are found in them no Allufions to the Chriftian Religion or Worfhip; indeed, few Traces of Religion of any Kind. One Circumstance feems to prove them to be coeval with the very Infancy of Chriftianity in Scotland. In a Fragment of the fame Poems, which the Tranflator has feen, a Culdee or Monk is reprefented as defirous to take down in Writing from the Mouth of Ofcian, who is the principal Perfonage in feveral of the following Fragments, his Warlike Atchievements, and thofe of his Family. But Ofcian treats the Monk and his Religion with Difdain, telling him, that the Deeds of fuch great Men were Subjects too high to be recorded by him, or by any of his Religion: A full Proof that Christianity was not as yet eftablished in the Country,

Though the Poems now published appear as detached Pieces in this Collection, there is Ground to believe that most of them were originally Epifodes of a greater Work which related to the Wars of Fingal. Concerning this Hero innumerable Traditions remain, to this Day, in the Highlands of Scotland. The Story of Ofcian, his Son, is so generally known, that to defcribe one in whom the Race of a

great

great Family ends, it has paffed into a Proverb; "Ofcian the laft of the Heroes."

There can be no Doubt that these Poems are to be afcribed to the Bards; a Race of Men well known to have continued throughout many Ages in Ireland and the North of Scotland. Every Chief or great Man had in his Family a Bard or Poet, whose Office it was o record, in Verfe, the illuftrious Actions of that Family. By the Succeffion of thefe Bards, fuch Poems were handed down from Race to Race; fome in Manufcript, but more by oral Tradition. And Tradition, in a Country fo free of Intermixture with Foreigners, and among a People fo ftrongly attached to the Memory of their Ancestors, has preserved many of them, in a great measure, incorrupted to this Day.

They are not set to Mufic, nor fung. The Verfification in the Original is fimple; and, to fuch as understand the Language very fmooth and beautiful. Rhyme is feldom used: Bur the Cadence, and the Length of the Line varied, fo as to fuit the Sense. The Translation is extremely literal. Even the Arrangement of the Words in the Original has been imita

ted;

ted; to which must be imputed fome Inverfions in the Style, that otherwife would not have been chofen.

Of the poetical Merit of thefe Fragments nothing fhall here be faid. Let the Public judge, and pronounce. It is believed, that, by a careful Inquiry, many more Remains of ancient Genius, no less valuable than thofe now given to the World, might be found in the fame Country where these have been collected. In particular there is Reason to hope that one Work of confiderable Length, and which deferves to be ftyled an heroic Poem, might be recovered and tranflated, if Encouragement were given to fuch an Undertaking, The Subject is, an Invafion of Ireland by Swarthan King of Lochlyn; which is the Name of Denmark in the Erfe Language. Cuchulaid the General or Chief of the Irish Tribes, upon Intelligence of the Invafion, asfembles his Forces; Councils are held; and Battles fought. But after feveral unsuccessful Engagements, the Irish are forced to fubmit. At length, Fingal King of Scotland, called, in this Poem, "The Defert of the Hills," arrives with his Ship to affift Cuchulaid. He expels the Danes from the Country; ; and re

turns

turns home victorious. This Poem is held to be of greater Antiquity than any of the reft. that are preserved: And the Author speaks of himself as present in the Expedition of Fingal. The three laft Poems in the Collection are Fragments which the Tranflator obtained of this Epic Poem; and though very Imperfe&, they were judged not unworthy of being inferted. If the Whole were recovered, it might ferve to throw confiderable Light upon the Scottish and Irish Antiquities.

FRAG