Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

1 66 A CRITICAL DISSERTATION
is not, in every little particular, exaflly
conformable to the practice of Homer and
Virgil, were the mere fquearaiflinefs and
pedantry of criticifm. Examined even ac-
cording to Ariftotle's rules, it will be found
to have all the effential requifites of a true
and regular epic j and to have feveral of
them in fo high a degree, as at firft view to
raife our afconllhraent on finding OlTian's
compofition fo agreeable to rules of which
he was entirely ignorant. But our aftonifh-
ment will ceafe, when we confider from
what fource Ariftotle drew thofe rules. Ho-
mer knew no more of the laws of criticifm
than Oflian ; but, guided by nature, he
compofed in verfe a regular ftory, founded
on heroic actions, which all poiierity ad-
mired. Ariftotle, with great fagacity and
penetration, traced the caufes of this ge-
neral admiration. He obferved what it was
in Horaer's compofition, and in the conduft
of his ftory, which gave it fuch power to
pieafe ; from this obfervation he deduced
the rules which pbets ought to follow, who
would write and pleafe like Homer j and to
a compofition formed according to fuch
rules, he gave the name of an epic poem.
Plence his whole fyftem arofe. Ariftotle
ftudied nature in Homer. Homer and Of-
fian both wrote from nature. No wonder
that among ail the three, there ftiould be
iuch agreement and conformity.