Ossian Collection > Gaelic bards

OSSIANIC POETRY. 157
to admire, an undisguised f)ersonation of a fictitious
character. People like to see and to embody in their
pristine poetry, not merely truth but fact, that is to say,
not merely a lasting agreement with the principles of
thought, feeling, and action, which are always in nature ;
but even some actual m9,nifestation of these, or some
actual antagonism to these — something in fine, which
they doubt not has been — so then, I think, we may safely
conclude, that he, who long ages past, first originated
the Ossianic poetry, was, with reverence let it be spoken,
Ossian, the son of Fingal— last of all his race. That he
was a great poet, cannot be questioned — he whose name
and whose influence has survived so long, and spread so
wide — who has been imitated so often, and who first
touched that tender note which, in so many an exquisite
fragment, still reaches our hearts so truly,
The first poem which I give, although not in this finer
style, still displays no small skill in the poetic art. It is
quite original, and a very pretty and fresh idea lies at its
root. With wonderfully delicate touches a variety of
personages are presented to us, and their distinct
characters most artfully revealed. Altogether it is a
pleasant little story, and most gracefully told. I give it
in the metre to which we are most familiar in our
Lowland ballads, although that changes sliglitly the
measure of the original. All other necessary explana-
tions I hope it will give for itself —
THE SWEETEST SOUND.
Once, when the kingly feast was spread.
On Albin's golden slope.
The bards they sang of bliss and woe.
Despair, and love, and hope.