Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 2

550 NOTES TO TEMOEA.
I have got a tliii-d from Mr Canuicliael, Locbmadily, Uist, ami I see
liis, word for word, in the Irvine MS., written in the centre of Perth-
shire at the beginning of the century. These begin " Casan buidhe bhi
air Bran." They give him yellow feet, a green back, and make him as
wonderful for colour as others do for extraordinary feats of sagacity and
strength.
I think it needless to insert them in full, but I mention the great
variety of descriptions of Bran to be found in the widest-apart dis-
tricts of the Highlands as illustrative of the divereified and fragmentary
knowledge of some Ossianic subjects stUl to be found throughout the
country; and the state in which these scraps are found gives strong
confirmation to what Macpherson and Dr Smith both say as to the
variety of editions of the same subject which they often met with.
Surely they were right in selecting the best, and rejecting the worst,
out of thorn all.
* " Lubar wound before the host."
I give Macpherson's note on this line. " In order to illustrate this
passage, it is proper to lay before the reader the scene of the two pre-
ceding battles. Between the hills of Mora and Lona lay the plain of
Moi-Lena, through which ran the river Lubar. The first battle, wherein
Gaul the son of Monii commanded on the Caledonian side, was fought
on the banks of Lubar. As there was little advantage obtained on
either side, the armies, after the battle, retained their former position.
In the second battle, wherein FLllan commanded, the Irish after the fall
of Foldath were driven up the hill of Lena, but upon the coming of
Cathmor to their aid, they regained their former situation, and drove
back the Caledonians in their turn ; so that Luhar again loindcd in
tlieir host."
5 " Urge not their lingering ghosts."
I have already remarked that the song of the bard was necessary to
enable disembodied spirits to ascend to the hall of clouds. Accord-
ing to the words before us, it would seem that they coulil be urged to a
more rapid flight than they desired. And it says much for the generos-
ity of Ca-mor that ho wishes so much respect to bo shown to his fallen
enemies as is implied in his remonstrance with Malhus.