Report of the Committee of the Highland Society of Scotland, Appointed to Inquire Into the Nature and Authenticity of the Poems of Ossian |
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agus ancient poetry arms athair authenticity bards battle beauty cath Celts Chaidh chief Chuir circumftance collection Committee Conal copy correfpondence Cumhal death declarant Dr Smith Edinburgh edition Erin fame fein fhall Fingal Fingalians fome Fraoch fuaim fubject fuch gach Gaelic language Gaelic poetry Gaul Ghuill give heard heroes Highland Society Hill honour Ireland Irish Isles James Macpherson Kenn Kennedy's king Labhair land language laoch letter Lochlin Macdonald Macpherson maid MALCOLM LAING manuscript mentioned mhic mighty Miss Brooke moft moſt Nuair Offian Oisein original Oscar Ossian's poems paffages perfons poems of Ossian published recited repeated Reverend righ rock Scotland Scots shield sluagh songs spear Staffa sword Temora thainig thee thefe thofe Thog thou Thuit tion translation trom uair waves whofe wind words
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Page 10 - I assisted him in collecting them; and took down from oral tradition, and transcribed from old manuscripts, by far the greatest part of those pieces he has published. Since the publication, I have carefully compared the translation with the copies of the originals in my hands, and find it amazingly literal, even in such a degree as to preserve, in \ some measure, the cadence of the Gaelic versification.
Page 193 - I beheld their chief," says Moran, " tall as a glittering rock. His spear is a blasted pine; his shield the rising moon. He sat on the shore! like a cloud of mist on the silent hill! Many, chief of heroes! I said, many are our hands of war. Well art thou named the Mighty Man, but many mighty men are seen from Tura's windy walls.
Page 205 - As rushes a stream of foam from the dark shady deep of Cromla; when the thunder is travelling above, and dark-brown night sits on half the hill. Through the breaches of the tempest look forth the dim faces of ghosts.
Page 214 - Each hero is a pillar of darkness; the sword a beam of fire in his hand. The field echoes from wing to wing, as a hundred hammers that rise, by turns, on the red son of the furnace.
Page 59 - ... the spirit and force of the original ; and that, besides injuring them by translation, he apprehended they would be very ill /relished by the public as so very different from the strain of modern ideas, and of modern, connected, and polished poetry.
Page 165 - Night came down on the sea; Rotha's bay received the ship. A rock bends along the coast with all its echoing wood. On the top is the circle* of Loda, the mossy stone of power!
Page 209 - Before the left side of the car is seen the snorting horse ! The thin-maned, high-headed, stronghoofed, fleet, bounding son of the hill : his name is Dusronnal, among the stormy sons of the sword ! A thousand thongs bind the car on high. Hard polished bits shine in a wreath of foam. Thin thongs, bright-studded with gems, bend on the stately necks of the steeds. The steeds that like wreaths of mist fly over the streamy vales ! The wildness of deer is in their course, the strength of eagles descending...
Page 11 - ... the Gaelic versification. I need not aver, sir, that these poems are taken in this country to be of the utmost antiquity. This is notorious to almost all those who speak the Gaelic language in Scotland. In the Highlands, the scene of every action is pointed out to this day; and the Historical Poems of Ossian have been, for ages, the winter evening amusement of the clans. Some of the hereditary bards retained by the chiefs committed very early to writing some of the works of Ossian. One manuscript...
Page 49 - ... direct opposition to such conjectures, we can easily prove, that the noblest virtues have been ruined, or driven into exile, since the love of money has crept in amongst us ; and since deceit and hypocrisy have carried mercenary policy and slavish, sordid avarice into our land. Before this modern change, our chiefs cherished humanity. They were warm-hearted, determined, and immoveable, in supporting their friends, and always proved the shield and shelter of the feeble. They possessed elevation...
Page 9 - ... them to send for such of the bards as remain, and make them rehearse their ancient poems. Let the clergymen, then, have the translation in their hands, and...