Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

150 CRn'ICAL DISSERTATION
iated with more art to sooth and comfort her
than the story which Ossian relates. In the
young and brave Fovargormo, another Oscar is
introduced : his praises are sung ; and the hap-
piness is set before her of those who die in their
youth ' Nj'hen their renown is around them ; be-
fore the feeble behold them in the hall, and
smile at their trembling hands.'
But no where does Ossian 's genius appear to
greater advantage, than in Berrathon, which is
reckoned the conclusion of his songs, ' The last
soundof the voice of Cona.'
Qualis olor noto positurus littore vitam,
Ingemlt, et moestis mulccns coiiceritibus auras
Praesago quaeritur venientia funera cantu.
The whole train of ideas is admirably suited
to the subject. Every thing is full of that in-
visible world, into which the aged bard believes
himself now ready to enter. The airy hall of
Fingal presents itself to his view ; ' he sees the
cloud that shall receive his ghost ; he beholds
the mist that shall form his robe when he ap-
pears on his hill ;' and all the natural objects
around him seem to carry the presages of death.
' The thistle shakes its beard to the wind.
The flower hangs its heavy head ; it seems to
pay, I am covered with tlie droj)s of heaven ;
the time of my departure is near, and the blast
that shall scatter my leaves.' Malvina's death
is hinted to him in the most delicate manner by
the son of Alpin. His lamentation over her,
her apotheosis, or ascent to the habitation of
heroes, and the introduction to the story which
follows from the mention which Ossian sup-
poses the father of Malvina to make of him in
the hall of Fingal, are all in the highest spirit of
poetry. ' And dost thou remember Ossian, O
Toscar, son of Conloch? The battles of our
youth were many ; our swords went together to