Ossian Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

xvi A DISSERTATION.
cured, by the inacceffiblenefs of their country, they were free and
independent. As they had Uttle communication with ftrangers, the
culloms of their anceftors remained among them, and their lan-
guage retained its original purity. Naturally fond of military fame,
and remarkably attached to the memory of their anceftors, they
delighted in traditions and fongs, concerning the exploits of their
nation, and efpecially of their own particular families. A fucceffion
of bards was retained in every clan, to hand down the memorable
adions of their forefathers. As the aera of Fingal, on account of
Oilian's poems, was the moft remarkable, and his chiefs the moft
renowned names in tradition, the bards took care to place one of
them in the genealogy of every great family. — That part of the
poems, which concerned the hero who was regarded as anceftor,
was preferved, as an authentic record of the antiquity of the fami-
ly, and was delivered down, from race to race, with wonderful ex-
aftnefs.
The bards themfelves, in the mean time, were not idle. They
eredled their immediate patrons into heroes, and celebrated them in
their fongs. As the circle of their knowledge was narrow, their
ideas were confined in proportion. A few happy exprelnons, and
the manners they reprefent, may pleafe thofe who underftand the
language ; their obfcurity and innacuracy would difgull: in a tran-
llation. — It was cHefiy, for this reafon, that I kept wholly to tlie
compofitions of Oflian, in my former and prefent publication. As
he afted in a more extenfive fphere, his ideas are more noble and
univerfal ; neither has he fo many of thofe peculiarities, which are
only underftood in a certain period or country. The other bards
have their beauties, but not in that fpecies of compofition in which
Oflian excels. Their rhimes, only calculated to kindle a martial
Ipirit