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

32 REPORT ON tllE
fhould rather fay of the original tranilated there, and
I communicate to you a few ftanzas, taken from the
rnanufeiipti
* Bha fer re fer, is cruaigh fe cruaigli,
Sgiatha fuaiinneach, daoine air lar,
Mur uird nan ceud air mac nan Eill,
Dh'eiiigh agus theirin gacli lann.
Ghluais Goll mar chrora ol'aig on aird,
Gnn ghlan e faoighin as
Bha Sauràn mar chaoir fasàich thall,
Am fraoch fuainiar Gorm-mheall bras-,
Ach cia mur chuirarli fios le fonn,
Bus trom na n fleagh bha ann ?
Bii fcrathoil ftri bha fan bhlàr,
Bu lafTach ard mo lann.
Bu fcrathoil Ofgar mo mhac fein>
Thar each bu treubhach maith !
Bha fòlas balbh am bhroilleach fliua^,
Bhi ghruaigh mar chaoir \ fan chath. ' *
The literal tranllation of the above paflage is as follows .'
Man was oppofed to man, and fteel to fteel,
Shields founding, men falling ;
Like hammers of hundreds on the fon of the cmbere
Swords rofe and fell.
Gaul went on like a blaft defcending from the height.
As he deftroyed heroes.
Sauran was like k flame of the defert,
That confumes the founding heath of GormaL
But how fhall I relate in fong
The heavy death of fpears that was tlicre i
Terrible was the ftrife of battle.
High flamed my fword.
Tcmblc