s s 3n the progress of
s o c i e t y .
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on
the POEMSof O
S S
I
A N. r 7
s o c i e t y .
The f i r s t an d e a r l i e s t
i s t h e l i f e
of
hunters
; pasturage suc
ceeds
t o
t h i s ,
a s
th e i d e a s of property be g i n
t o
take root;
next,
a g r i
culture ; an d l a s t l y , commerce. Throughout Oman's
p o e m ? , we
plainly find
ourselves
i n
t h e
f i r s t
of
these
periods
of
s o c i e t y ;
d u r i n g
w h i c h , h u n t i n g was t he
chief employment of
men, an d th e principal
method
of
t h e i r p rocu ring
s u b s i s t e n c e .
Pasturage
was
not i n d e e d
w h o l ly
unknown ; for
we
hear of
dividing
th e h e r d
i n
th e c a f e of a
divorce
* ;
but
the
a l l u s i o n s to h e r d s an d t o c a t t l e
ar e not
many
; an d
of agriculture,
we f i n d
n o t r a c e s . No
c i t i e s appear t o h a v e
b e e n
built
in
th e
t e r r i t o r i e s
of Fingal.
No
a r t
i s m e n t i o n e d except
that ofwork-
i n g i n i r o n . E v e r y t h i n g
presents
t o
us
the m o s t simple an d
un
i m p r o v e d m a n n e r s .
At
t h e i r f e a s t s , t he h er oe s p r e par e d t h e i r own
repast ;
t h e y s a t r o u n d th e
l i g h t of th e b u r n i n g
oak
; th e wind l i f t e d
t he ir loc ks , an d
whistled t h r o u g h
t h e i r o p e n
h a l l s .
Whatever was
beyond
t h e
n e c e s s a r i e s
of
l i f e
was
known
t o
them
only
a s
the
s p o i l
of
t h e Roman
p ro vinc e ;
t he
gold
of
t h e stranger;
t he
l i g h t s
of
t h e
stranger ; t he steeds of t h e stranger, t h e children of th e
rein
- j - .
T h i s representation of Oman's times, must s t r i k e us th e m o r e ,
a s
g e n u i n e
an d
authentick,
when i t i s
compared
w i t h
a
poem
of
l a t e r
date, which Mr. Macpherson has pr eserved
i n
on e of
h i s notes. I t
i s that w h e r e i n f i v e bards a r e represented a s
pasting
the e v e n i n g i n t h e
hou se
of
a
c h i e f ,
an d
each of them separately giving
h i s
description
of
the
night
J .
The
night
scenery
i s
beautiful ; and t h e
author
has
plainly imitated the s t y l e an d manner of Oman : But h e has allowed
some
i m a g e s to appear
which betray a l a t e r
p e r io d
of
s o c i e t y .
For
we m e e t
w i t h windows
clapping, t h e
h e r d s of
goats
an d
cows
s e ek
i n g s h e l t e r ,
the s h e p h e r d
w a n d e r i n g , corn
on
t h e p l a i n ,
an d t he
wakeful h i n d rebuilding th e shocks of corn
which
h ad b e e n over
t ur n e d by t h e
tempest. Whereas i n
Oman's
works,
from
b e g i n n i n g
to e n d , a l l i s consistent ; no modern
a l l u s i o n
d r o p s from him;
but
e v e ry w h e r e , the fame
face of
r ud e nature appears ;
a
coun t ry
w h o l ly u nc ul ti vat ed , t hi nl y i nh ab it e d, an d
recently
peopled. The
* P.
31.
l i t t e r ; an d
the
g e m s m e n t io n e d i n
the dc-
f
The chariot of Cuchullin has b e e n s c r i p t i o n ,
ar e n o
other than
the
shining
t hought
by
s o m e
t o
be
represented
a s
m o r e
s t o n e s
or
pebbles,
known
t o
be
f • r e q u e n i l y
magnificent
than i s c o n s i s t e n t
with
the
p o- foun d
along the western c o a s t o f
Scotland.
