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

212 O I N A - M O R U L:
My courfe was towards the ifle of Fuarfed, woody dweller of fcas.
Fingal had fent me to the aid of Mal-orchol, king of Fuarfed wild :
for war was around him, and our fathers had met, at the feall.
I\ Col-coiled, I bound my fails, and fent my fword to Mal-
orchol of fliells. He knew the lignal of Albion, and his joy
arofe. He came from his own high hall, and feized my hand in
grief. " Why comes the race of heroes to a falling king ? Ton-
thormod of many fpears is the chief of wavy Sar-dronlo. He faw
and loved my daughter, whitc-bofomed Oina-morul. He fought ;
I denied the maid j for our fathers had been foes. — He came, with
battle, to Fuarfed ; my people are rolled away. — Why comes the
race of heroes to a falling king ? "
I COME not, I faid, to look, like a boy, on the ftrife. Fingal
remembers Mal-orchol, and his hall for flrangers. From his waves,
the warrior defcended, on thy woody ifle. Thou wert no cloud
before him. Thy feall: was ipread with fongs. For this my fword
fliall rife ; and thy foes perhaps may fail. — Our friends are not for-
go: in their danger, tho' diflant is our land.
Son of the daring Trenmor, thy words are like the voice of
Crr.th-loda, when he fpeaks, from his parting cloud, flrong dweller
Oili in repute, among the Tea faring part of via ; which is more, perhaps, than the
the Highlanders, alludes to this paflage of more pclifhed nations, fubfifting in thofe
OSaii. The author commendi the know- times, dared to venture^ — In eftimating the
ledge of Cffian in fea aft'airs, a merit, degree of knowledge of arts among the an ,
which, perhap?, few of us moderns will tients, we ought not to bring it into corn-
allow him, or any in the age in which he parifon with the improvements of modern
lived.— One thing is certais:, that the Cale- times. Our advantages over them proceed
doiiians often made their way thro* the dan- more from accident, than any merit of
sercus and tempefluous fcas of Scandina- ours.
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