Ossian Collection > Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, appointed to inquire into the nature and authenticity of the poems of Ossian

132 REPORT ON THE
Having put in mossy towers in the preceding line,
he gives their tops in this, though the expreffion in
the original is (imply gu hard, on high. ' Warning
flame* is a metaphyfical idea, putting in a reflex at-
tribute of the fire, which was intended to warn his
friends of the diftrefs of their chief; but, in the
original, the epithet dall, Mind, is a well known
Gaelic epithet for fmothered flame, which exactly
expreflfes what every one has feen in kindling flraw
or other materials for fire fignals.
"" Bhuail an righ a chliabh air ball ;
Gun dàil bha 'gharbb (hleagh o 'chul
Chunnaic e gun chleth a gbaoth ;
Bha leadan air a chul a ftri ;
Cha robh sàmhchair an righ faoin. *
* The king ftruck his bread at the fight (inftantly),
Without delay his rough fpear was from his back :
He faw the wind without ftrergth.
His hair (locks) was on his back ftruggling.
The filence of the king was not vain.' (without meaning.)
* The king of Morven ftruck his breaft ; he aflumed at once
the fpear. His darkened brow bends forward to the coaft ; he
looks back to the lagging winds. His hair is difordered on his
back. The filence of the king is terrible.'
It
* Faoin, a word of which it is fcarcely poflible to give an ade-
quate tranfiation.