0-
Ktn^iW
| - S 1^ > S ?O.V^.IS.
A • THE M j J
POEMS ^^^
OF
O S S I A N,
THE
SON OF FINGAL.
TRANSLATED BY
JAMES MACPHERSON, Es^
TO WHICH ARE PREFIXED,
DISSERTATIONS ON THE -oERA AND POEMS OF OSSIAN.
£a.mcrou ant! 80urHoc|)'$i "Etutioii.
Brintr, daughter ofTofcar, bring the hr>.rp; the lifrht of the fong rife: ii. Olu.m'5 l"..u\ It 11 like the field, « he;; ria:!;n-fs cr -s the hnls arcund, and tne (hadow grows ilowlj on the j lam i>f the fun.
THE WAR OF CAKOS.
WiH thou not linen, fon of the rock, to the fong of OiT.an? ?.If
foul is full of other times; the ;o\ ot ;ny youth returns. Thus the
■>in the '.re'.V. after the ltf t s or hi-> brit;l;ii:ei- hire .-■■•v.
1 1 norm; the; ecu hilb lift their dew \ heaiiSj the blue
fUeama lejoice in the vale.
CALTHOX AND COi.MAL.
VOL. II.
ED WITH SUFF.KB ENGft
(Maftroto :
Printed for CAMERON & MVRDOCH, No. 102, 'i rongate.
CSSIAN's POEMS,
TRANSLATED BY
JAMES MACPHERSON, Esc^
VOL. II.
CONTAINING CARTHOM, I! EERRATHON,
DAR-TKUI.A, j[ TEMORA,
CARRIC-TKURA, H CATH-LODA,
&c. &c. &c.
And rha'.t thou remain, ajed Bard ! when thr mighty have fail- ed; But r . Iht'wiiid! 1S '0dU e m, an rqoices in
EERRATHON.
Printed Or CAMERON & MURDOCH,
N». IOZ, Trouble.
C A R T H O N:
A POEM.
THE ARGUMENT.
i poem Is complete, and thefubjc<5t of it,asofmoft ofOflian'scomwfition';, tra-
1,C It-!"- inivmr the fun .if Thaddu and broth :r ,,i" Mi.rna. .' ui^.-.l's mother, waj
|
driven by a ft, |
rm into the ri\ |
on the banks of |
|
|
a town belpnging to the Britons betwe |
en the walls. He |
||
|
by ReuUiauiir |
, the principal man in |
||
|
Moma, came |
|||
|
Aquarrelenf. |
|||
|
prettied fohar |
|||
|
Clyde, and fw |
|||
|
o Tea. He oft |
oured to return, |
||
|
ed Moir.a by r |
ight ; but the |
tinuing contrary, |
|
|
doina, who had been left v.'i |
n child b |
• her hulband, b |
,rced to defiit.
, brought forth a fon, and died loon after. Rcv.lmnir named the child Carthon ' i. e. the murmur of wive>,' from the ft.irm .ihithcarncd off eici'sammor his father, wtio wasfuppo- fed to have bee:, cart away. When Ca. thon was ■ hree years ..id, Comhal the fa- ther of Fingal, in .me of his expeditions agt.init the Britonsj took and burnt Balclutba. Reuthamir was killed in the attack : and Cannon was carried fate 2Tiv liv his nurfc, \v!io flei farther into the country of the .ritous Carthcn, coming to man's eftate was refolved to revenge the fall of Balcluthr. on Com. hal> p.illerity. He fel fail, from the Clyde, and, falling on the coait nf Morven, defeated two of r.ngal's heroes, who came to oppofe his progref^. He was, at lalt, unwittingly killed o) nis ra=her Clefsamm.ir, in a lingle combat. T.vis itol rv is lh~ foundation of the prefent poem, which opens on the night preceding the death of Carthon, fo that what pail'..-! before is introduced by wayufepi fode. The poem is addrerTeu to Malvina the daughter of Tofcar.
A tale of the times of old ! The deeds of days of other years ! The murmur of thy fireams, O Lora, brings back the memory of the paft. The found of thy woods, Garmallar, is lovely in mine ear. Doft thou not be- hold, Malvina, a rock with its head of heath ? Three aged firs bend from its face ; green is the narrow plain at its feet ; there the flower of the mountain grows, and fhakes its white head in the breeze. The thiflle is there alone, and fheds its aged beard. Two ftones, half funk in the ground, fhew their heads of mofs. The deer of the mountain avoids the place, for he be- holds the gray ghoft that guards it f, for the mighty lie, O Malvina, in the narrow plain of the rock.
• opinion of the times, that deer ] thii day , when bealts fuddeiilv fta: t seithouL any tflat tbe>j fee the foiiite of the dccoalcd.
6 carthon:
A tale of the times of eld ! the deeds of days of other years !
Who comes from the land of ftrangers, with his thoufands around him ? the fun-beam pours its bright ftream before him ; and his hair meets the wind of his hills. His face is fettled from war. He is calm as the evening beam, that looks from the cloud of the weft, on Cona's filent vale. Who is it but Comhai's fon If, the king of mighty deeds! He beholds his hills with joy, and bids a thoufand voices rife. Ye have fied over your fields, ye fons of the diftant land ! The king of the world fits in his hall, and hears of his peo- ple's flight. He lifts his red eye of pride, and takes his father's fword. " Ye have fled over your fields, fons of the difiant land !"
Such were the words of the bards, when they came to Selma's halls. A thoufand lights || from the Gran- ger's land rofe, in the midA of the people. The feaft is fpread around ; and the night pafied away in joy. tt Where is the noble Clefsammorf?"faid the fair- haired Fingal. "Where is the companion of my father, in the days of my joy ? Sullen and dark he pafies his days in the vale or echoing Lora : but, behold, he comes from the hill, like a fteed in his flrength, who finds his com- panions in the breeze ; and tones his bright mane in the wind. Bieft be the foul of Clefsammor, why fo long from Selhia ?"
• " Returns the chief," faid Clefsammor, "in the midft of his fame ? Such was the renown of Gomhal in the battles of his youth. Often did we pafs over Carun to the land of the ftrangers; our fworcls returned, not un- fiained with blood; nor did the kirigS of the world re- joice. Why do I remember the battles of my youth ? My hair is mixed with gray. My hand forgets to bend the Low ; and I lift a lighter fpear. O that my joy
IF Filial returns here, from an expedition againft the Romans, which was cc-
Dffiarj in a particular poem. f| Probebly wax-ligfets: wtiicn arc often mentioned as carried, amoiig ottw booty, from the Roma I •
t Clelf<Hnb-uior, • might J dcciis.'
A POEM. 7
return, ai when I firfl beheld the maid; the bofomed daughter of (hangers, Moina f f with the dark bine eyes ! '
" TeU/' faid the mighty Fingal, " the tale of thy youthful days. Sorrow, like a cloud on the Ibn, fhades or. Mournful are thy thoughts, alone, on the banks of the roaring Lora. Let us hear *>wofthy youth, and the darknefs of thy days. '« :r was in the days of peace," replied the great Clefsammor, ** I came, in my bounding fliip, to Bal- clutha's ]| wails of towers. The wind had roared be- hind my (alls, and Ciutha's^ ftreams received my d?."k- bofomed veflel. Three days I remained in Reutha- mir's halls, and faw that beam of light, his daughter. The joy or the fhell went round, and the aged hero gave the fair. Her breafts were like foam on the wave, and her eyes like ftars of light : her hair was dark as the raven's wing : her foul was generbu* and mild. My love for Moina was great : and my oured forth in joy. 1 The fon of a ilraneer came ; a chief who loved . white-bofomed Moina. His words were mighty in the hall, and he often half unfheathed his fwora. Where, he faid, is the mighty Comhal, the r
■ f the heath r Comes he, with his licit,
toBalciutha, fince Cle&ammor is fo told? My foul, I
Replied, O warrior! bums in alight of its own. I
Rand without fear in the midfl of thcufands, though
. diftant far. Stranger! thy words are
for Clefsammor is alone. But my lvvord
by my lice;, and longs to glitter in my hand.
tenter and perton.' Wc t
:h isa proof t I
f Scrie. 1
• .-. . . .-.. ■ . . i I l. .at n,ir. I'r;;! '
'
:C-..(.^0Ei3aSj0naccru-.
% carThon:
Speak no more of Comhal, fon of the winding Clutha!''
" The firength of his pride arofe. We fought ; he fell beneath my fword. The banks of Clutha heard his fall, and a thoufand fpears glittered around. I fought: the ftrangers prevailed: I plunged into the ftream of Clutha. My white fails rofe over the waves, and I bounded on the dark -blue fea. Moina came to the fhore, and rolled the red eye of her tears : her dark hair flew on the wind ; and I heard her cries. Often did 1 turn my fhip ; but the winds of the eaft prevailed. Nor Clutha ever fince have I feen : nor Moina of the dark-brown hair. She fell on Balclutha ; for I have ft en her gholt. I knew her as fh.e came through the dufky night, along the murmur Ox Lora : fhe was like the new moon feen through the gathered mift: when the Iky pours down its flaky fnow,and the world is filent and dark."
" Raife f, ye bards," faid the mighty Fingal, " the praife of unhappy Moina. Call her ghofl, with your longs, to our hills ; that fhe may reft with the fair of Morven, the fun-beams of other days, and the delight of heroes of old. I have feen the walls of Balclutha, but they were defolate. The fire had refounded in the halls: and the voice of the people is heard no more. The ftream of Clutha was removed from its place, by the fall of the walls. The thiftle fhook, there, its lonely head : the mofs whiftled to the wind. The fox looked out from the windows, the rank grafs of the wall waved round his head. Defolate is the dwelling of Moina, 11- lence is in the houfe of her fathers. Raife the fong of mourning, O bards, over the land of ftrangers. They have but fallen before us : for, one day, we muft fall. Why doft thou build the hall, fon of the winged days ? thou lookeffc from thy towers to-day ; yet a few years, and the blaft of the defert comes ; it howls in thy empty
■u'l'iaiicnj goes Ivj ur a
A POEM. 9
collet, and whittles round thy half-worn fhield. -Ancl let the blaft of the defert come ! we fhall be renowned ;u our day. The mark of my arm mail be in the battle, and my name in the fong of bards. Raifethe long; fend round the fliell: and let joy be heard in my hall. When thou, fun of heaven, fhalt fail ! if thou {halt fail, thou inignty light ! if thy brightnefs is forafeafon, like Fin- gal ; our fame mall furvive thy beams."
Such was the fong- of Fingal, in the day of his joy. His thou/knd bards leaned forward from their feats, to hear the voice of the king. It was like the m . the harp on the gale of the fpring. Lovely were thy thoughts, O Fingal ! why had not OlTian the ftrengtrt of thy foul ? But thou flandelt alone, my father ; and who can equal the king of Morven ?
The night palled away in long, and morning return- ed in joy ; the mountains fhewed their gray heads ; and the blue face of ocean fmiled. The white wave is feen tumbling round the diflant rock ; the gray : . .1 rifesi flowly, from the lake. It came, in the figure o£ an aged man, along the filent plain. Its large limbsi did not move in fleps ; for a ghofl fupported it in mid air. It came towards Selma's hail, and difTolvtd in a mower of blood.
The king alone beheld the terrible fight, and.he.forp- faw the death of the people. He came, in filence, to his hall ; and took his father's fpear. The mail rattled on his breaft. The heroes rofe around. They I in filence on each other, marking the eyes of Fingal. They faw the battle in his face : the death of ar- mies on his fpear. A thoufand (hields, at once, are, placed on their arms ; and they crew a thoufand i v The hall of Selma brightened around. The clang of arms afcends. The gray dogs howl in their place; rd is among the mighty chiefs. Each mark- ed the eves of the king ; and half-afiumed his fpear.
" Sons of Morven," begun the king, "this is no
time to fill the fliell. The battle darkens near us; and
vert over the land. Some ghoft, the friend oi;"
Vol. II. B
IO CARTFTOSf:
Tir.gal, has forewarned ue of the foe. The fofius of the granger come from the darkly rolling fea. For, from the water, came the fign of Morven's gloomy danger. Let each afiume his heavy (pear, and gird on his fa- ther's fword. Let the dark helmet rite on every head ; and the mail pour its lightning from every fide. The battle gathers like a temped, and foon mall ye hear the roar of death."
The hero moved on before his hoft, like a cloud be- fore a ridge of heaven's fire ; wh< n it pours on the iky of night, and mariners forefee a ilcrm. ( hi Gona p riling heath they flood : the white befomed maids be- held them above like a grove ; they forefaw the Heath of their youths, and looked towards the fea with fear. The white wave deceived them for diflaht fails, and the tear is en their cheek. The fun rofe on the fea, and we beheld a dlfiant fleet. Like the mift of ocean they came : and poured their youth upon the coaft. The chief was among them, like the Rag in the midll of the herd. His fhield is ftudded with gold, and {lately ftrode the king of 'pears. He moved towards Selmaj hiothou- fands moved behind.
" Go, with thy fong of peace," faid Fingal ; " go, ITllin, to the king of fwords. Tell him that we are mighty in battle ; and that the ghefis of our foes are many. But renowned are they who have feafted in my lialls ! they fhew the arms + of my fathers in a foreign; land: the ions of the ftrangers wonder, and blefs the friends of Mqrven's race; for our names have been heard afar ; the kings of the world fhcok in the miuft of their people."
Ullin went with his fong. Fingal relied on his fpear : Tie faw the mighty foe in his armours and he bl< ft the granger's fori. " How ftately art thou, fen of the fea !" faid the king of woody Morven. " Th'y fword is a beam of might by thy fide : thy fpear is a fir that ck lies
4 It >V5S! r-iftnm arronir the mcj-r.t S-nts to fxchnt'r? ?v.i-; -v!!h ihrir cneflt, mui thou .i.ti.sv i..-:,i ic.vcil lor..- i. tixdi Jrentfamilie*, ssaipnuiiici.il sjittia
tnu:<U(ujj wuidi ii,.i..;iu bctucca ticir *H(-Litcrs.
A POEM. IT
the florm. The varied fare of the moon is not broad- er than thy ihlehl. Ruddy is thy face of youth ! fo't the ringlets of thy hair! But this Wee may fall; and his memory be forgot i The daughter of the ftran* ger w ill be fad, and look to the rollibg fea : the children Will fay, Wt fee ajbip ; peth ,/>s it ^ tbe tihg «/ 3 The tear ftai ts from their mother's eye. Her thoughts are of him thai Keeps in Man
Such were the words ox the king, when Ullln came to the mighty Carthon : he threw down the Ipear be- fore him ; and raffed the long of peace, " Come to the fieaft of Fingal, Carthon, from the rolling fea ! pari- take the feaft of the king, or lift the fpear of war. The ghofts of our fees are many : but renowned are the friends of Morven i Behold that field, O Carthon ; a green hill rlfes there with mofiy ftones and mil- ling grate : thefe arc the tombs of FingaTs fees, the fons of the rolling fea."
