Ossian Collection > Critical dissertation on the poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

48 A CRITICAL DISSERTATION
fents the image more compleat, lliows us more at one glance, than
a feeble imagination is able to do, by turning its objed: roiu.d and
round into a variety of lights, Tacitus is of all profe writers the
moft concife. He has even a degree of abruptnefs refembling our
author : Yet no vvrittr is more eminent for lively defcription.
When Fingal, after having conquered thchaughty Svvaran, propofes
to difmifs him with honour: " Raife to-morrow thy white fails to
*' the wind, thou brother of Agandecca !" -f- he conveys, by thus
addrefling his enemy, a ftrcnger inipreflion of the emotions then
paffing within his mind, than if whole paragraphs had been fpent
in deftribing the confliift betv^^een refentment againft Swaran and
the tender remembrance of his ancient love. No amplification is
needed to give us the moft full idea of a liardy veteran, after the
few following words : " His fliield is marked with the ftrokes of
" battle; l)is red eye defpifes danger J." When Ofcar, left alone,
was furrounded by foes, " he flood," it is faid, " growing in his
" place, like the ticoJ of tlje narrow vale jj j" a happy reprefenta-
tion of one, who, by daring intrepidity in the midfl of danger, fecms
to increafe in his appearance, and becomes more formidable every
moment, like the fudden rifing of the torrent hemmed in by the
valley. And a whole crowd of ideas, concerning the circumflances
of domeftic forrow occafioned by a young warrijf 's firft going forth
to battle, is poured upon the mind by thele words ; " Calmar
" leaned on his father's fpear; that fpear which he brought from
" Lara's hall, when the foul of his mother was fad §."
The concifenefs of Ofilan's defcriptions is the more proper en
account of his fubjedls. Defcriptions of gay and fmiling fcenes
may, without any difadvantage, be amplified and prolonged. Force is
not the predominant quality expedled in thefe. The defcripticn
may be weakened by being diftule, yet notwithftanding, may be
beautiful ftill. Whereas, with refpedl to gr?nd, folemn and pa-
thetic fubjedt: , which are Offian's chief field, the cafe is very dif-
ferent. In thefe, energy is above all things required. The ima-
gination muft be feized at once, or not at all ; and is far more
deeply impreffed by one firong and ardent image, than by the an-
xious minutenefsof laboured illuflration.
t P. 77. t P. I7+- II P. loe. S P. 40-
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