Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

128 CRITICAL DlSSEKTATIOIf
of (icatli ; it hovers over the plains of Lena. The Rons
of green Erin shall fall. Remove from the field of
ghosts. — Like the darkened moon, he retired in the
midst of the whistling blast."
Several other appearances of spirits might be point-
ed out, as among the most sublime passages of Ossian's
poetry. The circumstances of them are considerably
diversified, and the scenery always suited to the occa-
sion. " Oscar slowly ascends the hill. The meteors
of night set on the heath before him. A distant tor-
rent faintly roars. Unfrequent blasts rush through
aged oaks. The half-enlightened moon sinks dim and
red behind her hill. Feeble voices are heard on the
heath. Oscar drew his sword — ." Nothing can pre-
pare the fancy more happily for the awful scene that
is to follow. " Trenmor came from his hill at the
voice of his mighty son. A cloud, like the steed of
the stranger, supported his airy limbs. His robe is
of the mist of Lano, that brings death to the people.
His sword is a green meteor, half extinguished. His
face is without form, and dark. He sighed thrice over
the hero ; and thrice the winds of the night roared
around. Many were his words to Oscar. — He slowly
vanished, like a mist that melts on the sunny hill."
To appearances of this kind, we can find no parallel
among the Greek or Roman poets. They bring to
mind that noble description in the book of Job : " In
thoughts from the vision of the night, when deep sleep
falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembhng,
which made all my bones to shake. Then a sj)iril
passed before my face : the hair of my flesh stood up
It stood still : but 1 could not discern the form thereof.
A.n image was before mine eyes. Tliere was silence ;
and I heard a voice — Shall mortal man be more just
tlian God ?"
As Ossian's wpernatural beings are described with