Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 1

THE POEMS OF OSSIAN. IJ^-
heart that is full, and pours itself forth. Ossian
did not write, like modern poets, to please
readers and critics. He sung from the love of
poetry and song. His delight was to think of
the heroes among whom he had flourished ; to
recal the affecting incidents of his life; to dwell
upon his past wars, and loves, and friendships ;
till, as he expresses it himself, " there comes a
" voice to Ossian and awakes his soul. It is
" the voice of years that are gone ; they roll
" before me with all their deeds ;" and under
this true poetic inspiration, giving vent to his
genius, no wonder we should so often hear, and
acknowledge in his strains, the powerful and
ever-pleasing voice of nature.
Arte, natura potentior omni. —
Est Deus in nobis, agltante calescimus illo.
It is necessary here to observe, that the
beauties of Ossian's writings cannot be felt by
those who have given them only a single or a
hasty perusal. His manner is so different from
that of the poets, to whom we are most ac-
customed; his style is so concise, and so much
crowded with imagery; the mind is kept at
such a stretch in accompanying the autlior;
that an ordinary reader is at first apt to be
dazzled and fatigued, rather than pleased. His
poems require to be taken up at intervals, and
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