Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

ON THE POEMS Of OSSIAN. 16{?
becomes too visible and fantastic ; and overthrows tha{
impression of reality, which the probable recital of hu-
man actions is calculated to make upon the mind. In
the serious and pathetic scenes of Ossian, especially,
allegorical characters would have been as much out of
place as in tragedy ; serving only unseasonably to
amuse the fancy, whilst they stopped the current and
■weakened the force of passion.
With apostrophes, or addresses to persons absent or
dead, which have been in all ages the language of pas-
sion, our poet abounds ; and they are among his high-
est beauties. Witness the apostrophe, in the first book
of Fingal, to the maid of inistore, whose lover had
. fallen in battle ; and that inimitably fine one of Cuthul-
lin to Bragela, at the conclusion of the saiTie book.
He commands the harp to be struck in her praise ; and
the mention of Bragela's name immediately suggesting
to him a crowd of tender ideas — " Dost thou raise thy
fair face from the rocks," he exclaims, " to find the
sails of Cuthullin 1 The sea is rolling far distant, and
jts white foam shall deceive thee for my sails." And
now his imagination being wrought up to conceive her
as, at that moment, really in this situation, he becomes
afraid of the harm she may receive from the inclem-
ency of the night ; and with an enthusiasm happy and
affecting, though beyond the cautious strain of modern
poetry, " Retire," he proceeds, " retire, for it is niglit,
my love, and the dark winds sigh in thy hair. Retire to
the hall of my feasts, and think of the times that are
past : for I will not return until the storm of war has
ceased. O, Connal ! speak of wars and arms, and
Ecnd her from my mind ; for lovely with her raven
hair is the white-bosomed daughter of Sorglan." This
breathes all the native spirit of passion and tenderness.
The addresses to the sun, to the moon, and to the
evening star, must draw the attention of every reader
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