Ossian Collection > Fingal
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CANTO 11. FINGAL. 53
Kerthal, low-kneeling at the shrine,
Vow'd, if the gods his child would save,
That, consecrated unto heaven,
The rest of her devoted days
Should to the mighty Beal be given,
To tend his fire — to hymn his praise.
The pray'r was answered, and the vow
Was heard and register'd above :
Nor would the priests of heav'n allow
The pleadings of a father's love.
Soon as bright health, with beauty's dyes,
The lovely lily had o'erspread,
Gelchossa from these doating eyes —
To be unto the world as dead —
Was hurried, her remaining days
In mystic sacrifice to spend ;
Beal's name with virgin voice to praise,
Deal's fire with virgin hands to tend.
She would have look'd with cheerful eye.
But tears of hopeless sorrow fell,
Kerthal, low-kneeling at the shrine,
Vow'd, if the gods his child would save,
That, consecrated unto heaven,
The rest of her devoted days
Should to the mighty Beal be given,
To tend his fire — to hymn his praise.
The pray'r was answered, and the vow
Was heard and register'd above :
Nor would the priests of heav'n allow
The pleadings of a father's love.
Soon as bright health, with beauty's dyes,
The lovely lily had o'erspread,
Gelchossa from these doating eyes —
To be unto the world as dead —
Was hurried, her remaining days
In mystic sacrifice to spend ;
Beal's name with virgin voice to praise,
Deal's fire with virgin hands to tend.
She would have look'd with cheerful eye.
But tears of hopeless sorrow fell,
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| Early Gaelic Book Collections > Ossian Collection > Fingal > (79) |
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| Permanent URL | https://digital.nls.uk/77599862 |
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| Description | "a fine-Eirin : a poem, in six cantos : with notes, intended to delineate the manners and state of society of Ancient Ireland." (Imperfect: missing pages 83-94.) |
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| Shelfmark | Oss.99 |
| Additional NLS resources: | |
| Attribution and copyright: |
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More information
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| Description | Selected books from the Ossian Collection of 327 volumes, originally assembled by J. Norman Methven of Perth. Different editions and translations of James MacPherson's epic poem 'Ossian', some with a map of the 'Kingdom of Connor'. Also secondary material relating to Ossianic poetry and the Ossian controversy. |
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| Description | Selected items from five 'Special and Named Printed Collections'. Includes books in Gaelic and other Celtic languages, works about the Gaels, their languages, literature, culture and history. |
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