Ossian Collection > Morison's edition of the Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

A POEM. 295
wave to Nuath's mournful daughter ? Why did I
not pafs away in fecrct, hke the flower of the rock,
that lifts its fair head unfeen, and ftrows its wither-
ed leaves on the blaft ? Wliy didft thou come, O
Gaul, to hear my departing figh ? I pafs away in
my youth ; and my name fliall not be heard. Or
it will be heard with forrow, and the tears of Nu-
ath will fall. Thou wilt be fad, fon of Morni, for
the fallen fame of Oithona. But fhe fhall fleep in
the narrow tomb, far from the voice of the mourn-
er. Why didft thou come, chief of Strumon, to
the fea-beat rocks of Tromathon ?"
*' I came to meet thy foes, daughter of car-borne
Nuath ! the death of Cuthal's chief darkens before
me ; or Morni's fon fliall fall. Oithona ! when
Gaul is low, raife my tomb on that oozy rock ;
and when the dark-bounding fhip fliall pafs, call
the fohs of the fea ; call them, and give this fword
that they may carry it to Morni's hall ; that the
gray-haired hero may ceafe to look towards the
defart for the return of his fon."
« And fliall the daughter of Nuath live," flie re-
plied with a burfting figh ? " Shall I live in Tro-
mathon, and the fon of Morni low ? My heart is
not of that rock ; nor my foul carelefs as that fea,
which lifts its blue waves to every wind, and rolls
beneath the ftorm. The blail which fliall lay thee
low,