Ossian Collection > Original collection of the poems of Ossian, Orrann, Ulin, and other bards, who flourished in the same age

SOCIETY OF TRUE HIGHLANDERS- 215
Whose hearts are ardeat for their country's good,
Whose veins are warra'd with Scotia's purest blood,
Their aim to guard the genuine Gael's t claims;
A grateful couBtry joys to hail their names.
Survey, my muse, the vast assembled train,
Now crowding all Gordonia's spacious plain ;
As clouds along the hills, they glide in streams,
While swords and gorgets shoot reflective gleams !
Each chief, in front, high tow'ring, seems afar,
Pelides, Fingal, or the god of war !
Those are the Gaels still unconquered race,
They wear their native arms with native grace,
Milesian arms, Milesia's rich costume,
The garb of Gauls that sack'd imperial Rome;
Themes that would bid the strain spontaneous roll.
If heav'D-boru genius fir'd the poet's soul.
The graceful bonnet freak'd with various dyes.
O'er whose high crown the shadowy plumes arise,
Forms the rich crest, and, as the warriors move,
Th' effusive clusters seem a floating grove !
The parti-colour'd plaid, a splendid show,
Bestrides the breast, like v^-Ither's lovely bow
On western clouds, when Sol the day renews,
And ev'ry field is gemm'd with twinkling dews.
Encas'd within the silver-spanglcd sheath.
Hangs froutits zone the pond'rous beam of death:
Thus sleeps the thunder-dragon + of the skies,
Till storms in all their warring rage arise.
Before the Phelig's X finely plaited coil,
L'onspicuous waves the grossy badger's spoil,
* G<yel must be pronounced as a dissyllabic,
t Beithir ilhcalain.— Vid, Gael, Effu:, ..
X r.'ileaclli Beafr, or fhe kUL