Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 3

ON THE POEMS OF OSSIAN. 2^9
lentlng in all his fchemes of revenge, even
to the length of denying the funeral fong
to the dead 5 which, from the injury there-
by done to their ghofls, was in thofe days
conlidered as the greateft barbarity. Fierce
to the laft, he comforts himfelf in his dying
moments, with thinking that his ghofl. Ihall
Oiten leave its blaft to rejoice over the
graves of thofe he had flain. Yet OlBan,
ever prone to the pathetic, has contrived
to throw into his account of the death,
even of this man, feme tender circumllan-
ces ; by the moving defcription of his
daughter Dardulena, the laft of his race.
The charafter of Foldath tends much to
exalt that of Cathmor, the chief command-
er, which is diftingMiflied by the moft hu-
mane virtues. He abhors all fraud and
cruelty, is famous for his hofpitality to
ftrangers j open to every generous fenti-
ment, and to every foft and compaflionate
feeling. He is fo amiable as to divide the
reader's attachment between him and the
hero of the poem j though our author has
artfully managed it ^o as to make Cathmor
himfelf indirectly acknowledge Fingal's fu-
periority, and to appear fomewhat appre-
henfive of the event, after the death of Fil-
Ian, which he knew would call forth Fin-
gal in all his might. It is very remark-
able, that although Oflian has introduced
into his poems three complete heroes, Cu-