Ossian Collection > Fingal

PREFACE.
of complying with the requefl: of my friends, than from any hopes
I had of anfwering their expeftations. I was not unfucefsful, con-
fiderir.g how much the compofitions of ancient times have bee«
negle»fled, for fome time paft, in the north of Scotland. Seve-
ral gentlemen in the Highlands and ifles generoufly gave me all
the alTiftance in their power ; and it was by their means I was en-
abled to compleat the epic poem. HoV far it comes up to the
rules of the.epopa^a, is the province of criticifm to examine. It
is only my bufinefs to lay it before the reader, as I have found it.
As it is one of the chief beauties of compofition, to be well un-
derflood, I fliall here give the llory of the poem, to prevent that
obfcurity which the introdutlion of charadlers utterly unknown
might occafion.
Art HO, fupreme king of Ireland, dying at Temora the royal
palace of the Irifli kings, was fucceeded by Cormac, his fon, a minor.
Cuchullin, the fon of Semo, lord of the Ijle of Mijl, one of the
Hebrides, being at that time in Ulller, and very famous for his great
exploits, was, in a convention of the petty kings and heads of tribes
affembled for that purpofe at Temora, unanimoufly chofen guardian
to the young king. — He had not managed the affairs of Cormac long,
when news was brought, that Swaran, the fon of Starno, king of
Lochlin, or Scandinavia, intended to invade Ireland. Cuchullin
immediately difpatched Munan, the fon of Stirmal, an Irifh chief,
to Fingal, king of thofe Caledonians who inhabited the weftern coaft
of Scotland, to implore his aid. Fingal, as well from a principle
of generofity, as from his conne<n:ion with the royal family of Ire-
land, refolved on an expedition into that country ; but before his
-.-.rrival, the enemy had landed in Ulfcer. Cuchullin in the mean
time had gathered the flower of the Irilh tribes to Tura, a caflle of
Ulfter,
I