Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

ON THE POE?.IS OF OSSIAN. I47
found to prevail in a rude ftate of fo-
ciety, no one can fay. Altoniihing in-
lUnces of them we know, from hiitory,
have fometimes appeared j and a few cha-
raders dlinnguilhed by thofe high quali-
ties, might lay a foundatioa for a fet of
manners belntr introduced into the fongs of
the bards, more reiinsd, it is probable, and
exalted, according to the ufual poetical li-
cence, than the real manners of the coun-
try. In particular, with refpefl to hero-
ifm ; the great employment of the Celtic
bards, was to delineate the charafters, and
fing the praifes of heroes. So Lucan :
Vos quoque qui fortes animos, belloque peremptos,
Laudibus in Longum vates diffunditis stvum
Plurima fecuri fiidillis carmina bardi.
FLarf. 1. r.
Now, when we confider a college or or-
der of men, who^ cultivating poetry through-
out a long feries of ages, had their imagi-
pedlafli diu ; per tot dies, tct dies tucs optimos, ocu-
lis tuis jucundiffimis, corde tiio amiciflinio. Quod
li longiflime velles efFugere, cite tamen te conrcque-
rer. Quid firmius validiufve eii^e potefl quim con-
torti nervi, catenxvc ferreas, qi:» duriiriine liganr ?
l^'ic amor conturquet caput noitrurn, mutat cogita-
tiones et fententias. Puerorum vohmtas, voluntas
vciiti ; juvenum cogitatlones, long^ cogitationes.
Quo3 fi audirem omncs, a via, a via jufta declinarem.
Unum eft canlilium quod capiam ; ita fcio viam rec-
tiorem me repertuium. Schefferi Lapponia, c. 25.
Na