Ossian Collection > Fingal of Ossian

404 F I N G A L. Book VI.
375 In Af(7r^'s Heath they flept : The furly Blaft
Of dufky Night loud whiftling o'er them, pafs'd.
Now from a hundred Mouths the Song afpires,
A hundred Minftrels ftrike at once their Lyres.
The Tale was ancient, and contain'd the Praifc
380 Of mighty Warriors famous in their Days.
When fhall I hear the Bard's harmonious Voice,
Or at the Praife of Morven\ Kings rejoice ?
In
V. 381. When Jhall I hear the Bard's harmonious Voicey tfr] The Con-
rraft which Offian frequently makes between his prefent and former State,
difflifes over his whole Poetry, a folemn pathetic Air, which cannot fail of
making Impreflion on every Heart. Thefe melancholy Reflcdions are
owing to the perfonal and national Situation in which he lived. He had
furvived all his Friends, and was difpofed to Melancholy by the Incidents
of his Life. Befides this, Chearfulnefs is one of the many Bleflings which
we owe to formed Society. The folitary wild State is always a ferious one.
Bating the fudden and violent Burfts of Mirth, which fometimes break
forth at their Dances and Feafts, the favage American Tribes have been
noted by all Travellers for their Gravity and Taciturnity. Somewhat of
this Taciturnity may be alfo remarked in OJfian. On all Occafions he is
frugal of his Words, and never gives you more of an Image, or a Defcrip-
tion, than is juft fufficient to place it before you in one clear Point of View.
It is a Blaze of Lightning, which flafhes and vanifhes.