Ossian Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

ii8 T E M O R A:
tures on the wind, when they ftridc, from blaft to blaft, along
the dufky night. Often, blended with the gale, to fome warrior's
grave.
ofafickman, irkfome and confufcd. Fools
can never write good poems. A warm
imagination, it is true, domineers over a
common portion of fenfe ; and hence it is
that fo few have fucceeded in the poetical
way. But when an uncommon ftrength
of judgment, and a glowing fancy, are
properly tempered together, they, and they
only, produce genuine poetry.
The prefent book is not the leaft inte-
refting part of Temora. The awful images,
with which it open;, are calculated to pre-
pare the mind for the folemn fcenes which
are to follow. Oifian, always, throws an
air of confequence on every circumftance
which relates to Fingal. The very found
of his (hield produces extraordinary eiFefls;
and thefe are heightened, one above ano-
ther, in a beautiful climax. The diftrefs
of Sul-malla, and her conference with
Catbmor, are very afFefling. The de-
fcription of his (hield is a curious f iece of
antiquity ; and is a proof of the early
knowledge of navigation among the inha-
bitants of Britain and Ireland. Offian, in
ihorr, throughout this book, is often fu-
biinie, and always pathetic.
As a fpecimen of the harmony of Galic
verfification without rhime, 1 fliall lay a
few lines, of the opening of this book,
before thofe who underftand the origi-
nal. The words are not, after the Iriflii
manner, briftltd over with unnectfl'ary
quicfcent confonants, ib difagreeable to the
eye, and which rather embarafs than affift
the reader.
O linna doir-thoille na Liefo,
Air uair, eri' ceo-taobh-ghorm nan ton ;
Nuair dhunus dorfa na h'oicha.
Air illuir-hui! Greina na fpeur.
Tomhail mo Lara na fruth,
Thaomus du-nial, as doricha cruaim :
Marghlas fcia', roi taoma na nial,
Snamh hairis, 'ta Gellach na h'oicha,
Le fo edibh taifin o-(hean
An dlu-ghteus a meafc na gaoith ;
'S iad leumnach, o oilaic gu ofiaic.
Air du-aghai' oicha na fian. &c.
Lego, fo often mentioned bv Oflian,
was a lake, in Connaught, in which the
river Lara emptied itfelf. On the banks
of this lake dwelt Branno, the father-in-
law of Offian, whom the poet often vifited
before and after the death of Evir-allin.
This circumftance, perhaps, occafioned
the partiality, with which he always men-
tions Lego and Lara ; and accounts for his
drawing fo many of his images from them.
The fignification of Leigo, is, the lake of
difeaje, probably fo called, on account of
the morafles which furrounded it.
As the mift, which rofe from ihe lake
of Lego, occafioned difeafes and death,
the bards feigned, as here, that it was the
refidencc of the ghofts of the deceafed,
duiing the interval between their death,
aitd