A POE M. ATALE of the times of old! The deeds of days of other years!- The murmur of thy › on (1) This poem is compleat, and the fubje& of it, as of moft of Offian's compofitions, tragical. In the time of Comhal the fon of Trathal, and father of the celebrated Fingal, Clefsámmor the fon of Thaddu and brother of Morna, Fingal's mother, was driven by a ftorin into the river Clyde the banks of which stood Balclutha, a town belonging to the Britons between the walls. He was hofpitably received by Reuthámir the principal man in the place, who gave him Moina his only daughter in marriage. Reuda, the fon of Carmo, a Briton who was in love with Moina, came to Reuthamir's houfe, and behaved haughtily towards Clefsámmor. A quarrel enfued, in which Reuda was killed; the Britons, who attended him pressed fo hard on Clefsámmor that he was obliged to throw himself into the Clyde, and swim to his ship. He hoifted fail, and the wind being favourable bore him out to fea. He often endeavoured to reand carry off his beloved Moina by night; but the wind continuing contrary, he was forced to defift. rurn, Moina, who had been left with child by her husband brought forth a fon and died foon after.Reuthamir named the child Carthon, i. e. the murmur of waves, from the ftorm which carried off Clefsámmor his father who was fuppofed to ftreams, O Lora, brings back the memory of the past. The found of thy woods, Garmallar, is lovely in mine ear. Doft thou not behold, Malvina, a rock with its head of heath Three aged firs bend from its face; green is the narrow plain at its feet; there the flower of the mountain grows, and shakes its white head in the breeze. The thistle is there alone, and sheds its aged beard. Two ftones, half funk in the ground, shew their heads of mofs. The deer of the mountain avoids the place, for he beholds the gray ghoft that guards it (1): for the mighty lie, O Malvina, : have been caft away. When Carthon was three years old, Comhal the father of Fingal, in one of his expeditions against the Britons took and burnt Balclutha. Reuthámir was killed in the attack and Carthon was carried fafe away by his nurfe, who fled farther into the country of the Britons. Carthon, coming to man's eftate was refolved to revenge the fall of Balclutha on Com. hal's pofterity. He fet fail, from the Clyde, and, falling on the coaft of Morven, defeated two of Fingal's heroes, who came to oppofe his progrefs. He was, at laft, unwittingly killed by his father Clefsámmor, in a fingle combat. This ftory is the foundation of the prefent poem, which opens on the night preceding the death of Car thon, fo that what paffed before is introduced by way of epifode. The poem is addrefled to Malvina the danghter of Tofcar. (1) It was the opinion of the times, that deer faw the ghofts of the dead. To this day, when beafts fuddenly start without any apparent causes in the narrow plain of the rock. A tale of the times of old! the deeds of days of others years! Who comes from the land of ftrangers with his thousands around him? the fun-beam pours its bright ftream before him; and his hair meets the wind of his hills. His face is fettled from war. He is calm as the evening beam that - looks, from the cloud of the west, on Cona's filent vale. Who is it but Comhal's fon (i), the king of mighty deeds! He beholds his bills with joy, and bids a thousand voices rife. Ye have fled over your fields, ye fons of the diftant land! The king of the world fits in his hall, and hears of his people's flight. He lifts his red eye of pride, and takes his father's fword. Ye have fled over your fields, fons of the diftant land! Such were the words of the bards, when they came to Selma's hall. A thoufand lights (1) from the ftranger's land rofe, in the the vulgar think that they fee the fpirits of the deceased. (1) Fingal returns here, from an expedition against the Romans, which was celebrated by Offian in a particular poem which is in the tranfator's poffeffion. (2) Probably wax-lights; which are often mentioned as carried, among other booty, from the Roman province. midft of the people. The fe aft is fpread around; and the night paffed away in joy.Where is the noble Clefsammor (1), said the fair-haired Fingal? Where is the companion of my father, in the days of my joy? "Sullen and dark he paffes his days in the vale of echoing Lora: but, behold, he comes front the hill, like a fteed (2) in his ftrength, who (1) Cleffamh-mor, mighty deeds, (2) Haft thou given the horfe ftrength? Haft thou clothed his neck with thunder? He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength. JOB. Ως δ' ὅτε τις κατὸς ἵππος ἀποςήσας ἐκαὶ φάτνη, · Δεσμὸν ἀποῤῥήξας, &c. ·HOM. 11. 14. The wanton courfer thus with reins unbound, Breaks from his stall, and beats the trembling ground; His head, now freed, he toffes to the skies; His mane dishevel'd o'er his shoulders flies; And springs, exulting. ΤΟΥΣ. Qualis ubi abruptis fugit præfepia vinclis -arrecisque fremit cervicibus altè Luxurians, luduntque jubæ per colla, per armos. VIRGIL. finds his companions in the breeze; and toffes his bright mane in the wind. - - Bleft be the foul of Clefsammor, why fo long from Selma? Returns the chief, faid Clefsammor, in the midft of his fame? Such was the renown of Comhal in the battles of his youth. Often did we pass over Carun to the land of the ftrangers: our fwords returned, not unftained with blood: nor did the kings of the world rejoice. Why do I remember the battles of my youth? My hair is mixed with gray. My hand forgets to bend the bow and I lift a lighter fpear. O that my joy would return, as when I first beheld the maid; the white bofomed daughter of strangers, Moina ( 1 ) with the dark-blue eyes! : Tell, faid the mighty Fingal, the tale of Freed from his keepers, thus with broken reins -O'er his shoulders Hows his waving mane: He neighs, he fnorts, he bears his head on high. DRYDEN. (1) Moina, foft in temper and perfon. We find British names in this poem derived from the Galic, which is a proof that the ancient language of the whole island was one and the fame. |