*' Doll thou fpeak to the feeble in arms," laid Car- then, " bard of the woody Morven ? Is my face pale for fear, fon of the peaceful fdngj Why, then, doft thou think to darken my foul with the tales of thoie who fell ? My arm has fought in the battle; my re- nown is known afar. Go to the feeble in arms, and bid them yield to Fingal. Have not I feen the fallen :ha ? And fhall 1 feaft with Comhal's fen ? Com- hai i who threw his fire in the midfi of my father's hall'I 1 was young, and knew not the caufe why the virgins wept. The columns of fmoke pleafed mine eye, when. they rofe above my walls ; I often looked back, with, gkdnefs, when my friends fled along the hill. But when the years of my youth came on, I beheld the mcis of my fallen walls : my figh aroie with the morn- ing, and my tears defcended with night. Shall I not . I faid to my foul, againft the children of my foes ? .And I will fight, O bard ; 1 feel the flrength of my foul."
His people gathered around the hero, and drew, at ence,. their Alining fvvords. He Hands, in the midll, B a
ia carthon:
like a pillar of fire ; the tear half-ftarting from his eye, for he thought of the fallen Balclutha, and the crowded pride of his foul arofe. Sidelong he looked up to the hill, where our heroes fhone in arms ; the fpear trem- bled in his hand : and, bending forward, he feemed to threaten the king.
" Shall I," faid Fingal to his foul, " meet, at once, the king: Shall I flop him, in the midft of his courfe, before his fame fhal! arife ? But the bard, hereafter, may- fay, when he fees the tomb of Carthon ; Fingal took liis thoufands, along with him, to battle, before the no- ble Carthon fell. No : bard of the times to come ! thou fhalt not lefTen Fingal's fame. My heroes will fight the youth, and Fingal behold the battle. If he overcomes, I rulh, in my frrength, like the roaring f.i earn of Ccna. Who, of my heroes, will meet the fon cf the rolling fea ? Many are his warriors on the ccaft : and ftrong is his alhen fpear !"
Cathulf rofe, in his ftrength, the fon of the mighty Lermar : three hundred youths attend the chief, the race i| of his native ftreams. Feeble was his arm againft Carthon, he fell; and his heroes fled. Connal 1i re- ditu td the battle, but he broke his heavy fpear: he lay bound on the field : and Carthon purfued his people. " Clefsammor I" faid the king -ft of Morven, " where is the fpear of thy ftreiigth ? Wilt thou behold Connal bound ; thy friend, at the ftream of Lora ? Rile, in the light of thy fteel, thou friend of Ccmhal. Let the youth of Balclutha feel the ftrength of Morven's race." Fie roie in the ftrength of his fteel fhak:-ng his grifly locks, lit fitted the fhicid to his fide ; and rufhed, in the pride of valour.
Carthon flood, on that heathy rock, and faw the he-
•fCath-'huil. ' the eye of battle.'
II it appears, lu.:n uiu pa., apt, that danfhip was cfiablifhed in the days of Fii.iv.il, Vhi.ugii not on the i;u,.c fnotim; with '.he picicnt tribes in the north of Scotland.
V i his, Conr.i'.l i-. vcr^ ni.ich < :ieb--attil, in sr.der.t poetry, for hi-, wifdem and va: .[•■ : th i.- i- .1 li..ali twU- ll.U i,.M.k.:.r. in the North, h ho pretead they aie ,.-.,< , , : i.vin liim.
f i Fingitl did not then know that Carthou was the fob ol Cltisamnior.
A POEM. Ij
m*<- approach. He loved the ferrible joy of his face :
I the locks of ayr. " Shall I 1 i it
. " that never itrikes, but once, a
Foe ? Or mall I, with the words of peace, pfeferve the
warrior's life? Stately are his fteps of age! lovely
if hh years. Perhaps it is the love oi: Moi-
ra ; the father of car-borne Carthon. Often Lav- I
that he dwelt at the echoing itream of Lova."
Sue''- rds, when Ciefsammor came, and
lifted high his fpear. The youth received it on his
Blield fpoke the words of peace. " Warrior of
1 locks! Is there no youth to lift the lpcar ?
Haft thou ii«) ; the fhieid before his father,
cud i:o meet the arm of youth? Is the fpbufe of thy love
no more, I or weeps me ovci the tombs of thy fqps ?
Ar,. thou of the kings of meij ? What will be the fame
of my fword if thou malt fall :"
" It ,thoufon of pride!" begun the tall
'- ' imor, "I have been rendwned in battle; but I ne- ver t' '(: to a foe. Yield to me, Ion of the Wave,andthenthOuihal ; tthemarkdfmyfworcl is in many a field/' " I never yielded, king of fpears V' replied the noble pride of Carthon : ;i 1 have alio fought in battles ! and I behold my future fame. Defpife me not, thou chief of men ; my arm, my fpear is ftroeig* Retire among thy friends, and let young heroes fight. ** «' Why dofi thou v. tfund my foiil?" replied Clefsamiru r wi:h a tear; " Age Stfes n -t tremble on my hand; I lllii can lift the fword: Shall I fly in Pingal's light ; in tra I loved ? Son of the icaT 1 never fled : . jar." 'J he] fought, like two contending winds, thitftrive t" roll the wavei Ca i trtoerr; for >.as the fpoufe of Moina. B 3
t To tell ore'; Rami; tn ai cr.tr.iv vat reckoned in tbote dv/s of hproifm, a
munif^lt f. . ■ • . \ i;v : , > .': i, , -drtli'/ luh.
. ■-. edii jit . . A ..^i v;ii>j celi» for u j'.vai'u.
X4 CARTHON:
He broke Clefsammor's beamy ipear in twain , and feiz- ed his fhining fvvord. But as Carthon was binding the chief ; the chief drew the dagger or his fathers. He faw the-foe's uncovered fide ; and opened, there, a wound.
Fingal faw Clefsammor low : he moved in the found of his fteel. The hoft flood filent, in his prefence ; they turned their eyes towards the hero. He came, like the fullen noife of a ftorm, before the winds arife : the hun- ter hears it in the vale, and retires to the cave of the rock. Carthon flood in his place : the blood is rufhing down his fide : he faw the coming down of the king ; and his hopes of fame arofe f ; but pale was his cheek : his hair flew loofe, his helmet ihcok on high : the force of Carthon failed ! but his foul was ftrong.
Fingal beheld the hero's blood; he flopt the uplift- ed fpear. " Yield, king of Avoids I" faid Cpmhal's fon ; " I behold thy blood. Thou hail been mighty in battle; and thy fame fhall never fade." " Art thou "the king fo far renowned ?" replied the car-borne Car- thon. " Art thou that light of death, that Frightens the kings of the world ? But why mould Carthon afk ? for he is like the ftream of Ins defert ; ftrong as a river, in his courfe : fwift as the eagle of the Iky. O that I had fought with the king; that my fame might be great in the fong ! that the hunter, beholding my tomb, might fay, he fought with the mighty Fingal. But Carthon dies unknown ! he ha:, poured out his force on the feeble."
<; But thou (halt not die unknown," replied the king of woody Morven: " my bards are many, O Carthon, and their fongs defcend to future times. The children of the years to come fhall hear' the fame of Carthon ; when they fit round the burning oak ||, and the night
tThtee
tfcey burnt a large^mnk of an oak
. !t-.<L. Tmvj !'..'.,: ;i n_ : h conic- kind uHdcriictt to d;iuie it.
A POEM. gg
is fpent in the fongs of old. The hunter, fitting in the heath, (hall hear the milling blaft; and, railing his eye*, behold the rock where Carthon tell. He fhail turn to his Ion, and fhew the place where the mighty fought ;
'lb. re the kin\r uf Buldutha fought, like the frength of a thou- fanc/ flreamsm"
Joy role in Carthon's face: he lifted his heavy eves. He gave his fword to Fingal, to lie within his hall, that the memory of Balclutha's king might remain on Mor- ven. The battle ceafed along the field, for the bard had fung the fong of peace. The chiefs gathered round the falling Carthon, and heard his words, with fighs. Silent they leaned on their fpea~s, while Bal- clutha's hero fpoke. His hair fighed in the wind, and his words were feeble.
" King of Morven," Carthon laid, " I fall in the midft of my courfe. A foreign tomb receives, in youth, the lafl of Reuthimir's race. Darkneis dwells in lial- plutha: and the fhadovvs of grief in Crathmo. But raile my remembrance on the banks o: Lora : where my fathers dwelt. Perhaps the hufoand of Moina will mourn over his fallen Carthon." His words reached the heart of Clcfsimmor: he fell, in fiience, on his fon. The hoft flood darkened around : no voice is on the plains of Lora. Night came, and the moon, from the eaft, looked on the mournful field : but ftill they flood, like aliient grove that lifts its head on Gormal, when the loud winds are laid, and dark autumn is on the plain.
Three days they mourned over Carthon: on the fourth his father died. In the narrow plain of the rock they lie : and a dim ghofl defends their tomb. There lovely Moina is often feen; when the fun beam darts on the rock, and all around is dark, There flie is feen, Malvina, but not like the daughters of the hill. Her robes are from the llrangers land ; and (he k ftill a- lone.
Fingal was fad for Carthon ; he defired his bards to mark the day, when fhadowy autumn returned. And
l6 CARTHON:
often did they mark the day, and firig the hn-n's praife. " Who comes fo dark from ocean's roar, like autumn's fliadowy cloud? Death is trembling in his hand ' his eyes are flames of fire ! Who roars along dark Lora's heath? Who but Carthon king of Iwortfe? The people fall! He! how he ftrides, like the fallen ghoit of Morven! But there he lies a goodly oal<, which fud- den bjafts overturned! When fhait thou rife, Balchi- tha's joy! lovely car-borne Carthon? Who comes fo dark from ocean s roar, like autumn's madbwy ejond ?" Such were the words of the bards, in the day oi ■ }■-■ ir mourning: I have accompanied their voice; and add- ed to their fong. My foul has been mournful for Car- thon , he fell in the days of his valour: and thou, O Clefs- ammor! where is thy dwelling in the air? Has the youth forgot his wound? And flies he, on the clouds, with thee? I feel the fun, O Malvina, leave me to my reft. Perhaps they may come to my dreams; I think I hear a feeble voice. The beam of heaven delights to fhine on the grave of Carthon: I feel it warm a -oiindi, O thou that roileft above, round as the fhield of my fathers! Whence are thy beams, O fun! thy everlaft- ing light ? Thou comeft forth, in thy awful beauty, and the ftars hide themfelves in the Iky; the moenj cold and pale, finks in the weftern wave. But thou th'yfelf movefl alone : who can be a companion of thy couffe ? The oaks of the mountains fall: the mountains them- felves decay with years; the ocean fhrinks and grows again: the moon herfelf is loft in heaven; but thou art for ever the fame; rejoicing in the brightnefs of thy eourfe. When the world is dark with tempefls ; when thunder rolls, and I'glitning dies; thou looked in thy beauty, from the clouds^ pud laugheft at the ftorm. But to Off an, thou lookell in vain ; for he beholds thy learns no more; whether thy yellow hair flows on the eafurn clouds, or thou tremblelt at the ga^es of the well. Bui thou art perhaps, like me, for a feafon, and thy years will have an end. Thou fhalt fleep in thy clouds, carelefs of the voice of the morning.
A POEM. I/
then, O fun, in the ftrength of thy youth ! Age is dark and unlovely; it is like the glimmering light of the moon, when it fhines through broken clouds, and the mift is on the hills; the blaft of the north is on the plain, the traveller lhrinks in the midlt pf his journey.
THS
DEATH OF CUCHULLIN:
A POEM.
THE ARGUMENT.
V. hich - few old people in the north of Scotland retain on memory.
Ts the wind on Fingal's fhield? Or is the voice of paft * times in my hall? Sing on, fweet voice, for thou art pleafant, and carrieft away ray night with joy. Sing on, O Bragcia, daughter ot car-borne Sorglan!
«« It is the white wave of the rock, and not Cuchul- lin's fails. Often do the rnifts deceive me for the ftlip of my icve! when they rife round fome ghoft, and fpread their gray fkirts 'on the wind. Why doit thou delay thy coming, fan of the generous Setno ? Four times has autumn relumed with its winds, and raifed the ieas of Togonna f, iince thou haft been in the rear
+ Togorma, i. c the ifland of blue waves, one of the Hebrides, was fuojea to
Coiinai,U:e !'.--nu'C^Ht!>::l, C'-TdiulIii.-s ;"i-ie-.'d. ;;■•• i ■ ■
•f Culg»r, from uiieoi Aiui imm:i who v. us cue fuuuder of tie lumiiy. Coaiiitl, »
A POFM. .If)
of battles) and Bragela diftant hr. IT;".« of the ifle of tnift! when wiU ye anfwer to hi9 hounds? But ye. arc dark in your clouds, and fad Bragcla calls in vain. Night conies rolling down: the face of ocean fails. The heath-cock's head is beneath his wing: the hind fh < j,s with the hart of the defert. They ihall rife with the morning's light, and feed on the mofly ftream. But my tears return with the fun, my fighs come on with the night. When wilt thou eome in thine arms,
0 chief of mofly Tura?''
Pleafant is thy voice in Offian'sear, daughter of car- borne Sorglan! but retire to the hall of Ihellsj to the beam of the burning oak. Attend to the murmur of the fea; it rolls at Dimfcaich's walls : let fleep defcend on thy blue eyes, and the hero conic to thy dreams.
Cuchullin fits at Lego's lake, at the dark roiling of waters. Night is around the hero; and his thoufands fpread on the heath: a hundred oaks burn in the mfdft; the feail of fhells is fmoking wide. Carril flakes the harp beneath a tree; his gray locks glitter in the beam; the rufli" g blaft of night is near, and lifts his aged hair.
1 lis fong is of the blue Togorraa, and of its chief, Cu- chullin s friend. " Why art thou abfent, Connal, in the day of the gloomy ftorrn ? The chiefs of the fouth have convened againft the car borne Cprmac : the winds detain thy fails, and thy bine waters roll around thee. ButCormacis not alone: the fon of :Semo fights his battles. Semo's fen his battles fights : the tenor of the ftranger! he that is like the vapour of death, flov/Iy borne by fuitry winds. The fun reddens in its prefence, the people fall around."
Such was the long of Carril, when a fon of the foe appeared ; he threw down his pointlels fpear, and fpoke the m 0.1 <hs of Torlath ; Tcrlath the chief of heroes, from Lego's fable furge : he that led his thoufands to aganill car-borne Cormac; Cormac, who was diflant
f'.re the r.ew of Torlath's revnlt came to T^i-.io™, b?A fa:'-c! n To.
20 THE DEATH OF CUCHULLINt
far, in Temora's f echoing halls : he learned to hend the bow of his fathers ; and to lift the fpear. Nor long didft thou lift the fpear, mildly-fliining beam of youth! death ftands dim behind thee, like the darkened half of the moon behind its growing light. Cuchullin rofe be- fore the bard ||, that came from generous Torlath ; he offered him the fhell of joy, and honoured the fon of fongs. "Sweet voice of Lego!" he faid, " what are the words of Torlath ? Comes he to our feaft or battle, the car -borne fen of Cantelaf ?"
