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

174 S U L-M A L L x\ of L U M O N:
Darkness dwells in Cluba of harps: the race of kings is dif-
tant far; in battle is Conmor of fpears j and Lormar * king of
ilreams. Nor darkening alone are they ; a beam, from other
lands, is nigh : the friend of Grangers -f- in Atha, the troubler of
the field. High, from their mirty hills, look forth the blue eyes of
Erin J for he is far away, young dweller of their fouls. — Nor,,
harmlefs, white hands of Erin ! is he in the Ikirts of war; he rolls
ten tlioufind before him, in his diftant field.
Not unfeen by Offian, I faid, rufhed Cathmor from his ftreams,
when he poured his flrength on I-thorno ;{:, ille of many waves.
In ftrife met two kings in I-thorno, Culgorm- and Suran-dronlo :
each from his echoing ifle, ftern hunters of the boar !
call forth, by turns, all the powers of the
foul, prefent to us the different charafbers
of men : in times of peace and quiet, for
want of obiefls to exert them, the powers
of the mind lie concealed, in a great mea-
fure, and we fee only artificial palBons and
manners. — It is from this confideration I
conclude, that a traveller of penetration
could gather more genuine knowledge
from a tour of ancient Gaul, than from the
minuteft obferva^lon of all the artificial
manners, and elegant refinements of mo-
dern France.
* Lormar was the fon of Conmor, and
the brother of Sul-malla. After the death
of Conmor, Lormar fucceeded him in the
throne.
t Cathmor, the fon of Borbar-duthul.
It wcu'd appear, from the partiality with
which Sul-malla fpeaks of that hero, that
fhe had feen him, previous to his joining
her father's army ; tho' tradition pofitively.
afTerts, that it was, after his return, that-
{he fell in love with him.
t I-thorno, fays tradition, was an
ifland of Scandinavia. In it, at a bunting
party, met Culgorm and Suran-dronlo, the
kings of two neighbouring ifles-. They
differed about the honour of killing a boar ;
and a war was kindled between them. —
From this epifode we may learn, that the
manners of the Scandinavians were mudi
more favage and cruel, than thofe of
Britairj. It is remarkable, that tite
names, introduced in this flor)-, are not
of Galic original, which circumflance
affords room to fuppofe, that it had its
foundation in true hiftory.
Thev