- verty of t h a t
age;
i n
Book
I . of Fi ng al .
\
P . 253.
J C u t t h i s c h a r i o t i s p l a i n l y only a h o r s e -
D
g r a f s
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j8
A critical DISSERTATION
g r a s s of
th e
rock, t h e flower of the heath,
the t h i s t l e
w i t h
i t s
beard,
ar e the ch ief
o r n a m e n t s
of h i s landscapes. * * The
d e f e r s , ' *
s a y s
Fingal, i s enough t o me, w i t h a l l i t s woods an d deer. *
The
c i r c l e of i d e a s
an d t r a n s a c t i o n s , i s
no
w i d e r than s u i t s
s u c h
an
age ; Nor an y greater d i v e r s i t y
introduced
i n t o characters, t han
t h e events of that pe riod would naturally d i s p l a y . Valour an d bo
d i l y
strength ar e
t he
a d m i r e d q u a l i t i e s . Con t e n t i on s a r i s e , a s i 3 -
usual among savage n a t i o n s , from t h e s l i g h t e s t c a u s e s . To be af
fronted
a t
a t o u r n a m e n t , or t o be om i t t e d
i n the i n v i t a t i o n
to a
f e a s t ,
kindles a war. Women ar e often carried
away by
force ;
an d the whole t r i b e , a s in the Homeric times, r i f e t o av e n g e t he
w r o n g . The heroes show r efi ne me nt of s en ti me nt i nd ee d on seve
r a l
occasions,
but
n o n e
of
m a n n e r s .
They s peak
of
t h e i r p a s t
ac
tions w i t h
f r e e d o m , boast
of
t h e i r e x p l o i t s ,
an d
sing t h e i r
own
p r a i s e . In t h e i r b a t t l e s , i t i s evident that d r u m s , t r u m p e t s or bag
pipes, w e r e not known or used.
They
h ad no exp ed i e n t f o r giving
t h e
military
alarms
but s t r i k i n g
a
s l s i e l d ,
or
r a i s i n g
a
loud cry:
And
h e n c e
th e loud an d
t e r r i b l e voice of Fingal i s often
m e n t i o n e d , a s
a
necessary q u a l i f i c a t i o n
of
a great general;
l i k e
the
p o i j v
KyxQogMmXucg
of Homer.
Of
military
d i s c i p l i n e or s k i l l , t he y ap pe ar t o have b e e n
entirely d e s t i t u t e . T h e i r
a rmies
s e e m not
t o
h av e be en
numerous
;
their b a t t l e s
w e r e
disorderly ; an d
terminated,
f o r
the m o s t
p a r t ,
by a
personal combat, or w re s tl in g
of
the two chiefs ; a f t e r w h i c h ,
th e
bard
fung
the
son g
of
peace,
an d
the
b a t t l e
ceased
along
t h e
« f i e l d fr
The manner of composit io n bears a l l t h e marks of th e g r e a t e s t
a n t i q u i t y .
No a r t f u l t r a n s i t i o n s ;
n or
f u l l and ex t e n d e d connec tion
of p a r t s
;
such a s we find among the pcets of
l a t e r
times, when
or-'
der an d regularity of composition w e r e more studied an d known ;
but
a s t y l e always rapid an d v eh e m en t ; i n narration
c o n c i s e ,
e v e n
to abruptness, an d leaving s e v e r a l circu msta nces to be supplied by
the r e a d e r ' s
imagination.
