Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

on the Poems of Ossian. tl
tlie same savage ferocity which prevails among all
the Homeric heroes. For we find him exiUting
over the fallen Patroclus with the most cruel taunts,
and telling him, when he lies in the agony of
death, that Achilles cannot help him now ; and
that in a short time his body stripped naked, and de-
prived of funeral honours, shall be devoured by the
vultures. Whereas in the character of Fingal,
concur almost all the qualities that can ennoble
human nature ; that can either make us admire the
hero, or love the man. He is not only unconquer-
able in war, but he makes his people happy by his
wisdom in the days of peace. He is truly the
father of his people. He is known by the epithet
of "Fingal of the mildest look;" and distinguished,
on every occasion, by humanity and generosity.
He is merciful to his foes ; full of affection to bis
children ; full of concern about his friends ; and
never mentions Agandecca, his first love, without
the utmost tenderness. He is the universal pro-
tector of the distressed; "None ever went sad
from Fingal." — " O, Oscar! bend the strong iu
arms ; but spare the feeble hand. Be thou a
stream of many tides against the foes of thy people;
but like the gale that moves the grass, to those
who ask thine aid. So Trenmor lived ; such
Trathal was ; and such has Fingal been. My arm
was the support of the injured ; the weak rested
behind the lightning of my steel." These were
the maxims of true heroism, to wliich he formed his
grandson. His fame is represented as every-where
spread ; the greatest heroes acknowledge his superi-
ority ; his enemies tremble at his name ; and the
highest encomium that can be bestowed on one
whom the poet would most exalt, is to say, that
his soul was like the soul of Fingal.
To do justice to the poet's merit in supporting
such a character as this, I must observe, what is
not commouly attended to, that there is no part o£
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