ARGUMEN T.

THIS poem, which, properly speaking, is a continuation of the laft, opens with an addrefs to Sul-malla, the daughter of the king of Inis-huna, whom Offian met, at the chace, as he returned from the battle of Rath-col. Sul-malla invites Offian and Ofcar to a feaft, at the refidence of her father, who was then abfent in the wars. Upon hearing their name and family, fhe relates an expedition of Fingal into Inis huna. She cafually mentioning Cathmor, chief of Atha, (who then affifted her father against his enemies) Offian introduces the epifode of Culgorm and Surandronlo, two Scandinavian kings, in whose wars Offian himself and Cathmor were engaged on oppofite fides. The ftory is imperfect, a part of the original being loft. Offian, warned, in a dream, by the ghost of Trenmor, fets fail from Inishuna.

SUL-MALLA

O F

LUMO N:

A

POE M.

*W

HO moves fo ftately, on Lumon, at the roar of the foamy waters? Her

hair falls upon her heaving breaft. White is her arm behind, as flow fhe bends the bow. Why doft/

The expedition of Offian to Inis-huna happened a short time before Fingal paffed over into Ireland, to dethrone Cairbar the fon of Borbar-duthul. Cathmor, the brother of Cairbar, was aiding Conmor, king of Inis-huna, in his wars, at the time that Offian defeated Duth-carmor, in the valley of Rath-col. The poem is more interefting, that it contains fo many particulars concerning thofe perfonages, who make fo great a figure in Temora.

The exact correspondence in the manners and customs of Inis-huna, as here defcribed, to thofe of Caledonia, leaves no room to doubt, that the inhabitants of both were originally the fame people. Some may allege, that Offian might

doft thou wander in defarts, like a light thro' a cloudy field? The young roes are panting, by their fecret rocks. Return, thou daughter of kings! the cloudy night is near! It was the young branch of green Inis-huna, Sul-malla of blue eyes. She fent the bard from her rock, to bid us to her feast. Amidft the fong we fat down, in Cluba's ecchoing hall. White moved the hands of Sul-malla, on the trembling ftrings. Half-heard amidst the found, was the name of Atha's king: he that was abfent in battle for her own green land. Nor abfent from her foul was he; he he came midft her thoughts by night. Ton-thena looked in, from the sky, and saw her toffing arms.

THE found of fhells had ceafed. Amidft long locks, Sul-malla rofe. She fpoke with bended eyes, and asked of our courfe thro' feas; "for of the kings of men are ye, tall riders of the

transfer, in his poetical deferiptions, the manners of his own nation to foreigners. This objection is easily answered. Why has he not done this with regard to the inhabitants of Scandinavia? We find the latter very different in their customs and fuperftitions from the nations of Britain and Ireland. The Scandinavian manners are remarkably barbarous and fierce, and feem to mark out a nation much less advanced in a flate of civilization, than the inhabitants of Britain were in the times of Offian.

wave."