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

BY MR. HIJ„L
Ouach dfhuair u gufh air thus.
12 3
In vain dost thou
mind
endeavour to reform me,
as thou first hast been ap-
pointed to do it.
12.
Music we have heard
that exceeds thine, though
thou praisest so much thy
hymns ; so.igs which were
no hindrance to our heroes;.
the noble song3 of Fingal.
13.
When Fingal sat upon a
hill, and sung- a tune to our
12.
•Chualas Ceol Oscionn do cheòil
Ge mòr a mholfas tu do Chliar
Ceòl air nach luigh leatrom
laoich
Faoghar cuile aig an Ord Thiànn
13.
'Nuair a Shuig headh Fiunn air
chnochd
Sheumeneid port don Ord fhiann heroes, which would en-
Chuire nan codal na Sloigh chant the multitude to
'S Ochoin ba bhinne na do sleep : Oh ! how much
Chliar. sweeter was it than thy
hymnj !
14.
Sweet are the thrush's
notes, and lovely the sound
of the rushing waves a-
gainst the side of the bark ;
b ut sweeter far the voice of
the harps, when we touch-
ed them to the sound of
our songs.
} When the Bards sung their songs at night, it seems to have been their
custom to pursue them, till they had lulled their audience to sleep : See v. 10.
endnote: which accounts for the'-singular effect here ascribed to pingal's
Songs. It is related of Alfarabi, Whom Abulfeda and Ebn Khalecan call ik«t
greatest Philosopher of the Mcssulrharis, that being at the Court of Seifed»
doula Sultan of Syria, and requested to exhibit somt of his'Poems, he produ-
ced one, which he sung to an accompanyment of several instruments. The
first part of it threw all h ; s audience into a violent laughter; the second parr
made them all cry ; and the Lst lulled even the performers to shop. Herb.O-
rieni in *oce. Thus^lso Mercury is .said to have lulled Argus asleep by mnsfc.
14.
Smeorachbheag dhuth oGhleann
smàil
Faghar norri bare rie an tuinn
Sheinnemid fein le' piiirt
'Sbha sinn feinn sair Cruitt ro
bhinn