" He comes to thy battle," replied the bard, " to the founding ftrife of fpears. When morning is gray on Lego, Torlath will fight on the plain : and wilt thou meet him, in thine arms, king of the ifie of mift? Ter- rible is the fpear of Torlath! it is a meteor of night. He lifts it, and the people fall: death fits in the light- ning of his iwcrd." " Do I fear," replied Cuchuilin, " the fpear of car-borne Torlath ? He is brave as a thoufand heroes ; but my foul delights in war. The fword refts not by the fide of Cuchullin, bard of the times of old! Morning fhall meet me on the pkiin, and gleam on the blue arms of Semo's fen. But fit thou en the heath, O bard ! and let us hear thy voice : par- take of the joyful (hell : and hear the fongs of Temo- ra."
" This is no time," replied the bard, " to hear the fong of joy; when the mighty are to meet in battle like the ftrength of the waves of Lego. Why art thou fo dark, Slimora || || ! with an thy filent woods? No green frar trembles on thy top; no moon-beam on thy fide; But the meteors of death are there, and the gray wa- try forms of ghofts. Why art thou dark, Slimora !
The rnyal palace of the Irifh kins?; Tesmhrath according to fame of the
■ ' h- ' . Is were hehei Id i of ancient times; and their perfons were r< :td
on . . . ■ ■■ : ■ . '• " ■ ... s ■.:■ .1 •■ :!. . ...
p.-r,"..n. v ,.••'.'. r ,■■•■.,.'■ . :.:-.■ ■ e
the cir.ii. • ; .-. . -. ii.l ,j niv u'ji.lcd the enemy when He would neiuu:ei't
A POEM. 21
with thy filent woods ?" He retired, in the found of his fong ; Carril accompanied his voice. The mufic was like the memory qf joys that are pad, pleafant and mournful to the foul. The ghofts of departed bards heard it from Slimqra's fide. Soft founds fpread alone; the wood, arid the filent valleys of night rejoice. So, when he fits in the filence of noon, in the valley of his breeze, the bumming of the mountain bee coir..-? to Ofiian's ear: the gale drowns it often in its courfe1; bat the pleafant found returns again.
" Raife," feid CuchiiUin, to his hundred bards, " the fimg of the noble Fingal : that long which he hears at night, when the dreams of his reft defeend; when the bards llrike the diftant harp, and the faint light gleams on Selraa'a walls. Or let the grief of Lara rife, and the fighs of the mother of Calmart, when he was fought, in vain, on his hills ; and lhe beheld his bow in the hall. Carril, place the fliield of Caithbat on that branch ; and let the fpear of Cuchuiiin be near ; that the found of my battle may rife with the gray beam of the eaft." The hero leaned on his father's fhieid : the fong of Lara rofe. The hundred bards were, diftant far : Carril alone is near the chief. The words of the fong were his ; and the found of his harp was mourn- ful:
" Alcletha I] with the aged locks ! mother of car- borne Calmar! why doit thou look towards the defert, to behold the return of thy fon ? Thefe are nor. his he- roes, dark on the hea'.h : nar is that the voice of Cal- mar : it is but the diftant grove, Alcletha ! but the roar of the mountain-wind \" What bounds over Lara's
Vol. II. C
i Calmar the fon of M it ha. US' .'cath i. r:Vre,', at >ar;.e ,". t!-/? thirl bu>k of. ' '. iM-tiii-un'r, Cnn n* v,.i:;.i: ,i:u! th«:: unity .n. svijutin iiir.j.
Wsmiifi a
. .
••• ,.n
. - . ' ■:'!-.. . 6 sjy«) the. moth.-.-
X V :..' .i ■ ... . C '- ' ■• n ■ . • ■ : ' tO " - ' ." ••. . pi) .'.. .
mother and hi* fl.ler A lima are •.(•;■ e'".-u..rt hy the b.i . ;■■■ \<t :ifc>.';„ wi..
inerwhjre Li.ey o.p;w.tcJ CU:;i4r w(U»Ai! i;..-,.:s 1-.
1Z THE DEATH OF Ct'CHttLLIS t
ftream, Gfter of the noble Calmar ? Does not Alele'tha behold his fpear ? But her eyes are dim ! Is it not the fon of Matha, daughter of my love ?"
" It is but an aged oak, Alcletha !" replied the love- ly weeping Alona ff. " It is but an oak, Alclctha, bent over Lara's ftrtam. But who comes along the plain ? forrow is in his fpeed". He lifts high the fpear of Cal- rnar. Alclctha ! it is covered with blood :" "But it is covered with the blood of foes f, filter of car-borne Calmar! his fpear never returned unftamed wkh blood, nor his bow from the ftrife of the mighty. The bat- tle is confumed in his prefence : he is a flame of death, Alona ! Youth || of the mournful fpeed ! where is the Jon ef Alclctha I Does he return with his fame ? in the midll of his echoing Ihielcls : Thou art dark and filent ! Calmar is then no more. Tell me not, warri- or, I civ he fdLjor J canncrt hear of h:S icound.'^
" Why doll thou look towards the defert, mother of car-horne Calmar :"
Such was the fong of Carril, when Cnchuliin. lay on his feield : the bards relied on their harps, and fleep fell foftly around. The fon of Semo was awake alone ; his foul was fixed on the war. The burning oaks began to decay • faint red light is fprtad around. A feeble voice is heard! the ghoft of Calmar came, lie fialked in the beam. Dark is the wound in his fide. Ills hair is difordered and loofe, Joy fits darkly on his face : and he feems to invite Cuckullin to his cave.
" Son of'the cloudy night V* faid the rifing chief of Erin : "Why doft thoubendthy dark eyes on me, ghoft of the car-borne Calmar ? Wouldeft thou frighten me, O Matha's fon ! from the battle? of Cormac ? Thy hand was not feeble in war ; neither w.~.s thy voice f for peace. IIow art thou chungetij chief of Lara ! if
- ■■ / ' ■;-!•. < c-.-^uiSteliy beaotSftl.' i 1 le!< tha Coeafcs.
:o Larnir,Calm; r's frier,''.- -.voc had returned with OSt
Bthefirftbookof Fincil.
A POEM. »j
tnou now doft advife to fly ! But, Calmar, I never fled. I never feared f the ghoft of tbedefert. Small is their knowledge, and weak their hands; their dwelling is ia -the wind. But my foal grows in danger, and rejoices in the noife of fteel. Retire thou to thy cave ; thou art not Cahnar's ghoft ; he delighted in battle, and his arm was like the thunder of heaven/'
He retired in his biaft with joy, for he had heard the voice of his praife. The faint beam of the morning rofe, and the found of Caithbat's buckler fpread. Green Uliin's warriors convened, like the rear of ma- ny ftreams. The horn of war is heard over Lego ; the mighly Tcrlath came.
" Why doft thou come with thy rhoufands, Cu- chullm," faid the chief of Lege. " I know the ftrength •of thy arm, and thy foul is an unextinguished fire. Why fight we not on the plain, and let our hofts be- hold our deeds ? Let them behold us like roaring waves, that tumble round a rock : the mariners haften away, and look on their firife with fear."
" Thou riicft, like the fun, on my foul," replied the fon of Semo. " Thine aim is mighty, O Torlath ; and worthy of my wrath. Retire, ye men of Ullin, to JSlimora's fhady fide ; behold the chief of Erin, in the day of his fame. Carril ; tell to mighty Ccnnal, if Cuchullin muft fall, tell him I accufed trie winds which roar on Togorma's waves. Never was he abfent in battle, when the ftrii'e of my fame arofe. Let this fword be before Cormac, like the beam of heaven : let his coujifel found in Temora in the day of danger."
He rufhed, in the found of his arms, like the terri- ble fpirit -of Loda Jj , when he comes in the roar of a thoufand ftorms, and fcatters battles from his eyes. He fits on a cloud over Lochlin's feas : his mighty hand is on his fword, and the winds lift his flaming locks. So C 2
f SeeCuchullin's reply to Cor.na!, concerning Crugal'jfjhoft. Fins B.I1.
.. : ..e thirrt ti.iok of 1'inja!, i^ r.isntiuneM asa place of wonhiy in Scan. «l',iia> ia ; by the IpTrit o: Luda, tjc pact probably meau; (Jiiin, the gr«t duty if tlie lioitiitra nations.
24 THE DEATH OF CUCHULLIK:
terrible was Cuchullin in the day of his fame. Tor- lath fell by his hand, and Lego's heroes mourned. They gather around the chief like the clouds of the de- fert. A thoufand fwords rofe at once ; a thoufand ar- rows flew ; but he flood like a rock in the midfl of a roaring fea. They fell around ; he itrode in blood : dark Slimora echoed wide. The fons of Ullin came, and the battle fpread over Lego. The chief of Erin overcame ; he returned over the field with his fame. But pale here-turned! The joy of his face was dark. He rolled his eyes in fiience. The fword hung, un- fheathed, in his hand, and his fpear bent at every ftep.
" Carri!-/' faid the king in lecret, " the ftrength of Cuchullin fails. My clays are with the years that are paft : and no mourning of mine fhall arife. They fhall feek meat Temora, but I fhall not be found. Cor- jnac will weep in his hall, and fay " Where is Tura's chief ?" But my name is renowned ! my fame in the fong- cf bards. The youth will fay in fecret, "O let me die as Ctichulliri died; renown clothed him like a robe ; and the light of his fame is great." Draw the arrow from my fide ; and lay Cuchullin beneath that oak. Place the fhield of Caithbat near, that they may behold me amidft the arms of my fathers."
" And is the ion of Semo fallen ?" faid Carril with a figh. " Mournful are 1 ura's walls; and forrow dwells at Dunfcaich. Thy fpoufe is left alone in her youth, the fon T of thy love is alone. He fhall come to Bra- ge a, and afk her why fhe weeps. He fhall lift his eyes tchhe wall, and fee his father's fword. " Whofe fword is that V he will fay : and the foul of his mo- ther is fad. Who is that like the hart of the defert, in the murmur of hiscourfe ? His eyes look wildly round in fearch of his friend. Connal, fon of Cohjar, where haft thou been, when tfie mighty fell ? Did the feas of
II Conloch,who was after* arils very famous for bis great exploits in Ireland. He h -a.-, l'.-j re;:., -irkable inr his dexterity in lianilli.n: the javcJn, that « hen a good
ii -kiii.-n initiaibn!. it :.is puffed Uito a proverb, iu tie aoyi of Scotland, 'Ue
. •■■ : .u i;aitix annul Conloiii.'
A POEM. %$
Togorma roll round thee ? Was the wind of the fouth in thy fails? The mighty have fallen m battle, and thou waft not there. Let nore tell it in Stlma, nor in Mor- ven's woody land ; Fingal will be fad, and the funs of the defert mourn."
By the dark-rolling waves of Lego they raifed the he- ro's tomb. Luathfj »* a diftance, lies, the compani- on of Curhullin, at the chafe.
" Blcft'j be thy foul, fon of Semo; thou wert ntighty in battle. Thy itrength was like the ftrength of a flream: thy fpeed like the eagle's wing. Thy path in i\ e battle w as terrible : the ileps of death were behind thy fwcrd. Bleft be thy foul, fon of Semo ; car-borne chief of Dnnfcaich ! Thou haft not fallen by the i'word of the mighty, neither was thy blood on the fpear of the valiant. The arrow came, like the fling of death in a blaft : nor did the feeble hand, which drew the bow, perceive it. S*eace to thy foul, in thy cave, chief of the hie of mift !
" The mighty are difperfed at Ternora : there is none in Ccrmac's hall. The king mourns in his youth, for he does not behold thy coming. The found of thy . Ihield is ceafed : his iocs are gathering round. Soft be thy reft in thy cave, chief of Erin's wars ! Bragcla will not hope thy return, or fee thy fails in ocean's mam. Her fteps are not on the fhore : nor her ear open to the voice of thy rowers. She fits in the hall offheils>and fees the arms of him that is no more. Thine eves are fall of tears, daughter of car borne Sorglan ! Bleft be thy foul in death, O chief of fhady Cromla !" C 3
•s tomb. Every ftanza clofc* :vs always the coftotn in tuneral :, anil ;t v. as o! old futig tu :-.A
DAR-THUL A:
A POEM.
THE ARGUMENT, e, to give the ftory « hjcti Is the foundation of thi< po- i>;' trauitii.n. Uinoth, lord t>t Etna, which is prnba-
-. \ . .• Vdan, by >J'iT.:ma, the daughter of
celebrated Cuchuliin. The three brothers, when .-,■-■■ ■,, Ireland, by their father, to learn the life
ed herfelX upeo the body of her beloved
edtwsth; death of the Tons of UCuoth, aafTed before V.-z rectus tbe death of iradition ; lis uc ouiit u, the nioit pro.
T"\ AUG hter of heaven f, fair art thou ! the filence *** of thy face is pleafant. Thou comeii forth in love- linefe : the ftars attend thy blue Heps in the eaft. The clouds rejoice in thy prefence, O moon, and brighten their dark brown fides. Who is like thee in heaven, daughter of the night ? The ftars are afhamed in thy prefence, and turn afide their green, fparkling eyes. Whither doft thou retire from thy courfe, when the darknefs '[} of thy countenance grows? Haft- thou. thy hall like Oman? Bwelleft thou in the fhadow of grief ? Have thy fillers fallen from heaven ? Are they who re- joiced with thee, at night, no more ? Yes ! they have.
tTheadclrefctothe moon is very beautiful in the original. It i.. in a lyric me*.
i .re, and a^rr?:- ;o have been l'ini; to the harp, f: file pott means tUi moon in her wane.
A POEM. If
i fallen, fair light ! and thou doit often retire to mourn.
1 But thou thyfelf fhalt fail, one night ; and leave thy blue oath in heaven. The ftars will then lift their green heads: they \t h ned in thy prefence,
will rejoice. Thou art n&w • h thy bright-
nefs : look from thy gates in the Iky Btrrft the cloud, O wind, that the daughter ok forth,
that the ftiaggy mountains rhay brighten, and the ocean roll its blue waves in light.
Nathos f is on the deep, and Althos that beam of youth ; Ardari is near his brothers ; they move in the gloom of their courfe. The foris of Ufhoth move in darknefs, from the wrath of car borne Cairbar |j . "Who if that dim, by their fide ? the night has covered her beauty. Her hair fighs en ocean's wind; her robe flreams in dufky wreaths. She is like the fair fpirit of heaven, in the midft of his fhadowy mill. Who is it but Dar-thula IT, the firit of Erin's maids? She has fled from the love of Cairbar, with the car-borne Nathos. But the winds deceive thee, O Daf-thula ; and deny the woody Etha to thy falls. Theie are not thy moun- tains, Nathos, nor is that the roar of thy climbing Waves. 1 he halls of Cairbar are near; and the towers of the fee lift their heads. Ullin ftretches its green bead into the lea ; and Tura's bay receives the fhip. "Where have ye been, ye fouthern winds ! when the fens of my love were deceived? But ye have been fport- ing on plains, and purfuing the thiftle's beard. O that ye had been milling in the fails of Nathos, till the hills of Etha rofe ! till they rofe in their clouds, and faw their coming chief! ling hail thou been anient, Na- thos ! and the day of thy return is paft.
But the land of firnngers faw thee, lovely : thou waft lovely in the eyes of Dar thula. Thy face was like the
t Nathos fignifiesyouthfel ; Ailthos, 'exquifite beauty ;• Ardan, ' pride.' |! Cairbar, m bo inude.-ed Conniu kir.R oi Ireland, and ui'tirp d the throne. He was afterwards killed by »>!'cir [be j'unui Oman m a iin;;lc combat. The pott, up- on other o» al'.oi. ., une, him 'he epithet of red-haired.
