Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

ARGUMENT.
This poem is complete, and the fubject of it, as of mofl: of
Oman's compofitions, tragical. In the time of Comhal the
fon of Trathal, and father of the celebrated Fingal, Clefsam-
mor the fon of Thaddu and brother of Morna, Fingal's mo-
ther, was driven by a ftorm into the river Clyde, on the banks
of which ftood Balclutha, a town belonging to the Britons
between the walls. He was hofpitably received by Reutha-
mir, the principal man in the place, who gave him Moina
his only daughter in marriage. Reuda, the fon of Cormo,
a Briton who was in love with Moina, came to Reuthamir^s
houfe, and behaved haughtily towards Clefsammor. A quar-
rel enfued,. in which Reuda was killed ; the Britons* who at-
tended him, prefled fo hard on Clefsammor, that he was
obliged to throw himfelf into the Clyde, and fwim to his
fliip. He hoifted fail, and the wind being favourable, bore
him out to fea. He often endeavoured to return, and carry
off his beloved Moina by night y but the wind continuing
contrary, he was forced to defilt.
Moina, who had been left with child by her hufband,
brought forth a Ion, and died foon after. — Reuthamir named
the child Carthon, i. e. the murmur of waves, from the ftorm
which carried off Clefsammor bis father, who was fuppofed
to have been cad away. When Carthon was three years old,
Comhal the father of Fingal, in one of his expeditions
againft the Britons, took and burnt Balclutha. Reuthamir
was killed in the attack : and Carthon was carried fafe away
by his nurfe, who fled farther into the country of the Bri-
tons. Carthon, coming to man's eftate, was refolved to re-
venge the fall of Balclutha on ComhaPs pofterity. He fet
fail from the Clyde, and falling on the coaft of Morven, de-
feated two of Fingal's heroes, who came to oppofe his pro-
grefs. He was, at laft, unwittingly killed by his father Clefs-
ammor, in a Angle combat. This ftory is the foundation of
the prefent poem* which opens on the night preceding the
death of Carthon, fo that what pafled before is introduced
by way of epifode. The poem is addreffed to Malvina the
daughter of Tofcar.