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

ON THE POEMS OF O S S I A N. 25
found inftrutflion, but would find few readers. There cannot be
the leafl: doubt that the firfi: objed: which ftrikes an epic poet, which
fires his genius, and gives him. any idea of his work, is the adion or
fubjed: he is to celebrate. Hardly is there any tale, any fubjedt a
poet can chufe for fus-h a work, but will afford lome general moral
inftrudion. An epic poem is by its nature one of the mofl moral of
all poetical compolitions : But its moral tendency is by no means to
be limited to fome comjiion -place maxim, which may be gathered
from the lliory. It arifes from the admiration of heroic adions,
which fuch a compolition is peculiarly calculated to produce; from
the virtuous emotions which the charaders and incidents raife,
whilft we read it ; from the happy imprefficn which all the parts
feparately, as well as the whole taken together, leave upon the mind.
However, if a general moral be flill infifted on, Fingal obvioufly
furniflies one, not inferior to that of any other Poet, viz. That
Wifdom and Bravery always triumph over brutal force; or another
nobler ftill ; That the moft compleat vidory over an enemy is ob-
tained by that moderation and generofity which convert him into
a fiiend.
The unity of the Epic adion, which, of all Arifirotle's rules,
is the chief and moft material, is fo ftridly preferved in Fingal,
that it muft be perceived by every reader. It is a more compleat
unity than what arifes from relating the adions of one man, which
the Greek critic jufily cenfures as imperfed; it is the unity of one
enterpriie, the deliverance of Ireland from the invafion of Swa-
ran : An enterprife, which has furely the full Heroic dignity. All
the incidents recorded bear a conliant reference to one end ; no
double plot is carried on; but the parts unite into a regular
whole: And as the adion is one and great, io it is an entire or compleat
adion. For we find, as the Critic farther requires, a beginning, a
middle, and an end ; a Nodus, or intrigue in the Poem; DifSculties
occurring through Cuchullin's raflinefs and bad fuccefs ; thofe dif-
ficulties gradually furmounted ; and at lafl the work conduded to
that happy conclufion which is held effential to Epic Poetry.
Unity is indeed obferved with greater exadnefs in Fingal, than'
in almoil any other Epic compolition. For not only is unity of
fubjed maintained, but that of time and place alio. 1 he Autumn
is clearly pointed out as the feafon of the adion ; and from begirt- '
E ning