Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 2

ON THE POEMS OF 0S5IAN. 377
The whole train of ideas is admirably fuited
to the fubjed. Every thing is full of that invi-
fible world, into which the aged Bard believes
himfelf now ready to enter. The airy hall of
Fingal prefents itfelf to his view ; "he fees the
" cloud that fhall receive his ghofl j he beholds
*' the mift that iLall form his robe when he ap-
•' pears on his hilli" and all the natural obje<5ls
around him feem to carry the prefages of death.
** The thiflle fhakes its beard to the wind. The
•' flower hangs its heavy head j it feems to fay,
" I am covered with the drops of heaven ; the
*' time of my departure is near, and the blaft
*' that iTiall fcatter my leaves." Malvina's death
is hinted to him in the moft delicate manner by
the fon of Alpin. His lamentation over her, her
apotheofis, or afcent to the habitation of heroes,
and the introducftion to the llory which follows
from the mention which Offian fuppofes the fa-
ther of Malvina to make of him in the hall of
Fingal, are all In the highefl: fplrit of poetry.
** And doft thou remember Offian, O Tofcar
•* fon of Comloch ? The battles of our youth
** were many ; our fwords went together to the
** field." Nothing could be more proper than
to end his fongs with recording an exploit of the
father of that Malvina, of whom his heart was
pow fo full i and who, from firfl to laft, had
been