Gaul brought the arms to Morni: the aged warrior covered himself with steel. He took the fpear in his hand, which was often ftained with the blood of the valiant. He came towards Fingal, his fon attended his fteps. The fon of Comhal rejoiced over the warrior, when he came in the locks of his age.

King of the roaring Strumon! faid the rifing joy of Fingal ; do I behold thee in arms after thy ftrength has failed? Often has Morni shone in battles, like the beam of the rifing fun; when he disperses the ftorms of the hill, and brings peace to the glittering fields. But why didft thou not reft in thine age? Thy renown is in the fong. The people behold thee, and bless the departure of mighty Morni. Why didft thou not reft in thine age? For the foe will vanish before Fingal.

Son of Comhal, replied the chief, the ftrength of Morni's arm has failed. I attempt to draw the fword of my youth, but it remains in its place. I throw the fpear, but it falls short of the mark; and I feel the weight of my shield. We decay, like the grafs of the mountain, and our ftrength returns no more. I have a fon, O Fingal, his foul has delighted in the actions of Morni's youth; but his fword has not been lifted

against the foe, neither has his fame begun. I come with him to battle; to direct his arın. His renown will be a fun to my foul, in the dark hour of my departure. O that the name of Morni were forgot among the people that the heroes would only say, «Behold the father of Gaul ! »

King of Strumon, Fingal replied, Gaul shall lift the fword in battle. But he shall lift it before Fingal; my arm shall defend his youth. But reft thou in the halls of Selma; and hear of our renown. Bid the harp be ftrung; and the voice of the bard arise, that thofe who fall may rejoice in their fame; and the foul of Morny brighten with gladnefs.--Offian ! thou haft fought in battles: the blood of ftrangers is on thy fpear: let thy courfe be with Gaul in the ftrife; but depart not from the fide of Fingal; left the foe find you alone; and your fame fail at

once.

foul

I faw (1) Gaul in his arms, and my was mixed with his : for the fire of the battle was in his eyes! he looked to the foe with

(1) Offian fpeaks. The contraft between the old and young heroes is ftrongly marked. The cir cumftance of the latter's drawing their fwords is well imagined, and agrees with the impatience of young foldiers, juft entered upon action.

joy. We spoke the words of friendship in fecret; and the lightning of our fwords poured together; for we drew them behind the wood, and tried the ftrength of our arms on the empty air.

Night came down on Morven. Fingal fat at the beam of the oak. Morni fat by his fide with all his gray waving locks. Their difcourfe is of other times, and the actions of their fathers. Three bards at times, touched the harp; and Ullin was near with his fong. He fung of the mighty Comhal; but darkness gathered (1) on Morni's brow. He rolled his red eye on Ullin; and the fong of the bard ceased. Fingal ́observed the aged hero, and mildly spoke.

Chief of Strumon, why that darkness? Let the days of other years be forgot. Our fathers contended in battle; but we meet together, at the feaft. Our fwords are turned on the foes, and they melt before us on the field. Let the days of our fathers be forgot, king of moffy Strumon.

(1) Ullin had chofen ill the fubject of his fong. The darkness which gathered on Morni's brow, did not proceed from any diflike he had to Comhal's name, though they were foes, but from his fear that the fong would awaken Fingal to remembrance of the feuds which had fubfifted of old between the families. Fingal's fpeech on this occafion abounds with generofity and good feufe.

King of Morven, replied the chief, I remember thy father with joy. He was terrible in battle; the rage (1) of the chief was deadly. My eyes were full of tears, when the king of heroes fell. The valiant fall, O Fingal, and the feeble remain on the hills. How many heroes have paffed away, in the days of Morni! And I did not shun the battle; neither did I fly from the ftrife of the valiant.

Now let the friends of Fingal reft; for the night is around; that they may rife, with ftrength, to battle against car-borne Lathmon. I hear the found of his hoft, like thunder heard on a diftant heath. Offian! and fairhaired Gaul! ye are swift in the race. Obferve the foes of Fingal from that woody hill. But approach them not, your fathers are not near to shield you. Let not your fame fall at once. The valour of youth may fail.

We heard the words of the chief with joy, and moved in the clang of our arms. Our fteps are on the woody hill. Heaven burns with all its ftars. The meteors of death fly over the field. The diftant noife of the foe

(1) This expreffion is ambiguous in the original. It either fignifies that Comhal killed many in battle, or that he was implacable in his refentment. The tranflator has endeavoured to preferve the fame am biguity in the verfion; as it was probably designed by the poet.

reached our ears. It was then Gaul fpoke, in his valour; his hand half-unsheathed the fword.

Son of Fingal, he faid, why burns the foul of Gaul? My heart beats high. My fteps are difordered; and my hand trembles on my fword. When I look towards the foe, my foul lightens before me, and I see their fleeping hoft. Tremble thus the fouls of the valiant in battles of the fpear?-How would the foul of Morni rife if we should rush on the foe! Our renown would grow in the fong; and our steps be ftately in the eyes of the brave.

Son of Morni, I replied, my foul delights in battle. I delight to shine in battle alone, and to give my name to the bards. But what if the foe should prevail; shall I behold the eyes of the king? They are terrible in his difpleasure, and like the flames of death.— But I will not behold them in his wrath. Offian shall prevail or fall. But shall the fame of the vanquished rife?-They pass away like a shadow. But the fame of Offian shall rife. His deeds shall be like his fathers. Let us rush in our arms; fon of Morni, let us rush to battle. Gaul! if thou shalt return , go to Selma's lofty wall. Tell to Evirallin (1) that

(1) Offian had married her a little time before.