Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

302 F I N G A L. Book V.
The Sons of Morven blefs your happy Reign ;
When Battle calls, you lead them to the Plain,
25 And firft in Danger as the firft in Sway,
Your fingle Valour often turns the Day.
To you remoteft Realms Obedience yield,
And Armies tremble when the Sword you wield.
Illuftrious
fame favage Ferocity, which prevails among all the Homeric Heroes. For
we find him infulting over the fallen Patroclus with the moft cruel Taunts,
and telling him, when he lies in the Agony of Death, that Achilles cannot
help him now •, and that in a (hort Time his Body, dripped naked, and
deprived of funeral Honours, fhall be devoured by the Vultures. Whereas
in the Charadter oi Fingal, concur almoft all the Qiialities that can ennoble
human Nature v that can either make us admire the Hero, or love the
Man. He is not only unconquerable in War, but he makes his People
happy by his Wifdom in the Days of Peace. He is truly the Father of his
People. He is known by the Epithet oi Fingal of the mildeji Look ; and
diftinguiflied on every Occafion by his Humanity and Generofity. He is
merciful to his Foes ; full of Affection to his Children, and full of Concern
about his Friends. He is the univerfal Protedor of the Diftrefied. His
Fame is rcprefented as every where fpread ; the greateft Heroes acknow-
ledge his Superiority; his Enemies tremble at his Name; and the higheft
Encomium that can be beftowed on one whom the Poet would moft exalt,
is to fay, that his Soul was like the Soul of Fingal.
V. 42.