X LMi-thtila, or Birt-'hrnle. ! u \v..i:ia>» with li;.e eyes.' She was the mofl fa- mous beauty oi .sntiejiiitv. To this day, v. hen a woman i; piail'cd fctl her beauty, tic couuuun prorate it, that ; lite Ua*lo'.tly ai Dar-ihula.'
28 BAR-THULA:
light of the morning, thy hair like the raven's wing. Thy foul was generous and mild, like the hour of the fetting fun. Thy words were the gale of the reeds, or the gliding ftream of Lora. But when the rage of battle rofe, thou waft like a fea in a florin ; the clang of arms was terrible : the holt vanifhed at the {bund of thy courfe. It was then Dar-thula beheld thee, from the top of her moily tower : from the tower of Stlama f, where her fathers dwelt.
" Lovely art thou, O ftranger !" {he faid, for her trembling foul arofe. "Fair art thou in thy battles, friend of the fallen Cormac || ! Why dolt thou rulh on, in thy valour, youth of the ruddy look ? Few are thy hands, in battle, againft the car-borne Cairbar ! O that I might be freed of his 'jve 1 ! that I might rejoice in the prefence of Nathos ! Eleft are the rocks of Etha ; they will behold his fteps at the chafe ! they will fee his white bofom, when the winds lift his raven hair i"
Such were thy words, Dar thula, in Setama's mof- fy towers. But, now, the night is round thee : and the winds have deceived thy fails. The winds have deceiv- ed thy fails, Dar-thula : their bluftering found is high. Ceafe a little while, O north wind, and let me hear the voice of the lovely. Thy voice is lovely, Dar-thula, between the ruftling blafts.
" Are thefe the rooks of Nathos, and the roar of hi6 mountain-ftreams ? Comes that beam of light from Uf- noth's nightly hall ? The ihift rolls around, and the beam is feeble ; but the light of Dar thula's foul is the car-borne chief of Etha ! Son of the generous Ufnoth, why that broken %h : Are we not in the land of {Iran- gtrr., chief of echoing Etha ?"
" Thefe are not the rocks of Nathos," he replied, «' nor the roar of his f beams. No light comes from
SeUnwi wtrteh is mentioned as the feat of Tofcar
a;i1 Cull, •>»;.. Tliev.rJ ir. l'ie ordinal fifiiiifies ■tat e with a uterif-iiit or wide profuecY In ti,ofe
A POEM. 29
Etha's halls, for they an? diftant far. We are in the land of ftrangers, in the land of ear-bo/ne Cairbar. The winds have deceived us, Dar-thula. UIH11 lifts here her green hills. Go towards the north, Althos ; be thy fteps, Ardan, along the coaft ; that the foe may not come in darknefs, and our hopes of Etha fail. I will go towards that inofly tower, and fee who dwells about the beam. Reft, Darthula, on the more ! reft in peace, thou beam of light ! the (word of Nathos is a- round thee, like the lightning of heaven."
He went. She fat alone and heard the rolling of the wave. The big cear is in her eye ; and flie looks for the car- borne Nathos. Her foul trembles at the blaft. And fhe turns her ear towards the tread o( his feet. The tread of his feet is not heard. " Where art thou, fon of my love ? the roar of the blaft is around me. Dark is the cloudy night. But Nathos does not return. What detains thee, chief of Etha ? Have the foes met the hero in the ftrife of the night ?"
He returned, but his face was dark : he had feen his departed friend. It was the wall of Tura, and the ghoft of Cuch liin ftalked there. The fighing of his breaft was frequent ; and the decayed flame of his eyes terri- ble. His fpear was a column of mift : the liars looked dim through his form. His voice was like hollow wind in a cave : and he told the tale of grief. The foul of Nathos was fad, like the fun in the day of mift, when his face is watry and dim.
" Why art thou fad, O Nathos ?" faid the lovely daughter of Colla. " Thou art a pillar of light to Dar- thula : the joy of her eyes is in Etha's chief. Where is my friend, but Nathos ? My father refts in the tomb. Silence dwells on Selama: fadnefs fpreads on the blue ftreams of my land. My friends have fallen, with Cor- mac. The mighty were flain in the battle of UUin.
" Evening darkened on the plain. The blue ftreams failed before mine eyes. The unfrequent blaft came ruftlhig in the tops of Selama's groves. My feat was beneath a tree on the walls of my fathers. Truthil
3© DAR-THULA:
paft before my foul ; the brother of my love ; he that was abiint f in battle againft the car-borne Cairbar. Bending on his fpear, the gray-haired Colla came : his downcaft face is dark, and forrow dwells in his foul. His fword is on the fide of the hero : the helmet of his fathers on his head. The battle grows in his breaft. He ftrives to hide the tear.
" Dar-thula," he fighing faid, " thou art the laflof Colla's race. Truthil is fallen in battle. The king j] of Selama is no more. Cairbar comes, with his thou- fands, towards Selama's walls. Colla will meet his pride, and revenge his fon. But where fhall I find thy fafety, Dar-thula with the dark-brown hair ? tliou art lovely as the fun-beam of heaven, and thy friends are low ! " And is the fon of battle fallen ?" I faid with a burft- ing figh. " Ceafed the generous foul of Truthil to lighten through the field ? My fafety, Coila, is in that bow ; I have learned to pierce the deer. Is not Cair- bar like the hart of the deiert, father of fallen Tru- thil ?"
The face of age brightened with joy : and the crowd- ed tears of his eyes poured down. The lips of Coila trembled. His gray beard whiflled in the blaft. " Thou art the filter of Truthil," he faid ; " thou burneft in the fire of his foul. Take, Dar-thula, take that fpear, that brazen fhield, that burnifhed helmet; they are the fpoils of a warrior : a fon 1 of early youth. When the light riles on Selama, we go to meet the car-borne Cair- bar. But keep thou near the arm of Colla ; beneath the fhadow of my fhield. Thy father, Dar-thula, could once defend thee, but age is trembling on his hand. The flrength of his arm has failed, and his foul is dark- ened with grief."
We palled the night in forrow. The light of morn-
+ The family of Coila preferved their loyalty to Corr.iac long after the death of Cuehuliin.
|| It is very common, in OlTian's poetry, to give the title of kins to every chief thar «•;;.■, remarkable for hi . va our.
11 The poet to make the It pry of Dar-thula's .inning hcrOlf for battle, m ire pro- bable, make= her armour-tone rhat of a verv vning man, othcrwife h would litoi'lc •21 belief, that flic, who was, very yowijj, ih',.uM ke ab.c tn c»rry iu
A POEM. *|
ing rofe. I fhene in the arms of battle. The gray- J.aircii hero mo\ ed before. The fons of Selama conven- ed around the founding fhield of Colla. But few were thev in the plain, and their locks were gray. The youths had fallen with Truthil, in the battle of car- borne Cormac.
" Companions of my youth !" faid Colla, " it was not thus you have ken me in arms. It was not thus. ] firoiie to battle, when the great Confadan fell. But ye are laden with grief. The darknefs of age comes like the mi ft of the defert. My fhield is worn with years ; my fword is fixed f in its place. I faid to my foul, thy evening (hall be calm, and thy departure like a fad- ing light. But the florm has returned; I bend like an aged oak. My boughs are fallen on Selama, and I tremble in my place. Wlv re art thou, with thy fal- len heroes, O my beloved Truthil ? Thou anfwereft not from thy ruining blaft : and the foul of thy father is fad. But I wiil be fad no more, Cairbar or Colla mull fall. I feel the returning ftrength of my arm. My heart leaps at the found of battle."
The hero drew his fword. The gleaming blades of his people rofe. They moved along the plain. Their gray hair fh-eamed in the wind. Cairbar fat, at the feaft, in the filent plain of Lena |j. He faw the coming of heroes, and he called his chiefs to battle. Why *[ fhould I tell to Nathos, how the ftrife of battle grew ? I have 1'een thee, in the mid ft of thoufands, like the beam of heaven's fire: it is beautiful, but terrible ; the people fall in its red courfe. The ipear of Colla flew, for he remembered the battles of his- youth. An ar-
J It M-as tfi'c.'.fion of thofe times, that every wnrrior st a certain age, or when
ic i'CL.rn i.M.t }■■! the r-nj, fixed his aras, in the ir-eat hall, wherelhe tril>e
fruited, upon i li: n.s afterwards never to appear in battle; and
•'^ ' i i' i i : niihg.of the »rBis.'
, l o.-.u. ' arvarr-; ; .>.;:..' it v --.".■_ ciiftona, in the days afOffian, to feaft after
•.•■-• . > i ■. entertainment tor hjs arfcrynpon the de-
ilthel n of Colla, and the reift of the party of Cormae, when Colla
ar.J hi- a.^ru ■ . . : ':.■■. i s ■ ■•■.^ :n::. battle.
'.•- f. r.;.'i .n ..i ti.t ' Mtlc of '.<o?. a<. it would be improper In the, mow mid have nothing n-'V, after the numerous Je.
II,-'. i*; fm:e time, give* an oiijior- tun.irloi^ i - - -.■ HWJpliMMtM un ijveT,
32 DAR-THULA:
row came with its found, and pierced the hero's fide. He fell on his echoing fhield. My foul ftaned with /ear ; I ftretched my buckler over him , hut my heaving breaft was feen. Cairbar came, with his fpear, and he beheld Sehima's maid: joy rofe on his dark-brown face : he flayed the lifted fteel. He railed the tomb of Colla ; and brought me weeping to Selama. He fpoke the words of love, but my foul was fad. I faw the fhields of my fathers, and the fword of car-borne Tru- thil. I. faw the arms of the dead, and the tear was on my cheek.
Then thou didft come, O Nathos : and gloomy Cair- bar fled. He fled like the ghoft of the defert before the morning's beam. His hefts were net near: and feeble was his arm againfi thy fteel. " Why -f art thou fad, O Nathos ?" faid the lovely maid of Cclla.
" I have met," replied the hero, " the battle in my youth. My arm could not lift the fpear, when flrft the danger rofe ; but my foul brightened before the war, as the green narrow vale, when the fun pours his ftrea- my beams, before he hides his head in a llorm. My foul brightened in danger before I faw Sclama's fair ; before I faw thee, like a flar, that Mimes on the hill, at night ; the cloud {lowly comes, and threatens the love- ly light. We are in the land of the foe, and the winds have deceived us, Bar thula ! the ftrength of our friends is not near, nor the mountains of Etha. Where fhali I find thy peace, daughter of mighty Colla ? The brothers of Nathos are brave: and his own fword has ihone in war. But what are the foris of Ofnpth to the heft of car borne Cairbar ! O that the winds had brought thy fails, Ofvar ||, king of men ! thou dicft promife to come to the battles of fallen Cormac. Then would my Land be ftrong as the faming arm of death. Caixbar would/ tremble in his halls, and peace dwell round the lovely
i'rar, the fun of Oiian, hit! '<>n<; rofohv.I on the expedition, into I ti.irlvi; , uIm I i.! i^HK-viurt his friend C;itN;l, ;!.<_, I'i'ii of Mo.-.i .
il noble extraction, anil in the imcreft of the famil) <■■ Coroue.
A POEM. 35
Dar-thula. But why doft thou fall, my foul ? The fons of Ufnoth may prevail."
" And they will prevail, O Nathos," faid the rifing foul of the maid : " never fhall Dar-thula behold the halls of gloomy Cairbar. Give me thofe arms of brafs, that glitter to that patting meteor ; I fee them in the dark-bofemed (hip. Dar-thula will enter the battle of Heel. Ghcft of the noble Colla ! do I behold thee on that cloud r who is that dim bende thee ? It is the car- borne Truth il. Shall I behold the halls of him that flew Selama's chief? No: I will not behold them, fpi- rits of my love I"
Joy rofe in the face of Nathos when he heard the white-lwlbmed maid. " Daughter of SeL.ma ! thou fhineft on my foul. Come, with thy thoufantls, Cair- bar ! the ftrength of Nathos is returned. And thou,
0 aged Ufnoth, (halt not hear that thy fon has fled.
1 remember thy words on Etha ; when my fails begun to rife : when I fpread them towards Ullin, towards the moiTy walls of Tura. '* Thou goefl," he faid, " O Nathos, to the king of fhields ; to Cuchullin, chief of men, who never fled from danger. Let not thine arm be feeble : neither be thy thoughts of flight ; lefl,the fon of Semo fay that Etha's race are weak. His words may come to Ufnoth, and faddtn his foul in the hall." The tear was on his cheek. He gave this fhining fword."
" I came to Tura's bay : but the halls of Tura were filent. I looked around, and there was none to tell of the chief of Duufcaich. I went to the hall of his {hells, where the arms of his fathers hung. But the arms were gone, and aged Lamhorf fat in tears. " Whence are the arms of Heel ?" faid the rifing Lamhcr. " The light of the fpear has long been abfent from Tura's duflcy walls. Come ye from the rolling f_-a ? Or from the mournful halls of Temora 'I V
Vol. II. D
t Lamh-mhnr, ■ mighty h?.r.rt '
, Ten -:. v.i,b the royal palace nfthe fuprcme ! le.d momnf'il, on atiov.nt o'th;- • 6»i:b*r « hn ui:.-pi-i I :r.:t cc.
34 DAR-THULA:
a "»ye come from the fea," I faid, " from Ufnoth's rifing towers. We are the fens of Slifsamaf_, the daugh- ter of car-home Stmo. Where is Tura's chief, fon of the filent hall ? but why fnould Nath.os allc ? for I be- hold thy tears. How did the mighty fall, fon of the lonely Tiira ?;'
" He fell not," Lamhcr replied, " like the filent liar of night, when it fhoots through darknefs and is no more. But he was like a meteor that falls in a diftant land; death attends its red courfe,,and itfelfis the fign of wars. Mournful are the bank- of Lego, and the roar of flreamy Lara ! There the hero fell, fen of the noble Ufnoth.
" The hero fell in the midft of flaughter," [ faid with a burfting iigh, " His hand v,ras faong in battle; and death was behind his {word."
it \^re caTTe to Lcgovs mournful banks. We found his riling tomb. His companions in battle are there : his bards of many fongs, Three days we mourned over the hero : on the fourth, I ftruck the fhield of Caith- Bat. The heroes gathered around with joy, and fhook their beamy fpears. Corlath was near with his hoft, the friend of car borne Call bar. We came like a ftream by night, and his heroes fell. When the people of the valley rofe, they law their blood with morning's light. But we roiled away like wreaths of mill, to Ccrmac's echoing hall. Our fwr.rds rofe to defend the king-. But Temora's balk, were empty. Cormac had fallen in his youth. The king of Erin was no more.
" Sadnefs feized the ions of U!lin,they flowly, gloo- mily retired: like clouds that, long Laving threatened rain, retire behind the hills. The fons of Ufnoth mov- ed, in their grief, towards Tura's founding bay. We paffed bySekma, andCaiibar retired like Lano's mift, when it is driven by the winds of the defert.
