Ossian Collection > Ossian, his principal poems

Ixii THE BARDS.
And, as we cannot, we must think such a polity as this
neveryet to have been sufficiently contemplated or applauded,
such as the proudest kingdoms may be proud to imitate,
and such as must have produced the first of poets and
the finest of musicians. Yet how often is theory disap-
pointed, when we refer to practice ? We have no poet in
Wales that comes up to our expectation of excellence from
such an economy of refinement. But then the Highlands
have actually produced such a poet from this economy, as
proves its utility and its wisdom at once ; Ossian appearing
the very Homer of Britain, by showing all his terrible graces
paHicularly, reflected and even redoubled in the mirror of his
own poetry.
As to music, we have no such grandeur of evidenee for
the success of the institution. Yet we have evidence, and
some of considerable moment. In the first place, we have
a proof of attention in the Scotch Government, a good deal
similar to the Welsh economy for encouragement of music .
'' For instruction of zouth in the aHeofmusicke and singing,
quhilk is leke to fall in great decay without timeous remeid be
provided^" says even an act of parliament in 1579, " our
Soveraine Lord, with advise of his three estaites of this
present parliament, requests the provests, baillies, councell,
and communities of the maist special burrowes of this
realme, and the patrons and provestesofthe colledges quair
sang schooles arefotmded, to erect and set up ane sung school
with ane maister sufficient and abillfor instruction of the zouth
in the saide science ofmusicke; as they will answer to his
Hieness, upon the perrel of their fundationes, and in per-
forming this his Hieness requeist toill do unto his Majestic
acceptabil and gude pleasure." This is a law as singular in
its manner as it is curious in its matter, — the king lowering