Cuchullin, (general of the Irish tribes, in the minority of Cormac, king of Ireland) fit

ting alone beneath a tree, at the gate of Tura, a castle of Ulfter, (the other chiefs having gone on a hunting party to Cromla, a neighbouring hill) is informed of the landing of Swaran, king of Lochlin, by Moran, the fon of Fithil, one of his fcouts. He convenes the chiefs; a council is held, and dispu tes run high about giving battle to the enemy. Connal, the petty king of Togorma, and an intimate friend of Cuchullin, was for retreating, till Fingal, king of thofe Caledonians who inhabited the north-west coast of Scotland, whofe aid had been previously follicited, fhould arrive but Calmar, the fon of Matha, lord of Lara, a country in Connaught, was for engaging the enemy immediately. Cuchullin, of himself willing to fight, went into the opinion of Calmar. Marching towards the enemy, he missed three of his braveft heroes, Fergus, Duchomar, 1 and Caithbar. Fergus arriving, tells Cuchullin of the death of the two other chiefs; which introduces the affecting episode of Morna, the daughter of Cormac. The army of Cuchullin is defcried at a distance by

Swarun

Swaran, who fent the fon of Arno to obfer. ve the motions of the enemy, while he him. felf ranged his forces in order of battle. The fon, of Arno returning to Swaran, defcribes to him Cuchullin's chariot, and the terrible appearance of that hero. The armies engage, but night coming on, leaves the victory undecided. Cuchullin, according to the hofpitality of the times, fends to Swaran a formal invitation, to a feast, by his bard Carril, the fon of Kinfena. Swaran refuses to come. Carril relates to Cuchullin the story of Grudar and Braffolis. A party, by Connal's advice, is fent to observe the enemy; which clofes the action of the first day.

FINGAL,

AN ANCIENT

EPIC POEM

IN SIX BOOKS.

BOOK I.

C

UCHULLIN (1) fat by Tura's wall; by the tree of the rustling leaf. —

His fpear leaned against the moffy rock. His fhield lay by him on the grass. As he thought

of

(1) Cuchullin, or rather Cuth- Ullin, the voice of

Ullin, a poetical name given the fon of Semo by
the bards, from his commanding the forces of
the Province of Ulfter against the Ferbolg or Bel-
gæ,
who were in poffeffion of Connaught.
Cuchullin' when very young married Bragela the
daughter of Sorglan, and paffing over into Ire-
land, lived for fome time with Connal, grand-
fon by a daughter to Congal the petty king of
Ulfter. His wifdom and valour in à fhort time
gained him fuch reputation, that in the aninori-

of mighty Carbar (2), a hero whom he flew in war; the fcout (3) of the ocean came, Moran (4) the fon of Fithil.

Rife

ty of Cormac the fupreme king of Ireland, he
was chofen guardian to the young king, and fo-
le manager of the war againft Swaran king of
Lochlin. After a feries of great actions he was
killed in battle fontewhere in Connanght, in the
twenty-seventh year of his age. He was fo re-
markable for his ftrength, that to describe a
ftrong man it has paffed into a proverb.
"He
has the ftrength of Cuchullin." They fhew the
remains of his palace at Dunfcaich in the Ifle of
Skye; and a ftone, to which he bound his dog
Luath, goes still by his name.

(2) Cairbar or Cairbre fignifies a ftrong man.

(3) We may conclude from Cuchullin's applying fo early for foreign aid, that the Irish were not then fo numerous as they have fince been; which is a great prefumption against the high antiquities of that people. We have the teftimony of Tacithat one legion only was thought fufficient, in the time of Agricola, to reduce the whole ifland under the Roman yoke; which would not probably have been the cafe, had the Island been inhabited for any number of centuries before.

tus,

(4 Moran fignifies many; and Fithil, or rather Fili, an inferior bard.

Rife, faid the youth, Cuchullin, rife; Í see the fhips of Swaran. Cuchullin, many are the foe: many the heroes of the dark-rolling sea.

Moran! replied the blue-eyed chief, thou ever trembleft, fon of Fithil. Thy fears have much increased the foe. Perhaps it is the coming to aid me

king (5) of the lonely hills, on green Ullin's plains.

I faw their chief, fays Moran, tall as a rock of ice. His fpear is like that blafted fir. His fhield like the rifing moon. He fat on a rock on the fhore: his dark hoft rolled, like clouds, around him. Many, chief of men! I faid, many are our hands of war.

Well (5) Fingaf the fon of Comhal, and Moria the daughter of Thaddu. His grandfather was Trathal, and great grandfather Trenmor, both of whom are often mentioned in the poem. Trenmor, according to tradition, had two fons, ; Trathal, who fucceeded him in the Kingdom of Morven, and Conar, called by the bards Conar the great, who was elected king of all Ireland, and was the ancestor of that Cormac who fat on the Irish throne when the invafion of Swaran happened. It may not be improper here to observe, that the accent ought always to be placed on the lait fyllable of Fingal,