" It was then I beheld thee, O maid, like the light
+ ?lis-f»sni1;-i, • fof( bnr.-.m.' The was the wife of Ufr.ot n;o, Uic chitt of the ifle a( mift.
A POEM. 3JJ
of Etha's fun. Lovely is that beam., I faid, and the crowde d figh of my bofom rofe. Thou caraeft in thy beauty, Dar-thula, to Etha's mournful chief. But the winds have deceived us, daughter of Colla, and the foe is near."
" Yes ! the foe is near," faid the milling ftrength of Althosf. " I heard their clanging arms on the coail,' and law the dark wreaths of Erin's flandard. Diftinct is the voice of Cairbar [|, and loud as Cromla's falling ftream. He had feen the dark fhip on the fea, before the dufky night came down. His people watch on Le- na's plain, and lift ten thoufand fwords." " And let them lift ten thoufand fwords," faid Nafhos with a fmile. " The fons of car-borne Ufnoth will never tremble in danger. Why doft thou roll with all thy foam, thou roaring fea of Uihn? Why do ye ruffle, on your dark wings, ye whiffling tempefts of the Iky ? Do ye think, ye florms, that ye keep Natnos on the coalt? No: his foul detains him, children of the night! Al- thos ! bring my father's arms : thcu feeft them beaming to the ftars. Bring the fpear of SemoT> it Hands in the dark-bofomed fhip."
He brought the arms. Nathos clothed his limbs in all their fhining fleet. The ftride of the chief is lovely: the joy of his eyes terrible. He looks towards the com- ing of Cairbar. The wind is ruffling in his hair, Dar- thula is blent at his fide: her look is fixed on the chief. She ftrives to hide the riling figh, and two tears {Well in her eyes.
" Althos!" faid the chief of Etha, " I fee a cave in that rock. Place Dar-thula there: and let thy arm be D %
\ AHhos had juft returned from viewing the coail of Lena, whither he had been Ten; by Nathos, the begin. in;; i.i tne night.
., Cairbar had f-athcrcil ;::i arm/, to t!> • i-jii.i ci" Ullter, in onicr to oooofc Fin- gal, who prepared tor an expedition into in laud, a. : e-cilajloh tile "hniifc of Cormic ou thethroi.e, which Cairbar bad ufiirped. between the v. ing-. of Cair- bar's arniy was the hay oi I'ura, irto « r.ieh the (hip of the foils of Ufnoth was driven : fo tha' theie was no po.libiliiy of th.ir eftapir-s.
II Semo w s jirundfiither to Mathos bv tlw mother's inle. The fpear mentioned here wa»gi\<.ii to Uinoth u:. his marriage, it be'- i the i uitom hen ior the lather bf the lady In give his arms to his fun-m-Uw. i fcc ceremony ule4 ujfua theft ol- cafions Umcntio&ed in other pocm».
36 DAR-THULA:
ftrong. Ardan! we meet the foe, and call to battle gloomy Cairbar. O that he came in his founding fteel, to meet the fon of Ufnoth! Dar-thula! if thou malt e- lcape, look not on the falling Nathos. Lift thy fails, O Althos, towards the echoing groves of Etha.
" Tell to the chief f, that his fon fell with fame ; that my fword did not fhun the battle. Tell him I fell in the midft of thoufands, and let the joy of his grief be great. Daughter of Colla! call the maids to Etna's echoing hall. Let their fongs arife for Nathos, when fhadowy autumn returns. O that the voice of Cona[| might be heard in my praife ! then would my fpirit re- joice in the midft of my mountain-winds." And my voice fhall praife thee, Nathos, chief of the woody E- tha ! The voice of Offian fhall rife in thy praife, fon of the generous Ufnoth ! Why was I not on Lena, when the battle rofe? Then would the fword of Oflian have defended thee, or himfclf have fallen low.
We fat, that night, in Selma, round the ftrength of the fhell. The wind was abroad, in the oaks ; the fpi- rit of the mountain If fhrieked. The blaft came ruftling through the hall, and gently touched my harp. The found was mournful and low, like the fong of the tomb. Fingal heard it firft, and the crowded fighs of his bo- fom rofe. " Some of my heroes are low," faid the gray- hajred king of Morven. " I hear the found of death on the harp of my fon. Offian, touch the found- ing firing; bid the forrcw rife; that their fpirits may fly with joy to Morven's woody hills," I touched the harp before the king, the found was mournful and low. " Bend forward from your clouds," I faid, " ghofts of my fatliers ! bend ; lay by the red terror of your courfe, and receive the falling chief; whether he comes from a diftant land or riles from the rolling fea. Let his robe of rnift be near; his fpear that is formed of a cloud. Place an half-extinguifhed meteor by his fide, in the
1. Ufnoth.
i: (Mlian, the fon of Fingal, is, often, poetically called the voice of Cona.
1i ;i\ the fj'iiii of the mountain is, meant that d.cp nid melancholy fouud whlCB pcet'tUcsa P.u:ai; well i-nuwr. tothwc v, hu li\t in a higU couatry.
A POEM. 37
form of the hero's fword. And, oh ! let his counte- nance be lovely, that his friends may delight in his pro- fence. Bend from your clouds/' I laid, " ghofts of my fathers! bend."
Such was my long, in Selma, to the lightly-tremb- ling harp. But Nathos was on [Jinn's fhore furround- ed by the night; he heard the voice of the foe amidft the roar of tumbling waves. Silent he heard their voice, and relied on his fpear. Morning rofe, with its beams: the fons of Erin appear; like gray rocks, with all their trees, they fpread along the coalt. Cairbar flood, in the midit, and grimly nulled when h& law the foe. Nathos rufhed forward in his ftrength ; nor could Bar-thula Hay behind. She came with the hero, lifting her mining fpear. And who are thefe, in their armour, in the pride of youth? Who but the fons of Ufnoth ; Althos and dark haired Ardan.
" Come," laid Nathos, " come ! chief of the high Temora ! Let our battle be on the coaft for the white- bolbmed maid ! His people are not with Nathos ; they are behind that rolling lea. Why doft thou bring thy thoufands againft the'chief of Etha? Thou didft fly t from him, in battle, when his friends were around him." " Youth of the heart of pride, mall Erin's king fight with thee ? Thy fathers were not among the re- nowned, nor of the kings of men. Are the arms oJ foes in their halls ? or the fhields of other times? Cair- bar is renowned in Temora, nor does he fight with little men."
The tear ftarts from car borne Nathos; he turned his eyes to his brothers. Their ipears Hew, at once, and three heroes lay on earth. Then the light of their f words gleamed on high: the ranks of Erin yield; as a ridge or dark clouds before a blaft of wind. Tneu Cairbar ordered his people; and they drew a thoufand bows. A thoufand arrows flew; the ions of Ufnoth fell. They fell like three young oaks which flood a* D 3
t H; »ltsJeite ;i« tight »f CtfrUi ;>;:?. -xlJm3»
38 D.4R-THULA : A POEM.
lone on the hill; the traveller law the lovely trees, an<3 wondered how they grew fo lonely: the blaft of the delert came, by night, and laid their green heads low ; next day he returned, but they were withered, and the heath was bare.
Dar-thula jlood in filent grief, and beheld their fall ; no tear is in her eye: but her look is wildly lad. Pale was her cheek; her trembling lips broke fhort an half- formed word. Her dark hair flew on the wind. But gloomy Cairbar came. "Where is thy lover now ; the car-borne chief of Etha? Hail thou beheld the halls ol Uihoth? or the dark-brown hills of Fingal? My bat- tle had roared on Morven, did not the winds meet Dar- tliula. Fingal himfelf would have been low, and ibr- row dwelling in Sclma." Her fhield fell from Dar- thula's arm, her breaft of fnovv appeared. It appeared, but it was fiained with blood, for an arrow was fixed in her fide. She fell on the i alien Nathos, like a wreath of fnow. Her dark hair ipreads on his face, and their blood is mixing round.
" Daughter of Colia thou art low!" faid Cairbar's hundred bards ; " filence is at the blue fireams of Selama, for Truthil'sf race have failed. When wilt thou rile in thy beauty, firft of Erin's maids? Thy flcep is long in the tomb, and the morning diftant far. The fun frail not come to thy bed, and lay, " Awake, Dar- thula ! awake, thou firft of women ! the wind of fpring is abroad. The flowers fhake their heads on the green hills, the woods wave their growing leaves." Retire, O fun, the daughter of Colla is afleep. She will not come forth in her beauty ; me will not move, in the fkps of her lovelinefs."
Such was the fong of the bards, when they raifed the tomb. I lung, afterwards, over the grave, when the king of Morven came; when lie came to green UUin to fight with car-borne Cairbar,
CARRIC-THURA:
A P O E M.
THE ARGUMENT.
Finttal, returning from an expedition which he had made into the Roman province, refolved to vifit Cathulla kinc of luii'.ore, ami brother to Comala, whofe fi.;r i- r-.atei, .t ia-tre. j„ til- dra.r-tie ['-;: i p'u'.'i.'ih.o in this collection. Up* ■ nlR ,„ < s:,« ,ii" C:irri.--tmira, the paiaLt of c atbutla, he obferved a Hat:,; •!: its top, which, iii tbofe days, was a rignal of dift'rcfs. The wind drove h':i:i'i:it.-. aba;, at foine ditluiice tr, :i. Carricthura, and he was obliged to pafs the r.ight on the ihore. Nc*t day f.eattac ed ti.e a.-rny of Froihal ki:i :t m'si.ra, who had believed i'athi;'t.a in uis yA: re of Carricthura, ar.d took. Frothal hiiu- felfpru i: er, after he hud cleared h.o in a fir.tiie coml.it. l'ne at lneianteofCaT. rich a. a u; thef-b'-Ct-.u [be~puein,but !'.■ .ralnd.ei erib-di.-aro interwoven with, it. It appear- from tradirior., tb.c i b.:. r.i«m wi-, addreSV.-i tnaCuldce, or one of the firlt Clinitiar. ir.i.Tiouaries, and that tfceltory of tnr opirit of Luda, fuppofid to be the ancie.it Odin ,,[ seandinuv^, -a as n,;r !■ l£,1 hv Ofiiar, in opposition to the -.'nldec's duaiiue Ke this a» it will, it Lis w imo fi,n..n'o notions of a fu- perior being ; anu (hews that he «> uot sddicfed to the fu| e,!tilion which pre- vailed al. the world over, before tire rutruducucu of Chiutiauiiy.
TLjASTf thou left thy blue courfe in heaven, goldett- ■*■ * haired Ton of the Iky? The weft has opened its gates; the bed of thy repofe is there. The waves come to behold thy beauty : they lift their trembling- heads : they fee thee lovely in thy fleep; but they ihrink away with fear. Reft in thy fhadowy cave, O fini ! and let thy return be in joy. But let a thoufand lights arift to the fotlnd of the harv>s of Sehna: let the beam fpread in the hall, the king of ihells is returned! The ftfife of Cronal| is pa.fl, iikc founds that are no more: raife the fong, O bards, the king is returned with his fame !
Such was the long of UlUn, when Fingal returned "From battle: when lie returtsed in the fair blufhing of youth ; with all his heavy locks. His blue arms were on the hero; like a gray cloud on the fun, when he moves in his robes of mift, and fhews but half his
+ The ion ; o' CUin, with which the poem opens, is in a lyric meafure. It was pfu*l wi h Fi'-.Cil, when he return,-,'. Mem ,111 e\u ,iit ions, to fend hi? bards fins- ing before him. 1 h.=. ;• tc.es of ttiutr.ph is called by OUian, the * fong of tic torv •
rat : ' 'fltifc of C rnna," in a part^-iili' poem. This poem
• lor tho tia.i'Ualv. 1-JylvCUie ut^ part
whicti relates cc Cioaa, v.:.. ih. uc~. „v .-. ...... .
40 CARRIC-THURA:
beams. His heroes follow the king : the feaft of fhells is fpread. Fingal turns to his bards, and bids the fong to rife.
Voices of echoing Cona ! he faid, O bards of other times ! Ye, on whofe fouls the blue nofts of our fathers rife! flrike the harp in my hall; and let Fingal hear the long. Pleafant is the joy of grief! it is like the fhower 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. My blue courfe is through the ocean, to Carric-thura's walls ; the moffy walls of Sarrio, where Cpmala dwelt. There the noble Cathulla fpreads the ftaft of fhells. The boars of his woods are many, and the found of the chafe (hall arife.
Cronnanf, lbnoffong! faid Ullin, Mhiona, grace- ful at the harp! raife the fcng of Shilric, to pleafe the king of Morven. Let Vinvela come in her beauty, like the fhowery bow, when it fhews its lovely head on the lake, and the letting fun is bright. And fhe comes, O Fingal! her voice is foft, but fad.
finveia. Mv love is a fon of the hill. Hepurfuesthe flying deer. His gray dogs are panting around him ; his bow-firing founds in the wind. Doft thou reft by the fount of the rock, or by the noife of the mountain*- fiream ? the rufhes are nodding with the wind, the milt is flying over the hill. 1 will approach my love un- perceived, and fee him from the rock. Lovely I fat* thee (lift by the aged oak of Branno || ; thou wert re- turning tail from the chafe ; the faireft among thy friends.
S/j/irc What voice is that I hear? that voice like the fummer wind. I fit not by the nodding rufhes ; I
i » «-
by th it name
yf Portland, 1
,; fiuciCU,
A POEM. 41
hear not the fount of the rock. Afar, VinvelaT, afar 1 go to the wars of Fingal. My dogs attend me no more No more I tread the hill. No more from on high I fee thee, fair-moving by the ftream of the plain ; bright as the bow of heaven; as the moon on the weft- em wave.
Virfotta. Then thou art gone, O Shilric! and I am alone on the hill. The deer are feen on the brow ; void of fear they graze along. No more they dread the wind ; no more the ruftling tree. The hunter is far removed ; he is in the field of graves. Strangers ! fons of the waves ! fpare my lovely Shilric.
Skilrtc. If fall I mill in the field, raife high my grave, Vinvela. Gray ltones and heaped-up earth, fhall mark me to future times. When the hunter fhall fit by the mound, and produce his food at noon, " Some warri- or relts here, ' he will fay; and my fame fhall live in his praife. Remember me, Vinvela, when low on earth I lie !
Virfodu. Yes! I will remember thee; indeed my Shilric will fall. What fhall I do, my love! when thou art gone for ever ? Through thefe hiils I will go at noon : I will go through the filent heath. There I will fee the place of thy reft, returning from the chafe. Indeed my Shilric will fall ; but I will remember him'.
And I remember the chief, faid the king of woody Morven ; he confumed the battle in his rage. But now my eyes behold him not. I met him, one day, on the hiil ; his cheek was pale ; his brow was dark. The figh was frequent in his breaft : his Heps were towards the defert. But now he is not in the crowd of my chiefs, when the founds of my fhields arife, Dwells he in the narrow houfe f, the chief of high Carmora [j ?
Cronnan ! faid Ullin of other times, raife the fong of Shilric ; when he returned Lo his hills, and Vinvela was no more. He leaned on her gray mofiy ftone ; he
\ Btiin-feheul, ' a woman with a melodious voice.' B& in the Gallic laag jsze, Jps tie ferae found wjth the V in Engliflj. + The grave, J; Carn-mor, ' Mi;t» rocky h3i.'
