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

tHS POEMS OF OS3TAN. ztf
Xln;i forms one of the moft confpicnous beauties of th^t
poem. The diftrefs of Si-Jmalb, difguifed and unknswn
among (trangers, her tender and anxious concern for the
fafety of Cathmor, her dream, and her melting remembrance
of the land of her fathers; Cathmor's emotion when he firfi:
difcovers her,, his ftrugglesto conceal and fupprefs his paf~
fion, left it fhould unman him in the midft of war, though
" his foul poured forth in fecret, ^yhen he beheld her
fearful eye ;" and the laft interview between them, when-
overcome by her tendernefs, he lets her know he had dif-
covered her, and confefles his pafiion ; are ail wrought up
with the moft exq«ifite fenfibility and delicacy,
Befides the characters which appeared in Fingal, feveral-
iiew ones are here introduced ; and though, as they are all
the chai-a<n:ers of warriors, bravery is the predominant fea-
ture, they are neverthelefs diverfified in a fenlible and ftrik-
ing manner. Foldath, for inftance, the general of Cath-
mor, exhibits the perfect picture of a favage chieftain : Bold,-
and daring, but prefum.ptuous,. cruel, and overbearing.
He is diftingaiflied, on his firft appearance, as the friend of
the tyrant Cairbar \ " His ftride is haughty j his red eye
r^olls in wrath." In his perfon and whole deportment, he.
is contrafted with the mild and wife Hidalla, another leader
of the fame army, on whofe humanity and gentlenefs he
looks with great contempt. He profefiedly delights in ftrife?
and blood. He infults over the fallen. He is imperious in'
his counfcls, and fa«ftious when they are not followed. Hk
is unrelenting in all his fchemes of revenge, even to the
length of denying the funeral fong to the dead; which,.
from the injury thereby done to their ghofts, was in thofe*
«iays corrfidered as the greatcft barbarity. Fierce to tlie laft,,
he comforts himfelf in his dying moments with thinking:
ibat his ghoft fliall often leave its blaft to rejoice over the
ffrave*