The language has
a l l
t h a t f i g u r a t i v e c a s t ,
w h i c h,
a s
1
before
stiewed,
p a r t l y
a
g l o w i n g
an d
undisciplined
i m a
gination,
partly
the s t e r i l i t y of language, an d the want of p r o p e r
t e r m s, hav e al ways i n t rod uc e d i n t o
t he
eaily s p e e c h of nations ; and
i n s e v e r a l r e s p e c t s ,
i t
c a r r i e s a r e markable r e s e m blan c e t o the s t y l e
* Page 78 .
f P ag e
140.
of
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on the
POEMS
of
O
S S
I
A N. 19
of
t he
Old T e s t a m e n t . I t
deserves particular
notice, a s on e
of
t he
m o s t g e n u i n e an d d e c i s i v e characters of an ti qu it y, t hat v e ry few ge
neral t e r m s or abstract i d e a s , ar e t o be met with i n t he w h o l e c o l
lection of
Ossian's works. The
i d e a s of men
a t
f i r s t ,
w e r e
a l l
par
t i c u l a r . They had n ot
w o r d s to
express general conceptions.
These w e r e
the c o n s e q u e n c e
of
more p rofou nd
r e f l e c t i o n , an d lon
ger acquaintance w i t h
t he a r t s of t h o u g h t an d of speech. Oslian,
accordingly, alm os t n ev er expresses h i m s e l f
i n
t he a b s t r a c t . Hi s
ideas e x t e n d e d l i t t l e farther t han
t o
t he objects h e s aw
around
h i m .
A publick,
a community, t h e universe, w e r e conceptions beyond
h i s sph ere. Even a m o u n t a i n ,
a
s e a ,
or a l a k e ,
which h e has
oc
casion
to
m e n t i o n , t h o u g h only i n a s i m i l e , ar e for
t he
m o s t
part
particularized; i t
i s
the h i l l of C ro mla, the s t o r m of t he
s e a
of
Mal-
m o r ,
or
t h e reeds
of t he lake of L e go. A mode of
expression,
which whilst i t i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a l
of
antient
a g e s ,
i s a t t h e fa m e
t i m e
h igh ly
favourable
to
d e s c r i p t i v e
poetry.
For
t he
s a m e
r e a s o n s ,
p e r
s o n i f i c a t i o n
i s a poe t i cal figur e n ot very
common
w i t h
Ossian.
In
an i mat e o b j e c t s , s uc h
a s
w i n d s , t r e e s ,
flowers,
h e
s o m e t i m e s
p e r
s o n i f i e s
w i t h great beauty.
But t h e
personifications
which
ar e
so
familiar t o l a t e r poets of Fame, Time, Terror, V irtue, an d the r e s t of
that c l a s s , were unknown
t o
our Celtic
bard.
T h e s e w e r e modes of
conce p t io n too abstract
f o r h i s
age.
Al l
t hes e are
m a r k s s o un doubt e d, an d
some
of them t o o ,
so
nice
an d d e l i c a t e , of t h e m o s t early times,
a s
p ut t h e h i g h antiquity of
th ese
poems
out
of question. Especially
when
we
consider,
that
i f
th ere
h ad
be en an y
i m p o s t u r e i n t h i s
c a f e ,
i t
must
h a v e
b e e n
con
trived
an d
executed i n t h e Hi gh l an d s o f
Scotland,
two or three ce n
t u r i e s
ago ;
a s up to t h i s period,
bot h by manuscripts, an d by
t h e
t e st i mo ny of
a
multi tu de of l i v i n g w i t n e s s e s , con c e r n i n g the u n co n -
t r o v e r t i b l e t r a d i t i o n
of
these
p o e m s ,
t h ey can c l e a r l y
be
traced.
Now
t h i s
i s
a
period
when
that
country
enjoyed n o advantages f o r a
composit io n of
t h i s
kind,
which i t may n ot
be
su p posed t o hav e
e n
joyed i n a s g r e a t , i f not i n a greater degree,
a thousand
years before.
