Ossian Collection > Fingal

ii6 The B A T T L E of L O R A:
the births of heroes, and the cure of the fons of toil. — Ten fhells
ftudded with gems (hall Ihine in Sora's towers : the blue water
trembles on their ftars, and feems to be fparkling wine. They
gladdened once the kings of the world *, in the midfl of their ec-
choing halls. Thefe, O hero, fliall be thine ; or thy white-bofom-
ed fpoufe. Lorma fliall roll her bright eyes in thy halls ; though
Fingal loves the generous Aldo : — Fingal ! — who never injured a
hero, though his arm is ftrong.
Soft voice of Cona ! replied the king, tell him, that he fpreads
liis feaft in vain. Let Fingal pour his fpoils around me -, and
bend beneath my power. Let him give me the fwords of his fa-
thers, and the fliields of other times ; that my children may be-
hold them in my halls, and fay, " Thefe are the arms of Fingal."
Never fliall they behold them in thy halls, faid the rifing pride
of the maid J they are in the mighty hands of heroes who never
yielded in war. — King of the ecchoing Sora ! the ftorm is gathering
on our hills. Dofl thou not forefee the fall of thy people, fon of
the diftant land ?
She came to Selma's filent halls; the king beheld her down-cafl
eyes. He rofe from his place, in his ftrength, and fliook his aged
locks. — He took the founding mail of Trenmor, and the dark-brown
fliield of his fathers. Darknefs filled Selma's hall, when he ftretch-
ed his hand to his fpear : — the ghofts of thoufands were near, and
land ; they were bound about women in with words and geftures which fhewed the
labour, and were fuppofcd to alleviate their cuftom to have come originally from the
pains, and to accelerate the birth. They druids.
were imprefled with feveral myftical fi- * The Roman emperors. Thefe fliells
gures, and the ceremony of binding them were fome of the fpoils of the province.
about the woman's waift, was acconiijanied
forefaw