Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian > Volume 1

CXXU A CRITICAL DISSERTATION
separate observations, with regard to the conduct
and disposition of the incidents, as well as to tlie
beauty of the descriptions and sentiments. Car-
thon is a regular and highly fin-shed piece. The
main story is very properly introduced by Classam-
mor's relation of the adventure of his youth; and
this introduction is finely heightened by Fingal's
song of mourning over Moina; in which Ossian,
ever fond of doing honour to his father, has con-
trived to distinguish him for being an eminent poet
as well as warrior. Fingal's song upon this oc-
casion, when, " his thousand bards leaned for-
'' wards from their seats, to hear the voice of the
" king," is inferior to no passage in the whole
book ; and with great judgment put in his mouth,
as the seriousness, no less than the sublimity of
the strain, is peculiarly suited to the hero's cha-
racter. In Darthula are assembled almost all the
tender images that can touch the heart of man ;
friendship, love, the affections of parents, sons,
and brothers, the distress of the aged, and the un-
availing bravery of the young. The beautiful ad-
dress to the moon, with which the poem opens,
and the transition from thence to the subject, most
happily prepare the mind for that train of affect-
. ing events that is to follow. The story is regular,
dramatic, interesting to the last. He who can
read it without emotion may congratulate himself,
if he pleases, upon being completely armed against
sympathetic sorrow. As Fingal had no occasion
of appearing in the action of this poem, Ossian
makes a very artful transition from his narration,
to what was passing in the halls of Selma. The
sound heard there on the strings of his harp, the
concern which Fingal shews on hearing it, and