Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

THE WAR OF INIS-THONA:
A POEM.
argument.
T/ms poem h an episaje inlraduccJ in a great luork composed by Oisian, in ^vhich the at'
tioits cf his friends, and bis Selmed sou Oscar, -were inlerivo-ven. The ivorl itself is
lost, but some episodes, and the story of the poem, are handed doivn ly traditiou, Jnis-
thana teas an island of Scatidina-Jij, subjtSi to its own ii/i^, but depindii/g upon the
kingdom of Lochlin.
V^UR youth is like the dream of the hunter on tlie hill of heath.
He sleeps in the mild beams of the sun •, but he awakes amidst
a storm \ the red lightning flies around : and the trees shake
their heads to the wind. He looks back with joy on the day of
the sun, and the pleasant dreams of his rest !
When shall Ossian's youth return, or his ear delight in the
sound of arms ? When shall I, like Oscar, travel in the light of
my steel ? Come, with your streams, yc hills of Cona, and listen
to the voice of Ossian ! The song rises, like the sun, in my goul;
and my heart feels the joys of otlier times.
I behold my towers, O Selma! and the oaks of thy shaded
wall : thy streams sound in my ear ; thy heroes gather round.
Fingal sits in the midst ; and leans on the. shield of Trenmor : hib
spear stands against the wall : he listens to the song of his bards.
The deeds of his arm are heard -y and the actions of the king in
his youth.
Oscar had returned from the chase, and heard the hero's praise.
He took the shield of Branno* from the wall \ his eyes were filled
with tears. Red was the cheek of youth. His voice was tremb-
ling, low. My spear shook its bright head in his hand : he spoke
to Morven's king.
" Fingal ! thou king of heroes! Ossian, _ next to him in war!
ye have fought the battle in vour youth \ your names are renowned
in
* This is Branno, the fatlicr of Evcrallin, and grandfather to Oscar; he was of
Irish cxtracftion, and lord of the country round the lake of Lego. Kis great ailions
are handed down by tradition, and bib hospitality has passed into a prcvtrb.