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

154 T E M O R A:
ftiU feafon of night. — It was the voice of Condan, mixed with
Carril's trembling harp. They came, with blue-eyed Ferad-artho,
to Mora of the ftreams.
Sudden burfts the fong from our bards, on Lena: the hod
ftruck their fhields midft the found. Gladnefs rofe brightening on
the king, like the beam of a cloudy day, when it rifes, on the
green hill, before the roar of winds. — He ftruck the holly fliield of
kings ; at once they ceafe around. The people lean forward, from
tlieir fpears, towards the voice of tlieir land *»
Sons of Morven, fpread the feafl ^ fend the night away on
fong. Ye have flione around me, and the dark ftorm is pall:.
My people are the windy rocks, from which I fpread my eagle^
wings, when I rulli forth to renown, and feize it on its field. — OC-
fian, thou haft the fpear of Flngal : it is not the ftaff of a boy
with which he ftrews the thiftle round, young wanderer of the
field. — No : it is the lance of the mighty, w'ith which they ftretch-
* Before I finifh my notes, it may not
be altogether improper to obviate an ob-
je£lion, which may be made to the credibi-
lity of the ftory of Temora, as related
by Oflian. It may be aflced, whether
it is probable, that Fingal could per-
form fuch acSions as are afcribed to him in
this book, at an age when his grandfon,
Oicar had acquired fo much reputation in
arms. To this it may be anfwered, that
Fingal was but very young [book 4th]
when he took to wife Ras crana, who Toon
after became the mother of Offian. OFian
was alfo extremely young when he married
Ever-alILn, the mother of Ofcar. Tradi-
tion relat;?, that Fingal was but eighteen
years old at the birth of his fon Oflian ;
and that Offian was much about the fame
age, when Ofcar, his fon, was born. Of-
car, perhaps, might be about twenty, when
he was killed, in the battle of Gabhra,
[book jft] fo the age of Fingal, when the
decifive battle was fought between him and
Cathmor, was juft fifty-fix years. In thofe
times of aflivrty and health, the natural
firength and vigour of a man was little
abated, at fuch an age; (o that there is
nothing improbable in the sif^ions of Fin-,
gal, as related in this book.