4* CARRIC-THURA:
thought Vinvela lived. He faw her fair^moving || on the plain : hut the bright fonn lafted not : the fun- beam fled from the field, and fhe was feen no more. Hear the fong of Shilric, it is foft, but fad.
I fit by the moffy fountain , on the top of the hill of winds. One tree is ruffling above me. Dark waves roll over the heath. The lake is troubled below. The deer defcend from the hill. No hunter at a diftance is feen ; no whiflling cow-herd is nigh. It is mid-day : but all is filent. Sad are my thoughts alone. Didft thou but appear, O my love, a wanderer on the heath! thy hair floating on die wind behind thee; thy bolbm heaving on the fight ; thine eyes full of tears for thy friends, whom the miff of the hill had concealed ! Thee I would comfort, my love, and bring thee to thy father's houfe.
But is it fhe that there appears, like a beam of light on the heath? bright as the moon in autumn, as the fun in a fummer-fiorm3 comeft thou, lovely maid, over rocks, over mountains to me ? She fpeaks : but hour weak her voice, like the breeze in the reeds of the pool.
" Return eft thou fafe from the war ? Where are thy friends, my love ? I heard of thy death on the hill; I heard and mourned thee, Shilric !" Yes, my fair, I re- turn ; but I alone of my race. Thou fhalt fee them no more : their graves I raifed on the plain. But why art thou on the defert hill? Why on the heath, alone ?
€< Alone I am, O Shilric ! alone in the winter-houfe. With e:rief for thee I expired. Shilric, I am pale in the tomb."
She fleets, fhe fails away; as gray milt before the wind ! and, wilt thou not ftay, my love ? Stay and be- hold my tears ? fair thou appeareft, Vinvela ! fair thou waft, when alive !
By the mofly fountain I will fit; on the top of the hill of winds. When mid-day is filent around, con-
1|Thed:ftinaion, which the ancient Scots made between good and brd fpirits, *a, that t!u tanner appeared fomcllmes in the day time in lonely unfrequented pUt-ei, bat Uie Utter fekiui*i but by night, ajiUalv.ayb in a uifuiul gloomy fcifte.
A FOP.M. 43
verfc, O my love with me! come on the wings of the gale ! on the blaft of the mountain, come ! Let me hear thy voice, as thou paffeft, when mid-day is (ilent a- rounc!.
Such was the fong of Cronnan, on the night of Sel- ma's joy. But mcrnir.g rofc in Ehe eafi: ; the blue wa- ters rolled in light, f ingal bade his fails to rife, and the winds came ruffling from their hills. Iniitore role to fight, and Carrie- thura's mofiy towers. But the fign of diftrefs was on their top: the green flame edged with ftnoke; The Icing of Morven fixuck hisbreaft: he afi'umed, at once, his fpcar. His darkened brow- bends forward to the coafl : he looks back to the lag- ging winds. His hair is difordered on his back. The fiience of the king is terrible.
Night came down on the fea : Rotha's bay received the fhip. A rock bends along the coaft with all its e- choirig wood. On the top is the circle f of Loda, and the moiTy fione of power. A ^narrow plain fpreads be- neath, covered with grafs and aged trees, which the midnight winds, in their wrath, had torn from the fhaggy reck. The blue courfe of a ftrcam ir, there : and che lonely blaft of ocean purfues the thiffle's beard. The flame of three oaks arofe : the feaft is i'pread a- ro-jnd : but the foul of the king is lad, for Carrie -thu- attling cliitf.
The wan ccld moon reie; in the eafi. Sleep defend- ed on the youths: Their blue helmets glitter to the beam , the fad;ng fire decays. But deep die; not reft on die kmg : he rofe in the midft of his arms, and flowly afcended the hill to behold tfte name of Sarno's tower.
The flame was dim and diftant ; the moon hid her red face in the eaft. A blaft came from the mountain, and bore, on its wings, the fpirit of Loda. He came to his place in his terrors jj, and he fhcok his dufky fpear.
t T.s. ■ circle of Lnrfi is r ippofcd fo be i pl^ce of u-irfhip wwni; the Scand'navi. n: nf Uo&i '.■■. t '-.'j.!-.-- . . bt ti.s i.im: \vi;h r.ci: j:
U He & described, in a Junile, ^ . u 3 the death, o! C'jchuilin.
44 CARRI.C-THURA:
His eyes appear like flames in his dark face; and his voice is like diffant thunder. Fingal advanced with the fpear of his ftrength, and raifed his voice on high.
Son of night, retire: call thy winds and fly : Why dofl thou come to my prefence, with thy fhadowy arms ? Do I fear thy gloomy form, difmal fpirit of Loda ? Weak is thy fhield of clouds : feeble is that meteor, thy fword. The blaft rolls them together ; and thou thyfelf dofl: vanifh. Fly from my prefence, fon of night ! call thy winds and fly !
Dofl: thou force me from my place, replied the hol- low voice ? The people bend before me. I turn the battle in the field of the valiant. I look on the nations and they vanifh : my noilrils pour the blaft of death. I come abroad on the winds : the tempefls are before my face. But my dwelling is calm, above the clouds, the. "fi«lds of my reft are pleafant.
Dwell then in my calm field, faid FlngaL and let Comhal's fon be forgot. Do my fteps afcend, from my hills, into thy peaceful plains ? Do I meet thee, with a fpear, on thy cloud, fpirit of difmal Loda ? Why then dofl thou frown on Fingal ? or (hake thine airy fpear ? But thou frowneft in vain : I never fled from mighty men. And fhall the fons of the wind frighten the king of Morven! No: he knows the weaknefs of their arms.
Fly to thy land, replied the form : receive the wind and fly. The blafts are in the hollow of my hand : the courfe of the ftorm is mine. The king of Sora is my fon, he bends at the ftone of my power. His bat- tle is around Carric-thura ; and he will prevail Fly to thy land, fon of Comhal, or feel my flaming wrath.
He lifted high his fhadowy fpear: and bent forward his terrible height. But the king, advancing, drew his fword ; the blade of dark-brown Luno +. The gleam- ing path of the ikel wind.-; through the gloomy ghoft. 7 he form fell fhapeiefs into air, like a column of fmoke,
f Ths iiwiout iw j.-i o; ri;:s-l, nisde by I.un, ux Lauo, a fmith ai' iotiilim
A POEM. 45
which the ftafT of the boy difturhs, as it rifes from the half- extinguished furnace.
The lpiiit of Loda fhrieked, as, rolled into himfelf, he role on the wind. Iniftore (hook at the found. The waves heard it on the deep : they flopped, in their courfe, with fear: the companions of Fingal ftarted, at once ; and took their heavy {pears. They miffed the king : tliey rofe with rage ; all their arms refound.
The moon came forth in the eaft. The king re- turned in the gleam of his arms. The joy of his youths was great ; their fouls fettled, as a fea from a itorm. Ullin railed the fong of gladnefs. The hills of Iniftore rejoiced. The (lame of the oak aroie ; and the tales of heroes are told
But Frothal, Sora's battling king, fits in fadnefs be- neath a tree. The ho ft ipreads around Carric-thura. Ke looks towards the walls with rage, lie longs for the blood of Cathulla, who, once, overcame the king in, war. When xVnnir reigned j| in Sora, the father of car- borne Frothal, a blaft role on the tea, and carried Fro- thal to Iniftore. Three days he feafted in Sarno's halls, and faw the flow rolling eyes of Comala. lie loved her, in the rage of youth, and rufhed to feize the white-armed maid. Cathulla met the chief. The gloomy battle rofe. Frothal is bound in the ha!i : three days he pined alone. On the fourth, Samo lent him to his fhip, and he returned to his* land. But wrath darkened his foul againft the noble Cathulla. When Annir's ftone f of fame arofe, Frothal came in his ftrength. The battle burned round Carric-thura, and Sarno's mofiy walls.
Morning rofe on Iniftore. Frothal ftruck his dark* brown fhield. His chiefs ftarted at the found ; they flood, but their eyes were turned to the lea. They law
Vul. II. E
!| Annir was alfo Hie f?."\?>- ^ ?r-iron, v.-hn -'-is \:\"-A r>.frc-r th brother Kroihal. rhe death of Erragon is \
: *■ VhH .-., >.ucr ti:e a.T.lli >f Annir. To civil the :\oas ui' uuu'i
. . .;
46 OARP.tC-THURA :
I ingal coming in his ftverigth;. and firft the nchle Thu- bav ipoke.
" Who comes lilce the flag of the mountain, with all his herd behind him ? Frothal, it is a foe ; I fee his forward fpear. Perhaps it is 'he king of Morven, Fin- gal, the firft of men. His acKons are well known en Gormal; the blood of his foes is in Same's halls. Shall I afk the peace | of kings ? He is like the thunder of heaven."
" Sen of the feeble hand," faid Frothal, " mall my days begin in darknefs ? Shr.U I yield before I have conquered in battle, chief of ftreamy Tcra ? The peo- ple would lay in Sora, Frothal flew forth like a meteor; but the ciavk cloud met it, and it is no more. No: Thubar, I will never yield ; my fame ft all furround me like light. No: I will never yield, king of flreamy Tora."
He went forth with the ffream of his people, but they met a rock : Fingal flood unmoved, broken they rolled back from his fide. Nor did they roll in fafely ; the fpear of ihe king purfued their flight. The field is covered with heroes A riling hill preferved the fly- ing heft.
Frothal faw their flight. The rage of his befrm role. He bent his eyes to the ground, and called the noble Thubar. "Thubar! my people fled. My fame has ceafed to rife. 1 will fight Lhe king ; I feel my burning foul. Send a bard to demand the combat. Speak not agsinft Pretrial's words. But, Thubar! I love a maid : fnt dwells by Thano's ftrdani, the white- bofomed daughter of Herman, Utha with the fbftly- rolling eyes. She feared the daughter f of Fniftore, and her foft fighs rofe, at my depart ore. Tell to 17- tha that I am low; but that my foul delighted in her."
Such were his words, refolved to fight. But the foft figh of Utha was near. She had followed her hero o-
A POEM. 47
ver the fea, in the armour of a man. She rolled hep eye en the youth, in fecret, from beneath a glittering
helmet. But now ihe faw the bard as he went, and the fpear fell thrice from her hand. Her loofe hair flew on die wind. Her white breaft rpfe, with fighs. She lifted up her eyes to the king ; (he would fpeik, but thrice me failed.
Fingal heard the words of the bard ; he came in the ftrength of iteel. They mixed their deathful fpears, and raifed the gleam of their fwords. But the Heel or Fingal descended and cut Frothal'a fnield in twain. His fair fide is expofed ; half -bent he forefees his death.
Darknefs gathered on Utha's foul. The tear rolled down her cheek- She rufhed to cover the chief with her fhield ; but a fallen oak met her Heps. She fell on her arm of mow; her fhield, her helmet flew wide. Her white-bofora heaved to the fight ; her dark-brown hair is fpread on earth.
Fingal pitied the white-armed maid : he flayed the uplifted fword. The tear was in the eye of the king, as, bending forward he fpoke. " King of ftreamy So- ra ! fear not the fword of Fingal. It was never flam- ed with the blood of the vanquished ; it never pierced a fallen foe. Let thy people rejoice along the blue wa- ters of Tora: let the maids of thy love be glad. Why ihouideft thou fall in thy youth, king cf flreamy Sora?"
Frothal heard the words of Fingal, and faw the fifing maid: theyf flood in filence, in their beauty: like two young trees of the plain, when the fhower of fpring is on their leaves, and the loud winds arc laid.
" Daughter of Herman," laid Frothal, " didfl thou- come from Tora's ftreams; didfl thou come, in thy beauty, to behold thy warrior low ? But he was low be- fore the mighty, maid of the flow-rolling eye ! The feeble did not overcome the fon of car-borne x\nnir. Terrible art thou, O king of Morven! in battles of the fpear. But, in peace, thou art like the fun, when he E a
i rro'ba] and Utta.
48 CARRIC-tHURA i
looks through a filentfhower: the flowers lift their fair heads before him ; and the gales make their ruffling wings. O that thou wert in Sora ! that my feaft were fpread ! The future kings cf Sora would fee thy arms and rejoice. They would rejoice at the fame of their fathers, who beheld the mighty Fingal.
" Son of Annir," replied the king, " the fame of Sora's race fnall be heard. When chiefs are ftrong in battle, then does the fong arife ! But if their fwords are ibretched over the feeble : if the blood of the weak has ftained their arms ; the bard fnall forget them in the fong, and their tombs mail not be known. The Gran- ger fhall come and build there, and remove the heaped- np earth. An half-worn fword fnall rife before him ; and bending above it he will fay, " Thefe are the arms of chiefs of old, but their names are not in fong. Come thou, O Frothal, to the feaft of Iniftore ; let the maid of thy love be there : and our faces will brighten with joy."
Fingal took his fpear, moving in the fteps of his might. The gates of Carric-thura are opened. The feaft of /hells is fpread. The voice of mufic aroie. Gladnefs brightened in the hall. The voice of Uilin was heard ; the harp of Sclma was fining. Utha re- joiced in his prefence, and demanded the fong of grief; the big tear hung in her eye, when the foft Crimora f fpeke. Crimora the daughter of Rinval, Mho dwelt at Lotha's || mighty ftrean:. The tale was long, but love- ly ; and pleafed the biuihiug maid of Tora.
Crimora *,,. Who ccmeth from the hill, like a cl^ud tinged with the beam of the weft? Whofe voice is that, loud as the wind, but pltafaut as the harp of Carriitt ?
|
t There is |
a propriety in in! |
iodueing this epifode, as U.e filuation of Crin |
|
fend [TUiawe |
re fo Stellar |
|
|
|| Lotha w |
le of one of the great river? in the north of S |
|
|
land. The < |
rily one of thtm |
that ltiii re'iir,* .\ ra;ne of a l.lce foi.niS i= Lot |
|
..,-e; but whelht |
• it is the ri'.cr mentioned here, the tianflator |
|
|
not pretend t |
ufey- |
|
|
H Cri- |
Rreat foul.' |
|
|
*j Perhaps |
uw'lau'il^enao |
uul hurt is the un;c v.-ith Carnl the fon of VLinii |
A POEM. 49
It is my love in the light of iteel; but fad is his dark- ened brow. Live the mighty race of Fingal ? or what diiuirbs ray Connal || ?
Carnal. They live. I faw them return from the chafe, like a itream of light. The fun was en their (hields. Like a ridge of fire they defcended the hill. Loud is the voice of the youth ; the war, my love, is near. To-morrow the terrible Dargo comes to try the force of our race. The race of Fingal he defies ; the race of battle and wounds*.
Crimctrd. Connal, I faw his fails like gray mift on the (able wave. They flowly came to land. Connal, ma- ny are the warriors of Dargo !
Connal, Bring me thy father's Ikield; the bofly, iron fhield of Rinval ; that fhield like the full moon when it moves darkened through heaven.
Ctimora That fhield I bring, O Connal; but it did not defend my father. By the fpear of Gormar he fell. Tiiou may'fl fall, O Connal !
Connal. Fall indeed I may : But raife my tomb, Cri- mora. Gray Hones, a mound of earth, ihali keep my memory. Bend thy red eye over my tomb, and beat thy mournful heaving breaft. Though fair thou art, my love, as the light ; mere plea&at than the gale of the hill ; yet I will not ftay. Raife my tomb, Crimora.
