Ossian Collection > Fragments of ancient poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Galic or Erse language

[ iv ]
ment of claiifliip in the northern part;
of Scotland, which is itfelf very anci-
ent ; for had clans been then formed
ard known, they mud have made a con-
fiderable fignre in the work of a Hio;h-
land Bard ; whereas there is not the
lead mention of them in thefe poenii.
It is remarkable that there are found in
them no allufions to the Chriftian reli-
gion or worfliipj indeed, few traces of
rel i gi on of a ny k i n d . On c c i r c u m fl a n c e
leems to prove them to be coeval with
the very infancy of Chriftian ity in Scot-
land. In a fragment of the fame poems,
which the tranilator has feen, a Culdec
or Monk is reprefented as defirons to-
lake down in writing from the moutlv
of Ofcian, who is the principal pcrfo-
.nage in feveral of the following frag-
nients,. his warlike atchievements and
thofeof his family. But Ofcian treats
the Monk and his religion with difdain,
idling him. that tiie deeds of fuch great
men