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

POEMS OF OSSIAN. 141
And in the ancient MS. which formerly was the
dean of Lifmore's, now in the pofleflion of the So-
ciety :
1 Di wamyn beggane floyeg'
Ag efs royg* ny negg'in mawle
Di chemyn fa holt yr lerr
Currych mor agus ben ann.
Keigyt leich yownych mane reic
Fa mat' er gneeit* er gy gart
Ffir yair neiih is marg a cheitb.
Di yovvmift er gi teir nert.'
There was a fhorter and more rapid meafure for
the lyrical parts of the compofition ; fuch was ge*
nerally ufed for the Prosnacha Catha^ the fong of
incitement to battle, which it was the office of the
bards to fing, to animate the heroes when about to
engage the enemy. Such is the meafure of fome of
the odes given by Mifs Brooke, and of the war-
fong to Gaul) which is in the poffeffion of the So-
ciety. The opening of this war-fong, as in one of
the Kilbride MSS. is as follows : its meafure is quick,
rapid, and fpirit-flirring, each line generally con*
taining one or two daciyls.
« Goll mear mileanta,
Ceap na cròdhachta,
Làmh fhial arrachd,
Mian na mordhachta.
Lèoghar luath adhbhal,
Lèonadh Ian biodhbhadh,
Tonn go treun thoirneadh,
Go!.!