J. F. Campbell Collection > Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, appointed to inquire into the nature and authenticity of the poems of Ossian

POEMS OF OSSIAN. 6^
Feeble was her voice, and few her words ;
I raifed her up with my hand.
But she laid my palm on the head of her son.
While her figh rofe frequent
Dear child, vain is thy fondling.
Thy mother no more (hall arife.
I fliall myfelf be a father to thee.
But Evirallin * is no more ! *
The conclufion of the poem is in that dignified
ftile of forrow and of praife, which Fingal, whofe
lamentation over Gaul it contains, is always repre-
fented, in the ancient poems, as uttering on the lofs
of his friends.
* What is the ftrength of the warrior,
Though he fcatter, as wither'd leaves, the battle ?
To-day though he be vahant in the field.
To-morrow the beetle wall prevail over him !'
* * * *
' Prepare, ye children of mufical ftrings.
The bed of Gau/, and his fun-beam f by him,
Where may be feen his refting-place from afar,
\Vhich branches high overfliadow,
Under the wing of the oak of greeneft flourifh.
Of quickeft growth, and moft durable form.
Which will (hoot forth its leaves to the breeze of the ihower,
AVhile the heath around is ftill wither'd.
Its leaves, from the extremity of the land.
Shall be feen by the birds of fummer,
E 2 And
• The wife of Oflian.
t The CQminon t^rm for a iUndafd.