Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

Book II. F I N G A L. 137
530 His branchy Deer drank of a thoufand Brooks,
His Dogs were echo'd by a thoufand Rocks.
With ev'ry Beauty that adorns the young,
His Hand in Battle could fubdue the ftrong.
One was his Love, and fhe was heav'nly fair,
535 Co7iloch\ Daughter, with the raven Hair j
Who
The Rev. Mr. J^hitaker, in his genuine Hiftory of the Britons aflerted
againft Mr. Macpherfon, contends, that this Name was never impofed by
any of the Refidcnts in the Country ; but that, as the Gauls (who inhabited
along the Coafl: i^^ Calais) beheld the chalky Cliffs, and Heights appearing
on the other Side of the Water, they naturally diftinguifhed them by a
Name, that was expreffive only of the fenfible Appearance which they
formed to the Eye, and called them Jlbion or Heights. All>, continues
this learned and accurate Writer, in the Singular, lengthens into Alb-an^
Alb- on, Alb-ain, or Alb-ion in the Plural. And we have the fame Word
in the Gallic Appellation, of the Mountains that divide Italy from GauL
The Name therefore, was the natural Celtic Term for Heights, or Emi-
nences. As fuch it was applied to the Cliffs of Britain ; and, as fuch, it
is retained by the prefent Highlanders for their own very mountainous Di-
vifion of Britain. Mr. Wkitaker likewife gives a quite different Etymology
of tlie Word Britain. But which of thefe ingenious Etymologifts is in the
Right, I fliall leave others to determine.
V. 534. One ti'as his Love, and Jhe was heav'nly fair.] I have, in a
former Note, defcribed the fuperiour Size of the Celtic Men. The Women,
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