Ossian Collection > Poetical works of James Macpherson, Esq

30 THE HIGHLANDER.
Undaunted rear their ufeful arms on high,
Now fought for food, and now for liberty,
Now met the fport of hills, now of the main,
Here pierc'd a flag, and there transfix'd a DiNE.
Tho' nature's walls their homely huts inclofe.
To guard their homely huts, tho' mountains rofe.
Yet feeling Albion in their breads, they dare
From rocks to ru{h and meet the diftant war.
The full-form'd lines now crown the mountain's
brow.
And wave a blazing forefl o'er the foe.
The king commands : down in array they creep j
Their clanking arms beat time to ev'ry ftep ;
As they defcend, they ftretch along the ftrand,
Keflore the ranks, and make a folemn ft and.
Before the camp the Danifn columns rife.
And ftretch the battle to the clarion's voice.
Majeftic Sueno kept the higher place.
Great in the war, as in his noble race j
And when the fword to milder peace fhall yield.
In council great, as in the thund'ring field.
Behind their king, to cither hand afar,
Rough Norway's fons extend the front of war.