Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

290 F I N G A L. Book IV.
Since now, of Kindred and of Sight depriv'd,
I have the Vigour of thofe Days furviv'd ?
520 Mahina ceafe, on me thy Tears beftow,
To weep is all that Ojfian can do now.
On Lena ftill the Work of Death proceeds,
By great Fittgal an aged Warrior bleeds ;
Gray-
V. 523. By great Ym^TiX an aged Warrior bleeds, ^f.] The Incidents
which OJfian has chofen to diverfify his Battles, are interefting, and never
fail to awaken our Attention. Want of Particularity in the Wounds, and
Diverfity in the Fall of thofe that are flain, have been among the Objeftions
darted to the poetical Merit of his Poems. The Criticifm is unjuflr, for he
has introduced as great Variety of this Sort, as he with Propriety could
within the Compafs of fo fhort a Work. It is confefled, that Homer has a
greater Variety of Deaths than any other Poet that ever appeared. His
great Knowledge in Anatomy can never be difputed ; but I am far from
thinking that his Battles, even with all their Novelty of Wounds, are the
mod beautiful Parts of his Poems. The human Mind dwells with Difguft
upon a protrafted Scene of Carnage ; and though the Introdudtion of the
Terrible is necefTary to the Grandeur of heroic Poetry, yet it is evident,
that a Medium ought to be obferved. Befides, there is a particular Reafon
for the Poet's not fpecifying many Deaths in this Battle ; becaufe Mahina
is fuppofed to be prefent during the Recital of it, and a minute Detail of
fuch bloody Events could not poflibly be agreeable to a Female Ear.