Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

PREFACE. 35
No Perfon can imagine that the Hebrew teemed with Books
when Mofes wrote, and yet the two Songs that go in that Law-
giver's Name are in the highell: Strain of Poetry. The fame
may be faid of Homer : Though the Greek, in his Time, was
in its Infancy, his Produd:ions have never yet been equalled by
the greateft Geniufes of the moft refined and polifhed Ages.
OJ/ian, like Homer y lived in an early Period. As Mufic and the
Songs of Bards were the favourite Amufements of his Country-
men, as well as of all the Celtic Nations, the Language mufl
have been fufficiently poliilied for poetical Compofition ; yet
not fo much fo, as to render it quite effeminate like moft of
our modern Tongues *, which are fo full of abftrad: Terms,
that no Poet of our Days can rife to that unaffedled Strength of
Expreflion fo remarkable in the Compofitions of primitive
Times :
undergo a Change more favourable to Accuracy than to Sprightlinefs and Sublimity.
Language advances from Sterility to Copioufnefs, and at the fame Time from Fervour
and Enthufiafm, to Correftnefs and Prccifion. The Progrefs of the World in this Refpeft
refembles the Progrefs of Age in Man. The Powers of the Imagination are moft vigorous
and predominant in Youth ; thofe of the Underftanding ripen more flowly, and often at-
tain not to their Maturity, till the Imagination begins to flag. Hence Poetry, which is
the Child of Imagination, is frequently moft glowing and animated in the firft Ages of
Society. As the Ideas of our Youth are remembered with a peculiar Pleafure on Account
of their Livelinefs and Vivacity ; fo the moft ancient Poems have often proved the greateft
Favourites of Nations. Dr. Blair's Critical Diflertation on the Poems of OJfian.
* The French has been at the Height of its Perfeftion better than a hundred Years,
and the Italian three hundred ; yet it is remarkable, that neither of thefe Tongues arc
pithy enough to bear a Compofition in blank Verfe. We may likewife obferve, that
notwichftanding England C3.n boaft of many celebrated Poets fince the Time of Shake/pear
and Milton, yet which of them has attained to the Eminence of thefe mentioned ? I think
the Change the Language has fuffered within this Century paft, inay be as much the real
Reafon, as Want of Genius in the. Moderns. ■