ARGUMENT. Conlath was the youngest of Morni's fons, and brother to the celebrated Gaul. He was in love with Cuthóna the daughter of Rumar, when Tofcar the fon of Kinfena, accompanied by Fercuth his friend, arrived, from Ireland, at Mora, where Conlath dwelt. He was hofpitably received, and, according to the custom of the times, feafted three days with Conlath. On the fourth he fet fail, and coafting the island of waves, one of the Hebrides, he faw Cuthóna hunting, fell in love with her, and carried her away, by force, in his fhip. He was forced, by ftrefs of weather, into I-thona, a defart ifle. In the mean time Conlath, hearing of the rape, failed after him, and found him on the point of failing for the coaft of Ireland. They fought; and they and their followers fell by mutual wounds. Cuthóna did not long furvive for fhe died of grief the third day after. Fingal, hearing of their unfortunate death, fent Stormal the son of Moran to bury them, but forgot to fend a bard to fing the funeral fong over their tombs. The ghoft of Conlath comes, long after, to Offian, to intreat him to tranfmit, to pofterity, his and Cuthóna's fame. For it was the opinion of the times, that the fouls of the deceased were not happy, till their elegies were compofed by a bard. CONLATH and CUTHóna: A POE M. D' ID not Offian hear a voice? or is it the found of days that are no more? Often does the memory of former times come, like the evening fun, on my foul. The noise of the chace is renewed. In thought, I lift the fpear. But Offian did hear a voice! Who art thou, fon of night? The children of the feeble are asleep. The midnight wind is in my hall. Perhaps it is the shield of Fingal that echoes to the blaft. It hangs in Offian's hall. He feels it fometimes with his hands. Yes! I hear thee, my friend! Long has thy voice been abfent from mine ear! What brings thee, on thy cloud, to Offian, fon of generous Morni? Are the friends of the aged near thee? Where is Ofcar, fon of fame? He was often near thee, O Conlath, when the found of battle arofe. GHOST of CONLATH. SLEEPS the fweet voice of Cona, in the midst of his rustling hall? Sleeps Offian in his hall, and his friends without their fame? The fea rolls round dark I-thona *. Our tombs are not feen in our ifle. How long fhall our fame be unheard, fon of refounding Selma? OSSIAN. O THAT mine eyes could behold thee! Thou fitteft, dim, on thy cloud! Art thou like the mift of Lano? Ah half-extinguifhed meteor of fire? Of what are the fkirts of thy robe? Of what is thine airy bow? He is gone on his blaft like the fhade of a wandering cloud. Come from thy wall, O harp! Let me hear thy found. Let the light of memory rife on Ithona. Let me behold again my friends! And Offian does behold his friends, on the dark-blue ifle. The cave of Thona appears, with its moffy rocks and bending trees. A ftream roars at its mouth. Tofcar bends over its course. Fercuth is fad by his fide. Cuthóna † fits at a diftance, and weeps. Does the wind of * I-thonn, island of waves, one of the uninhabited western ifles. + Cuthána the daughter of Rumar, whom Tofcar had carried away by force. the the waves deceive me? Or do I hear them. speak? TOSCAR. THE night was ftormy. From their hills the The fea darkly The roaring waves groaning oaks came down. tumbled beneath the blaft. climbed against our rocks. The lightning came often and fhewed the blafted fern. Fercuth! I faw the ghost who embroiled the night*. Silent he ftood, on that bank. His robe of mist flew on the wind. I could behold his tears. An aged man he seemed, and full of thought! FERCUTH. It was thy father, O Tofcar. He forefees fome death among his race. Such was his appearance on Crómla, before the great Maronnan † fell. Erin of hills of grass! how pleasant are thy vales? Silence is near thy blue ftreams. The fun is on thy fields. Soft is the It was long thought, in the north of Scotland, that storms were raised by the ghosts of the deceased. This notion is ftill entertained by the vulgar; for they think that whirlwinds, and fudden fqualls of wind are occafioned by fpirits, who tranfport themfelves, in that manner, from one place to another. † Ma-ronnan was the brother of Toscar. found |