Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

176 F I N G A L. Book III.
But fcarce tow'rds Land the Ship began to fleer,
205 Than blufhing at the Thought that he could fear,
He chang'd again his Courfe, refolv'd to find
Amidft his Storms the Spirit of the Wind.
Where white with Foam ran high the bellowing Tide,
Three hardy Youths the tilting Veffel guide ;
210 While Sword in Hand advent'rous Cormar flood,
Obferving as it pafs'd the low-hung Cloud ;
Which one Hand feizing by the curling Head,
He with the other rais'd the daring Blade,
And
I forbear to tranfcribe the Paflage, as it muft have drawn the Attention
of every one who has read that Poem. The undaunted Courage of
Fingal, oppofed to the Terrors of the Scandinavian God; the Appearance
and Speech of that awful Spirit, the "Wound which he receives, and
the Shriek which he fends, " as rolled into himfelf, he rofe upon the
Wind ; " are full of the moft amazing and terrible Majefly. I know
no Paflage more fublime in the Writings of any uninfpired Author.
As for the Fittion itfelf, there are poetical Precedents full as extra-
vagant ; for if Homer be forgiven for making Dicmed attack and
wound in Battle, the Gods whom that Chief himfelf worlhipped, OJfian
forcly is pardonable for making his Hero fuperior to the God of a foreign
Territory.
V. 224.