To su p pose that
two
or three
h u n d r e d
years ago, when we well
know the H i g h la n d s
to h a v e
b e e n i n a
s t a t e of gross
ignorance an d
barbarity,
th ere
f l i o u l d
h a v e
a r i s e n
i n
that
cou ntry
a poet,
of s uch
exquisite
genius, an d of such d e e p k n o w l e d g e of m a n k i n d , an d os
h i s t o r y ,
a s to d i v e s t
h i m s e l f of t he
i d e a s an d
m a n n e r s of h i s own
D
2 age,
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20 A critical DISSERTATION
age, an d
t o
give us a
j u s t
an d n at u ral p i ct ur e of a s t a t e of society
ancienter
by a
thousand years ; on e who
could
support
t h i s
cou nte r
f e i t e d antiquity t h r o u g h
such a
large collect ion of p o e m s ,
w i t hout
t h e l e a s t inconsistency ; an d who p o s s e s s e d of a l l t h i s genius an d a r t ,
had
a t
the
s a m e
t i m e
th e
s e l f - d e n i a l
of
concealing
himself,
an d
of
ascribing
h i s own
works to an
antiquated
bard,
w i t h o u t th e impos
ture b eing
detected
; i s
a
supposition
that transcends
a l l
b o u n d s
of
c r e d i b i l i t y .
There a r e , b e s i d e s , two other circu msta nces
to
be attended t o ,
s t i i i
of
greater
w e i g h t,
i f
p o s s i b l e , against t h i s
hypothesis.
One i s ,
th e t o t a l
absence
of r e l i g i o u s
ideas
from
t h i s work
; f o r
which t h e
t r a n s l a t o r
has,
i n
h i s
preface, g i v e n a very probable
account, on
t h e
footing of i t s be i n g t h e
work
of
Oman.
The Druidical s u p e r s t i
tion
was,
i n
t h e days
of
Oman,
on
t he p oi nt
of
i t s
f i n a l
extinction
;
an d for
p a r t i c u l a r
r e a s o n s , odious to
t h e
family
of
Fingal;
whilst
t h e
Christian
f a i t h
w as not
ye t e s t a b l i s h e d .
B u t
had
i t
b e e n
t h e
work of one,
t o
whom the i d e a s of C h r i s t i a n i t y w e r e familiar from
his infancy ;
an d who h ad
s u p e r a d d e d
to them
a l s o
t he
bigotted su
p e r s t i t i o n of
a
d a r k age an d c oun tr y ; i t i s
impossible
but i n some p as
sage
or
other,
t h e
traces
of them would
h a v e appeared.
The
other
circu msta nce i s ,
t he e n t i r e
s i l e n c e
which reigns
w i t h
r e sp e ct t o a l l the
gr eat clan s
or
f a m i l i e s ,
which
ar e
now
established i n th e Highlands.
The
origin of these s e v e r a l clans i s known
t o
be v e ry ancient: And
i t i s a s
well
known,
that
th ere i s no passion by which
a
native High
lander
i s
more
distinguished,
t h a n
by
a t t a c h m e n t
t o h i s c l a n ,
an d
jea
lousy for i t s honour.
That a
H i g h l a n d bard, i n forging
a
work r e
l a t i n g
to
t h e a n t i q u i t i e s of
h i s
c ou n tr y, s h ou ld h a v e
inserted
n o c i r
c u m s t a n c e
which pointed
out
t he r i s e of
h i s own c l a n ,
which a s c e r
tained
i t s a n t i q u i t y ,
or
increased i t s glory, i s of a l l suppositions
that
can
be
for m e d, t h e m o s t i m p robable
;
an d th e s i l e n c e on t h i s h ea d,
a m o u n t s
t o a
d e mo nst ra tion that t he aut hor l i v e d before an y of t h e
p re se nt g re at c lan s w e r e f o r m e d or known.
Assuming i t
th en, a s we well may, for c e r t a i n , that
t he
poems
now u n d e r con s id e rat io n, ar e g e n u i n e venerable monuments of v e ry
r e m o t e antiquity; I p r oc e e d t o
make some
r e ma rk s
u p o n t h e i r ge
neral
s p i r i t an d
s