fents the image more compleat, fhows us more at one glance, than a feeble imagination is able to do, by turning its object round and round into a variety of lights. Tacitus is of all profe writers the most concife. He has even a degree of abruptnefs refembling our author: Yet no writer is more eminent for lively defcription. When Fingal, after having conquered the haughty Swaran, propofes to difmifs him with honour: "Raife to-morrow thy white fails to "the wind, thou brother of Agandecca!" he conveys, by thus addreffing his enemy, a ftronger impreffion of the emotions then paffing within his mind, than if whole paragraphs had been spent in defcribing the conflict between refentment against Swaran and the tender remembrance of his ancient love. No amplification is needed to give us the most full idea of a hardy veteran, after the few following words: "His fhield is marked with the ftrokes of "battle; his red eye defpifes danger." When Ofcar, left alone, was furrounded by foes, "he flood," it is faid, " growing in his "place, like the flood of the narrow vale ;" a happy reprefentation of one, who, by daring intrepidity in the midft of danger, feems to increase in his appearance, and becomes more formidable every moment, like the fudden rifing of the torrent hemmed in by the valley. And a whole crowd of ideas, concerning the circumftances of domeftic forrow occafioned by a young warrior's first going forth to battle, is poured upon the mind by thefe words; " Calmar "leaned on his father's fpear; that fpear which he brought from "Lara's hall, when the foul of his mother was fad §."

||

The concifenefs of Offian's defcriptions is the more proper on account of his fubjects. Defcriptions of gay and fmiling fcenes may, without any difadvantage, be amplified and prolonged. Force is not the predominant quality expected in thefe. The defcription may be weakened by being diffufe, yet notwithstanding, may be beautiful ftill. Whereas, with refpect to grand, folemn and pathetic fubjects, which are Offian's chief field, the cafe is very different. In thefe, energy is above all things required. The imagination must be feized at once, or not at all; and is far more deeply impreffed by one ftrong and ardent image, than by the anxious minutenefs of laboured illuftration.

§ P. 40.

But Offian's genius, though chiefly turned towards the fublime and pathetic, was not confined to it: In fubjects alfo of grace and delicacy, he difcovers the hand of a mafter. Take for an example the following elegant defcription of Agandecca, wherein the tenderness of Tibullus feems united with the majefty of Virgil. "The daughter of the fnow overheard, and left the hall of her "fecret figh. She came in all her beauty; like the moon from "the cloud of the Eaft. Lovelinefs was around her as light. Her << steps were like the mufic of fongs. She faw the youth and loved "him. He was the ftolen figh of her foul. Her blue eyes rolled "on him in fecret: And fhe bleft the chief of Morven +." Several other inftances might be produced of the feelings of love and friendship painted by our author with a moft natural and happy delicacy.

The fimplicity of Offian's manner adds great beauty to his defcriptions, and indeed to his whole Poetry. We meet with no affected ornaments; no forced refinement; no marks either in style or thought of a ftudied endeavour to fhine and sparkle. Offian appears every where to be prompted by his feelings; and to speak from the abundance of his heart. I remember no more than one inftance of what can be called quaint thought in this whole collection of his works. It is in the first book of Fingal, where from the tombs of two lovers two lonely yews are mentioned to have fprung," whofe branches wished to meet on high ‡." This fympathy of the trees with the lovers, may be reckoned to border on an Italian conceit; and it is fomewhat curious to find this fingle inftance of that fort of wit in our Celtic poetry.

The 66

joy of grief," is one of Offian's peculiar expreffions, feveral times repeated. If any one shall think that it needs to be justified by a precedent, he may find it twice used by Homer; in the Iliad, when Achilles is vifited by the ghost of Patroclus; and in the Odyffey, when Ulyffes meets his mother in the fhades. On both these occafions, the heroes, melted with tenderness, lament their not having it in their power to throw their arms round the

+ P. 37.

t P. 18.

H

ghoft,

1

ghoft, "that we might," fay they," in a mutual embrace, enjoy the delight of grief."

κρυεροῖο τεταρπώμεσθα γόοιο *.

But in truth the expreffion ftands in need of no defence from authority; for it is a natural and juft expreffion; and conveys a clear idea of that gratification, which a virtuous heart often feels in the indulgence of a tender melancholy. Offian makes a very proper diftinction between this gratification, and the destructive effect of overpowering grief. "There is a joy in grief, when peace "dwells in the breafts of the fad. But forrow waftes the mournful, "O daughter of Toscar, and their days are few +." To "give "the joy of grief," generally fignifies to raise the strain of foft and grave mufick; and finely characterises the tafte of Offian's age and country. In thofe days, when the fongs of bards were the great delight of heroes, the tragic mufe was held in chief honour; gallant actions, and virtuous fufferings, were the chofen theme; preferably to that light and trifling strain of poetry and mufick, which promotes light and trifling manners, and ferves to emafculate the mind. "Strike the harp in my hall," faid the great Fingal, in the midst of "Strike the harp in my hall, and let Fingal youth and victory. "hear the fong. Pleafant is the joy of grief! It is like the shower "of fpring, when it foftens the branch of the oak; and the young "leaf lifts its green head. Sing on, O bards! To-morrow we lift "the fail t."

