Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

1 62 A CRITICAL DISSERTATION"
It Is necefiary here to obferve, that the
beauties of OiTian's writings cannot be felt
by thofe who have given them only a fingle
or a harty perufal. His manner Is fo differ-
ent from that of the poets to whom we are
moil accuftomed 5 his ftyle Is fo concife,
and fo much crowded with imagery j the
mind is kept at fuch a ftretch In accompa-
nying the author; that an ordinary reader
is at firfl apt to be dazzled and fatigued,
rather than pleafed. His poeros requiie
to be taken up at Intervals, and to be fre-
quently reviewed ; and then it Is impof-
iible but his beauties mufl open to every
reader who is capable of fenfibility. Thole
who have the higheif degree of it, will re-
ilih them the moil.
As Homer is, of all the great poets, the
one whofe manner, and whofe times, corce
tlie neareft to Oilian's, we are naturally ltd
to run a parallel in fome .Inflances between
the Greek and the Celtic bard. For though
Homer lived more than a thoufand years
before Oflian, it Is not from the age of the
world, but from the ftate of foclety, that
•we are to judge of refembling times. The
Greek has, in feveral poluts, a manifeil fu-
periority. He introduces a greater varie-
ty of incidents : he pofielTes a larger com-
pafs of ideas j has more diverfity in his
chara£lers j and a much deeper knowledge
of human nature. It was not to be ex-