Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

A P O E M. 119
rent was loud in my ear, but I heard a tuneful
voice ; doft thou praife the chiefs of thy land ; or
the fpirits \ of the wind ? — But, lonely dweller of
the rock ! look over that heathy plain : thou feed
green tombs, with their rank, whirling grafs ;
with their ftones of mofly heads : thou feefl: them,
fon of the rock, but Ofllan's eyes have failed.
A MOUNTAIN-STREAM comcs roaring down
and fends its waters round a green hill : four
mofly ftones, in the midft of withered grafs,
rear their heads on the top : two trees, which
the ftorms have bent, fpread their whiftling
branches around — This is thy dwelling, Er-
Ihan a ChuUich, or the Culdee's poejfjy becaufe it was
addrefled to one of the firft Chriftian miiTionaries, who
were called, from their retired life, Culdees, 01 fequefler-
ed per fans. — The ftory bears a near refemblance to that
which was the foundation of the Iliad. Fingal, on his
return from Ireland, after he had expelled Swaran from
that kingdom, made a fea ft to all his heroes: he forgot
to invite Marronnan and Aldo, two chiefs, who had not
been along with him on his expedition. They refented
his neglect ; and went over to Erragon king of Sora, a
country of Scandinavia, the declared enemy of Fingal.
The valour of Aldo foon gained him a great reputation
In Sora : and Lorma the beautiful wife of Erragon fell in
love with him. — He found means to efcape with her,
and to come to Fingal, who refided then in Selma on
the weftern coaft. — Erragon invaded Scotland, and was
(lain in battle by Gaul the fon of Morn:, after he had re-
jetted terii^s of peace offered him by Fingal. - In this
war Aldo fell, in a fmgle combat, by the hands of his ri-
val Erragon ; and the unfortunate Lorma afterwards
died of giief.
t The poet alludes to the religious hymns of the
•Culdees.
ragon *