Crimora. Then give me thofe arms of light ; that fwordj and that fpear of fleel. I fhall meet Dargo with thee, and aid my lovely Connal. Farewel, ye rocks of Ardven ! ye deer ! and ye ftre.irns of the hill ! We mall return no mere. Our tombs are dlftant far.
li And did thev return no more ?" faid Utha's burn- ing figh. " Fell the mighty in battle, and did Crimora live ? Her fleps were lonely, and her foul was fad for Connal. Was he not young and lovely; like the beam cf the letting fun?" Ullin faw the virgin's tear, and B 3
CuChuttin's bard. The R3me itfplf is proper to any ha d,as it fignifiei a fprit-.hU
|
uil, the f. n of D;a-r-n, w.-.s r.n« of the mo'i (jpnous heroes Of Fi |
RRa! |
|
in :i l>..ttle aga hit Dar • ,s "ritofl ; but whether by the Ui^d oj |
|
|
U»t«ffe.i miirefijUatlJUuu docs not Uaciii.u-u |
fO CARRlC-THtTRA:
took the foTtlv trembling harp : the fong was lovely, but fad, and filence was in Carric-thura.
Autumn is dark on the mountains ; gray mift refts en the hills. The whirlwind is heard on the heath. Dark rolls the river through the narrow plain. A tree Hands alone-on the hill, and marks the fiumbering Con- nal. The leaves whirl round with the wind, and fcrew the grave of the dead. At times, are feen here, the ghofis of the deceafed, when the muilng hunter alone ftalks flowly over the heath?
Who can reach the fource of thy race, O Connal ? and who recount thy fathers ? Thy family grew like an oak on the mountain, which meeteih the wind with its lofty head. But now it is torn from the earth. Who mall fupply the place of Connal ? Here was the din of arms? and here the groans of the dying. Bloody are the wars of Fir gal ! O Connal ! it was here thou did ft: fall. Thine arm was like a florin; thv (word a beam of the fhy ; thy height, a rock on the plain--; thine eyes, a furnace of fire, Louder than a llorm was tfoy voice, in the battles of thy Heel. Warriors fell by thy iword, as the thifile by the ftaff of a boy. Dargo the mighty came on, like a cbxid of thunder. His brows were contracted and dark. His eyes like two caves in a rock. Bright rofe their fwords en each Tide ; dire was the clang of their Heel.
The ■daughter of iviuval was near; Crimora bright in the armour of man ; her yellow hair is loofe behind, her'bow is in her hand. She followed the youth to the • war* Connal, her much4?elOved. She drew the firing .-uDargo; but erring pierced her Connal. He falls like an oak on the plain; like a rock from the (baggy ]■'.!!. What fhall me do, haplefs maid! He bleeds; her Connal dies. Ail the night long me cries, and all th.e day, " GConnal, my love, and my friend!" With grief the fad mourner dies. Earth here inclofes the bwiitil pair on the hill. The grafs grows between the (bane's of the tomb; 1 often lit in the mournful fhade. '': - wind ftghs through the grafs; their memory rufo-
A POFM. j- 1
es on my mind. Undifturbed you now fleep together ; the, mountain you reft alone.
'* And iot\ be your reft," laid Utha, " children of ftre imy. Lotha. 3 will remember you with tears, and my fecret long lhalj rife; when the wind is in the proves of Tora, and the ftreain is roaring near. Tiien fhali ye come on mv foul, with all your lovely grief."
Three days feafted rhc kings: on the fourth their white fails arofe. The winds of the north carry the flilp or Fingal to MorVen's woody land. But the fpi- ritofLoda, fat, in his cloud, behind the fesps at Fro* thai. He bung forward wilh all his Wafts, and fpread the white-bofo'med fails. The wound! of his form were not forgot ; he ftill feared f the hand of the king.
+ The lhiry of fin~*l, ancithu fpirit of Loda, fuppof d tobeths famous Odin, is the tnnflcxt'-avse-Aiti fi-:ti->r. in -'.11 i>:~ i-.'s vc.ms. ' It i- not, however, witho-rt
SONGS OF SELMA.
THE arg!'mi,;;t.
■children, in order to have ti.cv.. t:ai :,,..'• c v. p. I.ir.t, n \< ., ., nc ol thoi'c OCcafionsthat aff< r.v,'. -.he i I , t ■•fh* • c ' •■,: ■ ,.■■..-. I ! i- caller in. the original, The bonj;sof Schoa, which title it \»as t&ought proper to adopt in the translation.
The poem i;> entiidy Uric, and h:.- Rreat variety of •.-.•; US cm 'or, the aridrefs to the even in;: Itar, ui.t. w.,i, 1. h.ii-, has, in ti.e ur,,i.?i, all : he har- mony thntiiwmUcT' -coulo ;:ivc :■■'■• ■-■ ii-?0o\vn with all th*t i...i. .-ilhty and foitnefs, which the fecne dtlcnbcc i, a: -rally inlpirts.
C tar of the defcending night ! fair is thy light in the *-* weft ! thou Ufteii thy unfhorn head from thy cloud : thy fteps are ftately on thy hill. What dolt thou he- hold in the plain ? The ftormy winds are laid. The murmur of the torrent comes from afar. Roaring waves climb the diftant rock. The files of evening are on their feeble wings, and the hum of their courfe is on the field. What do ft thou behold, fair light ? But thou doft fmile and depart. The waves come with joy a- round thee, and Lathe thy lovely .hair Farewel, thou filent beam ! Let the light of Oihan's foul arife.
And it does arife in its ftreiigth ! I behold my de- parted friends. Their gathering is on Lora, as in the cays that are pafl. " Fingal comes like a wati-y column of mill-: his heroes, are around. And fee the bards of the fong, gray-haired Ullin; ftatciy Ryno ; Alpui f; with the tuneful voice, and the foft complaint of Mino- na ! How are ye changed, my friends, fince the days of Selma's feaft ! wheu£$we contended, like the gales of the fprimr, that, fjyhig over the hill, by turns bend the feebly-wi i ill li )i^ giafs.
it with AlUon, or rather Albin, the a
Hry Uritain r< iv.es or the country, from
THE SONGS OF SELMA. $j
Minora then came forth in her beauty ; with down- en ft look and tearful e) e ; her hair flew flowly on the biaft that rufhed umrcquent from the hiil. The fouls of the heroes were fad when (he railed the tuneful voice; for often had they lien the grave* of Saigar ||, and the dark dwelling of white -bofomed Colma f . Colma left alone on the hill, with ail her voice of mufic ! Saigar promifed to come : but the night defended round. Hear the voice of Colma, when fhe fat alone on the hill !
Co!mu. It is night ; I am alone, forlorn on the hill of ftoi-ms. The wind is heard in the mountain. The torrent fhrieks down the rock. No hut receives me from the rain ; forlorn on the hill of winds.
Rife, moon I from behind thy clouds ; ftars of the night appear ! Lead me, fome light, to the place where my love relts from the toil of the chafe ! his how near him, unitrung ; his dogs panting around him. But here I muft fit alone, by the rock of the mofty ftream. The ftream and the wind roar , nor can I hear the voice of my love. Why delays my Saigar, why the fun of the hiil, hispromife ] Here is the rock, and the tree; and here the rearing ftream, Thou didit promift with nigh i to be here. Ah ! whither is my Saigar gene ? ^\ .j; thee i would fly, my father; with thee, my bro- ther of pride. Our race have long been foes ; but we are not foes, O Saigar !
Ceafe a little while, O wind ! ftream be thou filent a while ! Jet my voice be heard over the heath ; let my wanderer hem- me. Saigar! it is I who call. Here is the tree, and the rock, balgar, my love ! I am here. Why delaycft thou thy coming ? Lo ! the moon ap- •peareth. The hood is bright in the vale. The rocks an: gray on the face of the hill. But f fee him not on the brow ; his dogs before him tell not that he is com- ing. Here I mult fit alone.
But who are thele that lie beyond me on the heath ? Arc they my love and my brother ? Speak to me, Q
' Seal^'er." i tvintcr.'
H-Cul-iite-ii, ■ a wuj.an with £ne hair.'
54 THE SONGS OF SELMA.
my friends ! they anfwer not. My fou} is tormented with fears. Ah ! they are dead. Their fwords are red from the fight. O my brother ! my brother ! why haft thou {lain mySalgar ? why, O Salgar i haft thou flain my brother ? Dear were ye both to me !' what mail I fay in your praife ? Thou wert fair in the hill among thoufands ; he was terrible m fight. Speak to me ; hear my voice, fons of my love ! But aia's ! they are fitent ; filent for ever ! Cold a^e their breafts of clav ! Oh ! from the rock of die hill : from the top of the windy mountain, fpeak ye ghofls of the dead ! fpeak, 1 will not be be afraid. Whither are ye gone ro reft? In what cave of the hill lhall I find you? No feeble voice is on the wind: no anfwer half-drowned in the ftorms of the hill.
I fit in my grief. 1" wait for morning in my tears. Rear the tomb, ye friends of the dead : but clofe it not till Colma come.' My life flies away like a dream: why mould I flay behind ? Here mail I reft with my friends, by the ftream of the founding rock. When night comes on the hill ; when the wind is on the heath ; my ghoft ihall ftand in the" wind, and mourn the death of .my friends. The hunter ihall hear from his booth. He mail fear, but love my voice. For fweet (hall my voice be for my friends ; for pleaiant were they both to me.
Such was thy fong, Minona, foftly-blufning maid of Torman. Our tears defcended for Colma, and our iouls were fad. Ullin came with the harp, and gave the fong of Alpin. The voice of Alpin was pleafunt ; the foul . of Ryno was a beam of lire. But they had refted in the narrow houfe : and their voice was not heard in Selma. Ullin had returned pile day from the chafe, before the heroes fell. lie heard their ftrife on the hill; their fong was foft, but fad. They mourned the fall of Morar, firft of mortal men. His foul was Like the foul of Fingal , his fword like the fword of Ofcar. But he fell, and his father mourned : his fi- ller's eyes were full of tears. Minona's eyes were full
THE SONGS or SEIMA. 55
<>f tea'", the Gfter of car -home Morar. She retired. -from the {br\j> of Ullin, like the moon in the welt, when (1 Slower, and hides her fair head in
a < ici '". I touched the harp, with Uilin ; the forig of mcurnir \
. The wind and the rain are over : calm is the noon of day The clouds are divided in heaven. O- : e:-een hills flies the inconfiant fun. Red through the ftony vale comes down the ftream of the hill. Sweet are thy murmurs, O ftream ! but more fweet is the voice I hear. It is the voice of AJpin, the fon 6f fcng, mourning for the dead. Bent is his head bf age, and red his tearful eye. Alpin, thou fon of long, why alone on the filent hill? why complaineft thou, as a blaft in the wood ? as a wave on the lonely fhore ?
Alp\p. My tears, O Ryno ! are for the dead ; my voice, for the inhabitants of the grave. Tall thou art en the hill,- fair among the fens of the plain. But thou (halt fall like Morar | ; and the mourner fhall fit on ib. The hills (hall know thee no more; thy bow fhall lie in the hail, unftrung,
Thou wert fwift, O Morar ! as a roe on the hill ; ten-ible as a meteor of fire. Thy wrath was as the ftorm. Thy fword in battle, as lightning in the field. Thy voice was like a lb-Lam alter rain; like thunder en diltant hills. Many fell by thy arm ; they were confumed in the flames of thy wrath. But when thou didft return from war, how peaceful was thy brow ! Thy face v. as like the fun after rain ; like the moon in the filence of night ; calm as the breafl of the lake when the loud wind is laid.
Narrow is thy dwelling now ; dark the place of thine abode. With three fteps I compafs thy grave, O thou who waft fo great before ! Four Hones, with tlieir heads of mofs, are the only memorial of thee. A tree with fcarce a leaf, long grafs which whittles in the mark to the hunter s eye the grave of the mighty Morar. Morar thou art bw i.idcxd. Thou halt uq
56 THE SONGS OF SELMA.
mother to mourn thee ; no maid with her tears of love. Dead is me that brought thee forth. Fallen is the daugh- ter of .Morglan.
Who on his flan is this ? who is this, whofe head is white with age, whofe eyes are red with tears, who quakes at every itep ? It is thy father ||, O Morar ! the father of no fon but thee. He heard of thy fame in battle ; he heard of foes difperfed. He heard of Mo- rar's fame ; why did he not hear of his wound ? Weep, thou father of Morar ; weep ; but thy fon heareth thee not. Deep is the fleep cf the dead ; low their pillow of duft. No mere fliall he hear thy voice ; no more mall he awake at thy call. When fhall it be morn in the grave, to bid the (lumberer awake ? Farewel, thou braveft of men ! thou conqueror in the field ! but the field mail fee thee no more ; nor the dark wood be lightened with the iplendor of thy fteel. Thou haft left no fon. But the long fhall preferve thy name. Fu- ture times fhall hear of thee ; they fhall hear of the fal- len Morar.
The grief of all arcfe, but mod the hurtling figh of Armin +. lie remembers the death of his Ion, who fell in the days of his youth. Carmor % was near the hero, the chief of the echoing Galmal. Why burfls the ugh of Arxnin, he faid ? Is there a caufe to mourn ? The long ccmec, with its mufic, to melt and pleafe the foul. It is like (oft mifr, that, riling from a lake, pours on the filent vale ; the green flowers are filled with dew, but the fun returns in his ftrength, and the milt is gone. Why art thou fad, O Armin, chief of the fea-furround- ed Gorma r
Sad! I am indeed: nor fmall my caufe of woe! Car- mor, thou had loft no fen ; thou haft iofi no daughter of beauty. Colgar the valiant, lives ; and Annira, faireft maid. The boughs of thy family fiourifh, O Carmor ! Lut Armin is -the laft of his race. Dark is thy bed, O
ufc«
i, the fon of CarthuT, lord <tf '-mora, one of the we 'a h.-n..' He \.-n-. itiicf, or jjttty Icint of GoriUa, i
THE SONGS OF SF.LMA. f]
Daura ! and d; p :'. ? :1. i ia the tomb. "Wh- thou awake with thy fongs ? with all thv voice of ma- ge ?
Arife, winds of autumn, arife ; blow upon the dark heath! ifreams of the mountains, roar 1 fa ptfis, in the top of the oak ! walk through broke© clouds, O moon] fhow by intervals thy pale face! bring to ray mind that fad night, when all my chi fell; when Arindal the mighty fell ; when Daura the lovely railed. Daura, my daughter ! thou wert fair ; fair as the moon on the hills of Fura + ; white driven fiaowj fweet as the hreathi lg gale. Arjnd bow was ftrong, thy fpear was fwift in the field : thy look was like milt on the wave ; thy fhield a red cloud in a ftorm. Armar renowned in war, came, and Daura's love ; he was not long deakd; fajr was tjis hope of their friends
Erath, fon of Odgaj, repia d ; for his brother was fiain by Armar. I • ' :;V1 li':- a fon
fea: fair was his fltifl tte his locks of
age; calm his ierious ha . n,h@faid,
lovely daug liter ofAr . a r
fea, btars a tree on its fide; red ftine3 the fruit afar.
