Ossian Collection > Works of Ossian, the son of Fingal > Volumes 3 and 4

8 TEMORA: Book!.
Grey torrents pour their noify ftreams. — — =
Two green hills , with aged onks , furround a,
nar-
reduce it into that order, in which it now ap-
pears. The title of Epic was impoled on the
poem by myfelf. The technical terms of criti-
cifm were totally unknown to Offian. Born iii
a diftant age , and in a country remote from the
feats of learning , his knowledge did not extend
to Greek and Roman literature. If therefore, in
the form of his poems , and in feverai palTages.
of his diction , he refembles Homer , the ilmila-
rity muft proceed from nature , the original from
which both drew their ideas. It is from this
confideration that I have avoided , in this voIu-»
jne , to give parallel palfages from other authors,
as I had done , in fome of my notes , on the
former colleftion of O/Tan's poems. It was far
from my intention, to rail'e my author into a
competition with the celebrated names of anti»
quity. The extenllve field of renown affords
ample room to all the poetical merit, which has
yet appeared in the world , without overturning
the chaia5ler of one poet, to raife that of ano-
ther on its ruins. Had Oflian even fuperior me-
rit to Homer and Virgil, a certain partiality,
arifing from the fame defervedly beftowed upon
them by the fan£lion of fo many ages, would
jnake us overlook it , and give them the prefc-
reiicc^