Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

oji the Poems of Ossiaii. 89
It is a great advantage of Ossian's mythology
that it is not local and temporary, like that of most
other ancient poets ; which, of course, is apt to
seem ridiculous after the superstitions have passed
away on which it was founded. Ossian's mythology
is, to speak so, the mythology of human nature ;
for it is founded on what has been the popular
belief, in all ages and countries, and under all forms
of religion, concerning the appearances of departed
spirits. Homer's machinery is always lively and
amusing ; but far from being always supported
with proper dignity. The indecent squabbles
among his gods surely do no honour to epic poetry.
Whereas Ossian's machinery has dignity upon all
occasions. It is indeed a dignity of the dark and
awful kind ; but this is proper ; because coincident
with the strain and spirit of the poetry. A light
and gay mythology, like Homer's, would ha^-e been
perfectly unsuitable to the subject on which Ossian's
genius was employed. But though his machinery
be always solemn, it is not, however, always
dreary or dismal ; it is enlivened, as much as the
subject would permit, by those pleasant and beauti-
ful appearances, which he sometimes introduces, of
the spirits of the hill. These are gentle spirits;
descending on sun-beams, fair-moving on the plain ;
their forms white and bright ; their voices sweet ;
and their visits to men propitious. The greatest
praise that can be given to the beauty of a living
woman, is to say, " She is fair as the ghost of the
hill, when it moves in a sun-beam at noon, over
the silence of Morven." " The hunter shall hear
my voice from his booth. He shall fear, but love
my voice. For sweet shall my voice be for my
friends ; for pleasant were they to me."
Besides ghosts, or the spirits of departed men,
we find in Ossian some instances of other kinds of
machinery. Spirits of a superior nature to ghosts
are sometimes alluded to, wliich have power to