"fun to my foul, in the dark hour of my depar«<ture. O that the name of Morni were forgot a"mong the people, that the heroes would only fay, "Behold the father of Gaul (a) !”

And no less finely touched is grief for the lofs of children:

"We faw Ofcar leaning on his fhield: we faw his "blood around. Silence darkened on the face of "every hero: each turned his back and wept. "The King ftrove to hide his tears. He bends his "head over his fon; and his words are mixed with

fighs. And art thou fallen, Ofcar, in the midft "of thy courfe! The heart of the aged beats over "thee. I fee thy coming battles: I behold the "battles that ought to come, but they are cut off "from thy fame. When fhall joy dwell at Selma? "when shall the fong of grief ceafe on Morven ? "My fon falls by degrees, Fingal will be the last of "his race. The fame I have received fhall pass a

way my age shall be without friends. I fhall fit "like a grey cloud in my hall: nor fhall I expect "the return of a fon with his founding arms. "Weep, ye heroes of Morven; never more will "Ofcar rife (b).”

Crothar fpeaks:

"Son of Fingal! doft thou not behold the dark"nefs of Crothar's hall of fhells? My foul was not "dark at the feaft, when my people lived. I re"joiced in the prefence of ftrangers, when my "fon fhone in the hall. But, Offian, he is a beani

(a) Lathmon.

(b) Temora.

"that

"that is departed, and left no ftreak of light be

hind. He is fallen, fon of Fingal, in the battles "of his father.-Rothmar, the chief of graffy Tromlo, heard that my eyes had failed; he heard "that my arms were fixed in the hall, and the pride "of his foul arofe. He came toward Croma; my "people fell before him. I took my arms in the "hall; but what could fightless Crothar do? My *fteps were unequal; my grief was great. I wished

for the days that were past, days wherein I fought "and won in the field of blood. My fon returned from the chace, the fair-hair'd Fovar-gormo. He had not lifted his fword in battle, for his arm was "young. But the foul of the youth was great; the

fire of valour burnt in his eyes. He faw the dif"ordered steps of his father, and his figh arose. "King of Croma, he faid, is it becaufe thou haft "no fon; is it for the weakness of Fovar-gormo's

arm that thy fighs arife? I begin, my father, to feel the ftrength of my arm; I have drawn the fword of my youth; and I have bent the bow. "Let me meet this Rothmar with the youths of "Croma: let me meet him, O my father; for I And thou fhalt meet him, feel my burning foul. "I faid, fon of the fightlefs Crothar! But let o"thers advance before thee, that I may hear the "tread of thy feet at thy return; my eyes be"hold thee not, fair-hair'd Fovar-gormo! "went, he met the foe; he fell. The foe advances "toward Croma. He who flew my fon is near, "with all his pointed spears (a).”

for

He

The following fentiments about the shortness of human life are pathetic.

(a) Croma.

"Defolate

"Defolate is the dwelling of Moinna, filence in "the houfe of her fathers. Raise the song of mour"ning over the ftrangers. One day we must fall; "and they have only fallen before us. Why doft "thou build the hall, fon of the winged days! Thou "lookeft from thy towers to day: foon will the "blaft of the defert come. It howls in thy empty "court, and whistles over thy half-worn shield (a).” "How long fhall we weep on Lena, or pour tears "in Ullin! The mighty will not return; nor Of46 car rife in his ftrength: the valiant muft fall one "day, and be no more known. Where are our "fathers, O warriors, the chiefs of the times of old! "They are fet, like ftars that have fhone: we only "hear the found of their praife. But they were re"nowned in their day, and the terror of other "times. Thus fhall we pafs, O warriors, in the day "of our fall. Then let us be renowned while we << may; and leave our fame behind us, like the last "beams of the fun, when he hides his red head in "the weft (b)."

In Homer's time, heroes were greedy of plunder; and, like robbers, were much disposed to infult a vanquished foe. According to Offian, the ancient Caledonians had no idea of plunder: and as they fought for fame only, their humanity overflowed to the vanquished. American favages, it is true, are not addicted to plunder, and are ready to beflow on the

(a) Carthon. VOL. I.

(b) Temora,

3 K

firft

first comer what trifles they force from the enemy. But they have no notion of a pitched battle, nor of fingle combat: on the contrary, they value themselves upon flaughtering their enemies by furprife, without risking their own sweet perfons. Agreeable to the magnanimous character given by Offian of his countrymen, we find humanity blended with courage in all their actions.

Fingal pitied the white-armed maid: he stayed the uplifted fword. The tear was in the eye of "the King, as bending forward he spoke: King of "ftreamy Sora, fear not the fword of Fingal: it was "never ftained with the blood of the vanquished; "it never pierced a fallen foe. Let thy people re"joice along the blue waters of Tora: let the maids "of thy love be glad. Why fhould't thou fall in "thy youth, King of streamy Sora (a)!”

Fingal speaks:

"Son of my firength, he faid, take the fpear of "Fingal: go to Teutha's mighty ftream, and fave "the car-borne Colmar. Let thy fame return be"fore thec like a pleafant gale; that my foul may

66

rejoice over my fon, who renews the renown of "our fathers. Offian! be thou a ftorm in battle,

but mild where the foes are low. It was thus my "fame arofe, O my fon; and be thou like Selma's "chief. When the haughty come to my hall, my

(a) Carric-thura.

" eyes

eyes

behold them not; but my arm is ftretched "forth to the unhappy, my fword defends the "weak (a)." " O Ofcar! bend the ftrong in arm, "but fpare the feeble hand. Be thou a ftream of "many tides against the foes of thy people, but like "the gale that moves the grafs to those who afk "thy aid. Never fearch for the battle, nor fhun it "when it comes. So Trenmor lived; fuch Tra"thal was; and fuch has Fingal been. My arm sc was the fupport of the injured; and the weak "rested behind the lightning of my steel (b)."

Humanity to the vanquished is displayed in the following paffages. After defeating in battle Swaran King of Lochlin, Fingal fays,

"Raife, Ullin, raife the fong of peace, and foothe << my foul after battle, that my ear may forget the "noife of arms. And let a hundred harps be near "to gladden the King of Lochlin: he must depart "from us with joy: none ever went fad from Fin"gal. Ofcar, the lightening of my fword is against "the ftrong; but peaceful it hangs by my fide when "warriors yield in battle (c)." "Uthal fell beneath "my fword, and the fons of Berrathon fled. It was "then I faw him in his beauty, and the tear hung "in my eye. Thou art fallen, young tree, I said, "with all thy budding beauties round thee. The "winds come from the defert, and there is no found "in thy leaves. Lovely art thou in death, fon of car-borne Lathmor (d).”

(a) Calthon and Comal.
(c) Fingal, book 6.

(4) Fingal, book 3.
(d) Berrathon.

After