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

THE DEATH OF OSCAR:
A POEM.
INTRODUCTION-
One of the Fragments of Ancient Poetry lately p'al>li2ie<i,
gives a different account of the death of Ofcar, the ica
of Ollian. The tranflator, though he well knew the mere
probable tradition concerning that hero, was unwilling to
rejed a poem, which, if not re<illy of Offian's compoS-
tion, has much of his manner, and concife turn of es-
preffion. A more correct copy of that fragment, which
has fince come to the tranflator's hands, has enabled him
to correal the miftake, into which a fimilarity of names
had led thofe who handed down the poem by ti-aditioa*
The heroes of the piece are Ofcar the fon of Caruth, and
Dermid the fon of Diaran. Offian, or perhaps his imi-
tator, opens the poem with a lamentation for Ofcai-, and
afterwards, by an eafy tranfition, relates the ftory of Of-
car the fon of Caruth, who feems to have bore the fame
character, as Avell as name, with Ofcar the fon of OiBaa.
Though the tranflator thinks he has good reafon to rejeiSt
the fragment as the compofition of OlTian, yet as it is,
after all, ftill fomewhat doubtful whether it is or not, hs
has here fubjoined it.
WHY openeft thou afi-efh the fpring of my
grief, O fon of Alpin, inquiring how Of-
car fell ? My eyes are blind with tears ; but inenio*