ARGUMENT.

MALVINA the daughter of Tofcar is overheard by Offian lamenting the death of Ofcar her lover. Offian, to divert her grief, relates his own actions in an expedition which he undertook, at Fingal's command, to aid Crothar the petty king of Croma, a country in Ireland, against Rothmar who invaded his dominions.

The story is delivered down thus in tradition. Crothar king of Croma being blind with age, and his fon too young for the field, Rothmar the chief of Tromlo refolved to avail himself of the opportunity offered of annexing the dominions of Crothar to his own. He accordingly marched into the country fubject to Crothar, but

which he held of Arth or Artho, who was, at the time, fupreme king of Ireland.

Crothar being, on account of his age and blindness, unfit for action, fent for aid to Fingal king of Scotland; who ordered his fon Offian to the relief of Crothar. But before his arrival Fovargormo, the fon of Crothar, attacking Rothmar, was flain himself, and his forces totally defeated. Offian renewed the war; came to battle, killed Rothmar, and routed his army. Croma being thus delivered of its enemies, Ofsian returned to Scotland.

CRO

CROM A:

A

POEM.

«IT

was the voice of my love! seldom art thou, in the dreams of Malvina! Open your airy halls, O fathers of Tofcar of shields! Unfold the gates of your clouds: the fteps of Malvina are near. I have heard a voice in my dream. I feel the fluttering of my foul. Why didft thou come, O blaft! from the dark-rolling face of the lake? Thy ruftling wing was in the tree; the dream of Malvina fled. But fhe beheld her love, when his robe of mift flew on the wind. A fun-beam was on his skirts,

they glittered like the gold of the firanger. It was the voice of my love! feldom comes he to my dreams!"

"But thou dwelleft in the foul of Malvina, fon of mighty Offian! My fighs arife with the beam of the eaft; my tears defcend with the drops of night. I was a lovely tree, in thy prefence, Ofcar, with all my branches round me; but thy death came like a blaft from the defert, and laid my green head low. The spring returned with its fhowers; no leaf of mine arofe! The virgins faw me filent in the hall; they touched the harp of joy. The tear was on the cheek of Malvina: the virgias beheld me in my grief. Why art thou fad? they faid; thou firft of the maids of Lutha! Was he lovely as the beam of the morning, and ftately in thy fight?"

Pleasant is thy long in Offian's ear, daughter of ftreamy Lutha! Thou haft