Ossian Collection > Fingal, an ancient epic poem

144 C A R r H O N :
The night pafTed away in the fong, and morn-
ing retarned in joy ; — the mountains fhewed
their gray heads ; and the blue face of ocean fmiled.
— The white wave is feen tumbUng round the
diflant rock ; the gray mift rifes, flowly, from the
lake. It came, in the figure of an aged man,
along the filent plain. Its large limbs did not
move in fteps ; for a ghoft fupported it in mid air»
It came towards Selma's hall, and diflblved in a
fliower of blood.
The king alone beheld the terrible fight, and
he forefaw the death of the people. He ca:me,
in filence, to his hall ; and took his father's fpear.
— The mail rattled on his bread. The heroes
rofe around. They looked, in filence, on each
other, marking the eyes of Fingal. — They faw
the battle in his face : the death of armies on his
fpear. — A thoufand fhields, at once, are placed on
their arms ; and they drew a thoufand fwords.
The hall of Selma brightened around. The clang
of arms afcends. — The gray dogs howl in their
place. No word is among the mighty chiefs. —
Each marked the eyes of the king ; and half af-
fumed his fpear.
Sons of Morven, began the king, this is no
time to fill the fhell. The battle diirksns near
us ; and death hovers over the land. Some gholl,
the friend of Fingal, has forewarned us of the foe.
— The fons of the (Iranger come from the darkly-
rolling fea. For, from the water, came the fign
of