Ossian Collection > Original collection of the poems of Ossian, Orrann, Ulin, and other bards, who flourished in the same age

PREFACE. Ixii
niished, with couraji^e and with hunger stung, at-
tempts the thronged fold; him nought appals,,
though dogs and armed shepherds stand in guard
collected; he, nathless, undaunted, springs o'er
the high fence, and rends the trembling prey."
The learned bishop brings in a number of simi-
lar instances where the prophet resembles the
Greek and Latin poets ; we mention this, because
Mr. Laing pretends there is no resemblance be-
tween the sacred and prophane writers of anti-
quity.
In the beginning of the sixth book of Fingal,
Ossian thus addresses an old deceased friend,
" Be thy soul blest, O Carril, in the midst of thy
eddying winds; O that thou wouldest come to my
hall, when I am alone by night! I hear often thy
light hand on my harp; when it hangs on the dis-
tant wall, and tlie feeble sound touches my ear,
why dost not thou speak to me in my grief, and
tell me when I shall behold my friends."
Did Kotzebue bear this passage in mind, when
raving of his dead wife, he exclaims, "when I am
thus alone, my Frederica seems with me. I talk
to her as though she were present, and pour out
to her all my heart. Ah! perhaps she may be
really present! perhaps she may hover about me
as my guardian angel! Ah! Avhy does she not
appear for one moment, to give assurance to her
existence."
Would our limits permit, we might amuse our