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

LETTERS TO MR. MACKENZIE. S /.
turn to yen with sucb a version as you wanted, before I
left town, for which the best apology I can make is, to
send them now.
The following lines are taken from the poem entitled,
*' Cath Thinn agns Mhumis ; from the recitation of Calum
an Raodhair. " ,
ORIGKIXAL.
Chuir sinn Deo-greine ri crann, •*; »>f*
Bratach Fhinn bu ghairge treis,
Lomlan do chlochaibh an òir,
'S ann leinne bu mhor a neas.
lomadh claidheamh dorn-chrann oirn,
lomadh sròl ga chur ri crann.
An cath mhic Cumhail nam fleadh
'S bu lionmhor sleagh os ar ceann. '■
LITERAL VERSION. *"
We set the sun-beam to the pole.
The standard of Fingal of stoutest might.
Full-studded with stones in gold ;
With us it was held in high respect.
Many were our swords with fist-guards.
Many the standards reared on poles.
In the battle of the son of Cumhal of feasts.
And many the spears above our heads.
After observing that the different editions of all these
poems differ greatly from each other, (as may well be sup-
posed, when they were left to the mercy of oral recitation)
and that it is hardly fair to judge of Mr M.'s translation
without having his own edition, I shall here subjoin his
version of this passage, as it is in Fingal, b. iv. p. 57, of
the first 4to edition.
G
.r>