Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

ox THE POEMS OF OSSIAX. 75
' *re not only clearlj' distinguished, but sometimes
I artfully contrasted, so as to illustrate each other.
■ Ossian's heroes are, like Homer's, all brave; but
their bravery, like those of Homer's too, is of dif-
ferent kinds. For instance, the prudent, the sedate,
the modest, and circumspect Connal, is finely op-
posed to the presumptuous, rash, overbearing, but
' gallant and senerous Calmar. Calmar hurries Cu-
r tJiuIlin into action by his temerity; and when he
I sees the bad etfects of his counsels, he will not sur-
1 vive the disgrace. Connal, like another Ulysses,
attends CuthuUin to his retreat, counsels and com-
forts him under his misfortune. The fierce, the
proud, and high-spirited Swaran, is admirably con-
trasted with the calm, the moderate, and generous
Finsal. The character of Oscar is a favourite one
throughout the whole Poems. The amiable warmth
of the young warrior; his eager impetuosity in the
day of action; his passion for fame; his, submis-
sion to his father; his tenderness for Malvina; are
the strokes of a masterly pencil : the strokes are
few; but it is the hand of nature, and attracts the
heart. Ossian's own character, the old man, the
hero, and the bard, all in one, presents to us,
through the whole work, a most respectable and
venerable figure, which we always contemplate
with pleasure. CuthuUin is a hero of the highest
class : daring, magnanimous, and exquisitely sen-
sible to honour. We become attached to his inter-
est, and are deeply touched with his distress; and
after the admiration raised for him in the first part
of the poem, it is a strong proof of Ossian's mas-
terly genius that he durst adventure to produce to
us another hero, compared with whom, even the
great CuthuUin shoflld be only an inferior person-
age; and who should rise as far above him, as Cu-
thuUin rises above the rest.
Here, indeed, in the character and description of
I Fingal, Ossian triumphs almost unrivalled; for we
I may boldly defy all antiquity to shew us any hero
r equal to Fingal. Homer's Hector possesses several
t great and amiable qualities; but Hector is a se-
t condary personage in the Iliad, not the hero of the
I work. We see him only occasionally; we know^