Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

'fHE
SONGS OFSELMA.
ARGUMENT.
AJ3ress to the evening star. Apostrophe to Fingal and his times.
Minona sings before the king the song of the unfortunate Colma;
and the bards exhibit other specimens of their poetical talents ; ac-
cording to au annual custom established by the monai'chs of the an-
cient Caledonians.
Star of descending night ! fair is thy light in
the west ! thou liftest thy unshorn head fi-om thy
cloud: thy steps are stately on thy hill. What
dost thou behold in the plain ? The stormy winds
are laid. The murmur of the torrent comes fi-om
afar. Roaring waves climb the distant rock. The
flies of evening are on their feeble wings ; the hum
of their -course is on the field. What dost thou
behold, fair light ? But thou dost smile and depart.
The waves come with joy around thee; they bathe
thy lovely hair. Farewell, thou silent beam ! Let
the light of Ossian's soul arise !
And it does arise in its strength ! I behold my
departed friends. Their gathering is on Lora, as
in the days of other years. Fingal comes like a
watery column of mist ; his heroes are around : and
see the bards of song, grey-haired UUin ! stately
Ryno ! Alpin, with the tuneful voice ! the soft
complaint of Minona ! How are ye changed, my
fi-iends, since the days of Selma's feast ! when we
contended, like gales of spring, as they fly along
the hill, and bend by turns the feebly-whistling
grass.
Minona came forth in her beauty ; with down-
cast look and tearful eye. Her hair flew slowly on
the blast, that rushed unfi-equent from the hill. The
soiils of the heroes were sad when she raised the