1

Personal epithets have been much used by all the poets of the most ancient ages; and when well chofen, not general and unmeaning, they contribute not a little to render the ftyle defcriptive and animated. Besides epithets founded on bodily diftinctions, akin to many of Homer's, we find in Offian feveral which are remarkably beautiful and poetical. Such as, Ofcar of the future fights, Fingal of the mildeft look, Carril of other times, the mildly blushing Evirallin; Bragela, the lonely fun-beam of Dunscaich; a Culdee, the fon of the fecret cell.

Odyff, 11. 211. Iliad 23.08.

+ P. 250.

Carric-thura, p. 193.
But

But of all the ornaments employed in defcriptive poetry, comparifons or fimiles are the most fplendid. Thefe chiefly form what is called the imagery of a poem: And as they abound fo much in the works of Offian, and are commonly among the favourite paffages of all poets, it may be expected that I fhould be fomewhat particular in my remarks upon them.

A poetical fimile always fuppofes two objects brought together, between which there is fome near relation or connection in the fancy. What that relation ought to be, cannot be precisely defined, For various, almost numberless, are the analogies formed among objects, by a sprightly imagination. The relation of actual fimilitude, or likeness of appearance, is far from being the only foundation of poetical comparison. Sometimes a resemblance in the effect produced by two objects, is made the connecting principle: Sometimes a resemblance in one diftinguishing property or circumftance. Very often two objects are brought together in a fimile, though they refemble one another, ftrictly speaking, in nothing, only because they raise in the mind a train of fimilar, and what may be called, concordant ideas; fo that the remembrance of the one, when recalled, ferves to quicken and heighten the impreflion made by the other." Thus, to give an inftance from our poet, the pleasure with which an old man looks back on the exploits of his youth, has certainly no direct resemblance to the beauty of a fine evening; farther than that both agree in producing a certain calm, placid joy. Yet Offian has founded upon this, one of the moft beautiful comparisons that is to be met with in any poet. "Wilt thou not liften, fon of the rock, "to the song of Offian? My foul is full of other times; the joy of my youth returns. Thus, the fun appears in the weft, after the fteps of his brightnefs have moved behind a storm. The green "hills lift their dewy heads. The blue ftreams rejoice in the vale. "The aged hero comes forth on his staff; and his grey hair glitters "in the beam *.' Never was there a finer group of objects. It raises a strong conception of the old man's joy and elation of heart, by displaying a scene, which produces in every fpectator, a corref ponding train of pleafing emotions; the declining fun looking forth

7

in his brightness after a ftorm; the chearful face of all nature; and the ftill life finely animated by the circumftance of the aged hero, with his staff and his grey locks; a circumstance both extremely picturesque in itself, and peculiarly fuited to the main object of the comparifon. Such analogies and affociations of ideas as these, are highly pleafing to the fancy. They give opportunity for introducing many a fine poetical picture. They diverfify the scene; they aggrandize the fubject; they keep the imagination awake and fprightly. For as the judgment is principally exercised in diftinguishing objects, and remarking the differences among those which feem like; fo the highest amufement of the imagination is to trace likeneffes and agreements among those which feem different.

The principal rules which respect poetical comparisons are, that they be introduced on proper occafions, when the mind is difpofed to relish them; and not in the midst of some severe and agitating. paffion, which cannot admit this play of fancy; that they be founded on a resemblance neither too near and obvious, fo as to give little amusement to the imagination in tracing it, nor too faint and remote, fo as to be apprehended with difficulty; that they ferve either to illuftrate the principal object, and to render the conception of it, more clear and diftinct; or at least, to heighten and embellish it, by a fuitable affociation of images *.

Every country has a fcenery peculiar to itself; and the imagery of a good poet will exhibit it. For as he copies after nature, his allufions will of course be taken from those objects which he fees around him, and which have ofteneft ftruck his fancy. For this reafon, in order to judge of the propriety of poetical imagery, we ought to be, in fome measure, acquainted with the natural history of the country where the fcene of the poem is laid. The introduction of foreign images betrays a poet, copying not from nature, but from other writers. Hence fo many Lions, and Tygers, and Eagles and Serpents, which we meet with in the fimiles of modern poets; as if thefe animals had acquired fome right to a place in poetical comparifons for ever, becaufe employed by ancient authors. They employed them with propriety, as objects generally known in their

See Elements of Criticism, ch. 19: vol. 3.

country;