Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

ON THE POEMS OF OSSIAN. I45
order of the Druids was extin6l, and the
national religion altered, the bards conti-
nued to liourilh ; not as a fet of ftrolling
fongfters, like the Greek 'Aoi^oi or rhapfo-
difts, in Homer's time, but is an order of
men highlj refpefted in the Hate, and fup-
ported by a public eftablifliment. We find
them, according to the teftimonies of Stra-
bo and Diodorus, before the age of Au-
guftus Csefar ; and we find them remaining
under the fame name, and exerciling the
fame fundiions as of old, in Ireland, and in
the north of Scotland, almclt down to our
own times. It is well known, that in both
thefe countries, every Regulus or chief had
his own bard, who was confidered as an of-
ficer of rank in his court ; and had lands
affigned him, which defcended to his fa-
mily. Of the honour in which the bard?
were held, many inftances occur in Offian's
poems. On all important occafions, they
were the arabalTadors between contending
chiefs J and their perfons were held facred.
*' Cairbar feared to ftretch his fword to
" the bards, though his foul was dark,
'* Loofe the bards, faid his brother Cath-
*' mor, they are the fons of other times.
" Their voice fhall be heard in other
" nges, when the kings of Temora have
♦' failed."
From all this, the Celtic tribes clearly
anpear to have been addi^ed in fo high a
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