Ossian Collection > Dean of Lismore's book

THE DEAN OF LISMORE.
Eanged aroimd Ossian and Finn,
Traversing valleys to dispense their gold.
Fearton and brave Carroll were there,
AMio never fought but where they won.
I sing them, and generous Felan,
All of whom here have I seen.
Here have I seen.
The author of this is Ossian, the son of Finn.^
Tell us, Patrick, what honour is ours.
Do the Feine of Ireland in heaven now dwell ?
In tnith I can tell thee, thou Ossian of fame,
That no heaven has thy father, Oscar, or Gaul.
Sad is the tale thou tellest me, Priest,
I worshipping God while the Feine have no heaven.
Shalt thou not fare well thyself in that city.
Though ne'er should thy father, Caoilte, and Oscar be there '(
Little joy would it bring to me to sit in that city.
Without Caoilte, and Oscar, as weU as my father.
Better see the face of heaven's son each day,
Thau all the gold on earth, were it thine to possess.
wliicli the Bards ns\ially received among breck, "tliey are still with us ; but tlie
the Celts. A eulogy was sometimes re- men who fostered them are gone."
warded by the Chief with a silver eup. ' This piece is what is usually called
Even poetry had need to be purchased ; "UrnuidhOisiain," or "Ossian's prayer."
and probably were it not for the hoi>e of There are many such colloquies in the
reward of some kind, many of the noblest Gaelic, many of them bearing no marks
Poems which have adorned human his- of great antiquity. It will be found that
tory would never have seen the light. in the Gaelic the poem is divided. This
At a meeting of Skye gentlemen on some arose from a misplacing of different parts
public occasion some years ago, the ques- of it in the MS., which was not observed
tion was put, "Where are the bards?" till the first part was printed off. In
One of the company replied, "They are the English the whole is given conse-
gone." " No," said Nicolson of Scorrv- cutivelv.