There Armar waits for Daura. I came to c irry his love
ing fea. Shewentj and fhe called on Ar<
noar. Nou ■';: anfwered, but the fon jj of the rock.
c! my love 1 why tormen'teft' th with fear: hear, fori of Ardnart, wb ■> cEk.!. 5!c_! Erath the trai: ' ';ing to
the Ian 1. She lifted up her voice, au 1 brother and her father,, ArindaJJ Arniin! none to. o- . ira !
Err - over the fea. Arindal my for*
defeended iii . in the fpoils af the
. rlis ajTOWS . nJe ; his bo\sr was
Vol. ".
|
■ |
|
|
- |
, .;.. lii.it a.. . i it ' |
|
; |
5S THE SONGS OF SELMA.
in his hand: five dark-gray dogs attended his ftepsv He faw fierce Erath on the more : he feized and bound him to an oak. Thick- bend the thongs || of the hide around 1: is Kinbs ; he loads the wind with his groans. Arindal afcends the wave in his boat, to bring Dau- ra to land. Armar came in his wrath, and let fly the gray feathered ftiaft. It fung ; it funk in thy heart.
0 Arindal my fori ! for Erath the traitor then diedft. The oar is flopped at once : he panted on the rock and expired. • What is thy grief, O Daura, when round thy feet is poured thy brother's blood ? The boat is broken in twain by the waves. Armar plunges into the fea, to refcue his Daura, or die. Sadden abb.fi from the hill comes over the waves. He funk, and he rofe no more.
Alone, on the fea-beatrock, my daughter was heard to complain. Frequent and loud were her cries ; nor could her father relieve her. All night I flood on the fhore. I law her by the faint beam of the moon. All ni^ht I heard her cries; Loud was the wind ; and the rain beat hard on the fide of the mountain. Before morning appeared, her voice was weak. It died away, like the evening- breeze among the graft of the rocks. Spent "A-ith grief fne expired. And left thee Arrnin a- fone. Gene is my ftrength in the war, and fallen my pride among women. When the norms of the moun- tain come ; when the north lifts the waves on high :
1 fit by the founding fhore, and leek on the fatal' rock. Often by the fetting moon I fee the ghoftsof my children. Half- vie wk-fs, they walk in mournful conference toge- ther; WjiH none of yon fpeak in pity? They do not regard their father. I am fad, O Carmor, aor fmall is my cauie of wo !
Such were the words of the bards in the days of fong ; ■Vm a the king heard the mufic of harps, and the tales of other times. The chiefs gathered from all their hills, and heard the lovely found.. They praifed the voice {■-
with leatfccrn ti;i*ȣS.
THE SONGS OF SELMA. 50
of Conn ! the firft among a thoufand bards. Bat age is now on my tongue ; and my foul has failed. I hear ibmetimes, the ghoftfi of bards, and learn their pleaianr fong. But memory fails in my mind: I hear the call of pears. They fay, as they pais along, why does Offi- an fing ? Soon mall he lie m the narrow houfe, and no bard lhail raife his fame. Roll on, ye dark -brown years, for ye bring no joy on your courfe. Let the tomb open to Ofliau, lor his ftreagth has failed. The foasof fong are gone to reft: my voice remains, like a b'afi, that roars, lonely, on a fea -furrounded rock, after the vials are laid. The dark mofs whittles there, and the diitant mariner fees the waving trees. " F z
CALTHON AND COLMAL :
A POEM.
THE AKOVMF.N f.
Calthon married Coimal, bis deliverer ; a:id Cllv.iii returned to Morven.
"Oleasant is the voice of thy fdhg, thou lonely dwel- ■*• ler of the rock. It comes en the found of the ftream, along the narrow vale. My foul awakes, O ftrai g( r ! in the mid^ft of tey hall. I frretch my hand to the fpear, as in the eiays of < thet yeai .-. I firetcf) r y hand, hut it is feeble ; and the figfc of my bofom grows. Wilt ffcou rot lifteh, fon of the rock, to the fong of Offias ; My fotil is full of other times; the joy of my youth returns. Thus the ivr \ e weft, after the fteps of Lis
brightnefs have n rved behind a fiorm ; the green hills lift their dewy heads : the bine ftreams re:oi:e in the vale. The aged hero comes forth on his ftaff, and his gra^ 1 air glitters in the beam. Eoft thou not behold, fen of the rock, a fliield in Ofiian's hall ? It is marked with ihe- fti okes of battle ; and the brightnefs of its bof- fes has failed. That thield the great Dunthalmo bore, the chief of ftreamy Teutha. Dunthalmo lore it in bat- tle, before he fell by Gffian's fpear. Liflen,fon of the rock, to the tale of ether years.
a pool 6r
Raihmor was a chief of.Clutha. The feeble dwelt in his hall. The gates of Rathmor were never doled : his feaft was always fpread. The fons of the ftranger came, and blefTed the generous chief of Clutha. Birds raifed the long, and touched the harp : and joy bright- ened on the face of the mournful. Dumbalmo came, in his pride, and ruflied into the combat of Rathmor. The chief of Clutha overcame ; the rage of Dunthal- mo rofe. He came, by night, with his warriors : an 1 the mighty Rathmor fell. He fell in his halls, where his feaft was often fpread for ftrangers.
Colmar and Calthon were young, the forts of car- borne Rathmor. They came, in the joy of youth, in- to their father's hall. They behold him in his blood* and their burfting tears defcend. The foul of Dun- thalmo melted when he faw the children of youth ; he brought them to Alteutha's f walls ; they grew in the houfe of the foe. They bent the bow in his pre aud came forth to his battles. They f^w the fallen walls of their fathers ; they few the greea thorn in tne hall. Their tears defcended ir fecr j: : aid. at times, their faces were mournful. Dtrjithalmo beheld their grief: his darkening foul designed their death. He ciofed them in two caves, on the echoing banks of Teutha. The fun did not come there with his beams; nor the moon of heaven by night. The ions of Rath- mor remained in darknefs, and forefaw their death.
The daughter of Diinthalmo wept in (Hence, the Fair-haired, blue-eyed Colraal ||. Her eye had rolled in fecret on Calthon; his lovelineis fwelled in her foul. She trembled for her warrior ; but what could Colmal do ? Her arm could not lift the fpear ; nor was the fword fori . i : :r Rde. Her white breaii never role beneath a mail. Neither was her eve the terror F 3
f Al-teutha. or rather Balteutha, « tbelnwn of Tweed,' the name of
.
■.i-. note, tS '-. ;;rocJ that it was .m« 'he mii> e.-Ti' ! '■■: •■■:.c o^rthe w hi
rcaUiiln. i im failis to ,iive ..i...-. uj n«
fa CMLTHON! AND COLMAL :
of heroes. What canft thou do, O Co'Imal ! for the failing chief 2 Her fteps are unequal : her hair is foofe : her eye iooks wildly through her tears. She came, by night, to the hal't ; and armed her lovely form in lire! ; the fteel of a young warrior, who fell in the firft ot his battles. She came to the cave of Calthcn, and hoofed the thong from his hands.
a Arrie, ion of Rathmor," (he laid, " arife, the night .. Let us fly to the king of Seinia J|, chief of fallen Clutha ! I am the ion of Lamgal, who dwelt in thy father's hall. I heard of thy dark dwelling in the cave, and my foul arofe. Arife, fon of Rathmor, for the night is dark." " E'eft voice 1" replied the chief, " comeft thou from the darkly rolling clouds ? for often the ghofts of his fathers defcended to Calthon's dreams, fftice the fun has retired from ids eyes, and darkneis has dwelt around him. Or art thou the fon of Lam- ;/;d, the chief I often faw in Clutha ? But frail I fly to iinga!, and Colmar my brother low? ihall I fly to Mor- vtn, and the hero doled in night ? No : give me that fpear, fon of Lamgal, Calthcn will defend his bro- ther/'
i( A thoufand warriors," replied the ma;d, " ftretch their Ipears round car-borne Colmar. What can Cal- thon do againft a hoft fo great ? Let us fly to the king ef Morven, he will come wish battle. Mis arm is ftretch- ed forth to the unhappy ; the Kghtnirig cf his iword is i onnd the weak. Arife, thou on of Raihmer ; the ffrades of night will fly away. Dunthafena will behold fteps on the field, and thou cauft fall in thy youth."
The fighing hero rofe ; his tears defcend for car- '.'>rne Colmar. He came with the maid to Sennas kail ; but he knew not that it was Colmal. The hel-
f-Tterfe„ ta«r»»lT wfiere tteanro Cafccn fromenetnfc ■ -■ ■■ t; u.mv. tro-
■ ■ , (.lir. ml 1. 1 lii ir; lv. , I'.mk ;ir<.b:i'v. ■ ";,is , t a youlh killed in l.i. !.nt Satt,c. ;i, mure prn-.i . i
A POEM. 63
roct covered her lovely face ; and her breaft role be- nt ath the Heel. ringal returned from the chafe, and found the lovely ftrangers. They were like two beams of light, in the midft of the hall. The king heard the talc of grief ; and turned his eyes around. A thoufand half-rofe before him ; claiming the war cfTeu- tha. I came with my fpear from the hill, and the joy cf battle n 1. in my breaft : for the king fpoke to Qffian in the midft of the people.
" Son of my ftrength," he faid, " take the fpear of Fingal ; go to Teutha's mighty ftream, and lave the car-borne Colmar. Let thy fame return before thee like a pleafant gale ; that my foul may rejoice over my fon, who renews the renown of cur fathers. Offian ! be thou a ftorm in battle ; but mild when the foes are low: It was- thus my fame arofe, O my fon ; and be thou like Selma's chief. When the haughty come to my hails, my eyes behold them not. But my arm is ftretched forth to the unhappy. My fword defends the weak."
I rejoiced in the words of the king : and took my rat- tling arms. Diaran | rofe at my hue, and L'ai go || king
t niaran, father of that Connal -; ho was unfortunately killed by Crimora, hi»
o, the Ion of OUath, is ccU'V?te<t in other ;>oerns by Off.an. He is faid
or wife, o\ liisbodv, :su in ; fu.t whether it is of Ofiian's comuofi..
tion, I c:n,iu; tote: .i i ifcribed tu him, and L. ; mi
tfome traditions mention it is an, imitation by fome later bard. A*
it ha> K)in. poetical merit, 1 have futjuiued it.
n-'tlE fpoafe cf Dargp came in tears: for Dargo was no more ! The hemes figh I <iv,- , . . v r.ij :'.:.:iS;ia«i • ' i l
tf re thi king of fpear* : but the generous glowed in bis pre- . ..i us ''tar. -,:,e :a:ivil -n.d rr.ofl lovely? who but CuHalVs aui.ui-, Ion! Who fat he mighty deeds'
I as rummer-wind*. Alius! Waat liiall the her»c» ia; ; lor Da:g« K ii -.iclo.-e;'. hoar. IV.e i» the lovt- . the loi k it which was firm in danger! Why baft thou failed on oer ■
the eyes of the valiact; me was lovely in th. : • .. - . oufe o. Dargo.
g with its clouds; where rs the in the toadi of Da
!iou fhut the narrow houfef i
M : -■ i. !<ar; o.
.-. Lho'klofty aalt iiut fUuiwc uuw dwulls .,--» .. ..- ~-:iu.
64 CALTHON AND COLMAL :
of fpcars. Three hundred youths followed our fteps : the lovely ftrangers were at my fide. Dunthalmo heard the found of our approach ; he gathered the firength of Teutha. He flood on a hill with his hoft ; they were like rocks broken with thunder, when their bent trees are finged and bare, and the ftreams of their chinks have failed.
The ftream of Teutha rolled, in its pride, before the gloomy foe. I fent a bard to Dunthalmo, to offer the combat on the plain ; but he fmiled in the darknefs of his pride. His v.nfettled hofi moved on the hill ; like the mountain-cloud, when the blaft has entered its womb, and fcatters the curling gloom on every fide.
They brought Colmar to Teutha's bank, bound with a thoufand thongs. Tlie chief is fad, but lovely, and his eye is on his friends j for we flood, in our arms, on the oppofite bank of Teutha. Dunthalmo came with his ipear, and pierced the hero's fide : he rol- kd on the bank in his blood, and we heard his broken fighs.
Calthon rufned into the ftream: I bounded forward on my fpcar. Teutha's race fell before us. Night came rolling down. Dunthalmo refted on a rock, amidft an aged wood. The rage of his bofom burned agaiml the car-borne Calthon. But Calthon ftcod in his grief; he mourned the fallen Colmar ; Colmar flam in youth, be- fore his fame arofe.
I bade the fong of woe to rife, to footh the mournful chief : but he flood beneath a tree, and often threw his fpear on earth. The humid eye of Colmal rolled near in a fecret tear: flic forefaw the fall of Dunthalmo, or of Clutha's battling chief.
l\ow half the night Lad paned away. Silence and darknefs were on the field : fleep refted on the eyes of the' heroes: Calthon's fettling foul was ftilL His eyes were half-clofed ; bur the murmur of Teutha bad not d in his ear. Pale, and mewing his wounds, the ■ came: he bended his bead over the hero, and raiie rbh:"e.
A POEM. 6?
" Sleeps the fon ofRathmor in his might, and his brother low ? Did we not rife to the chafe together, and purine the dark-hrovvn hinds ? Colmar was not forgot till he fell ; till death had blafted his youth. I lie pale beneath the rock of Lona. O let Calthon rife ! the morning comes with its beams , and Dunthalmo will difhenour the fallen." He palled away in his blaft. The riling Calthon law the fteps of his departure, He rufhed in the found of bib fteel , and unhappy Cohnal rdfe. She followed her hero through night, and drag- ged her fpi ar behind. But when Calthon came to Lo- :k, he found his fallen brother. The rage of his boibm rofe, and he rufhed among the foe. The groans of death afcend. They clofe around the chief. He is bound in the midft, and brought to gloomy Dunthal- mc. The fhout of joy arofe ; and the hills of night re- plied.
I ftarted at the found : and took my father's fpear. Diaran role at my fide ; and the youthful ftrength of Dargo. We miffed the chief of Clutha, and our fouls wee fad. I dreaded the departure of my fame ; the pride of my valour re fe. " Sons of Morven/' I Lid, " it is not thus our fathers fought. They relied not on the field of firangtrs, when the foe did. not fall before them. Their ftrength was like the eagles of heaven ; their renown is in the long. But our people fall by de- . nd our fame begins to depart. What mall the king oi Morveh fay, if Gfm.n conquers notatTeutha? Rife in your fteel, ye. warriors, and follow the found of I courfe. He will not return, but renowned, to
the echi ing walls of Selma."
Morwiug rofe on the blue waters of Teutna; Colmal ftood before me in tears. She told of the chief of Clu- tha : and thrice the fpear fell from her hand. My wrath turned agair.it the ftranger ; for my foul trem- bled for Calthon. " Son oi the feeble hand," I laid, " do Teutha's warriors fight with tears ? The battle is not won with grief; nor dwells the figh in the foul of war. Go to the deer of Carmun, or the lowing herds
$6 CALTHON AMD COLMAt: A POEM,
©f Teutha. But leave thefe arms, thou fon of fear : a warrior may lift them in battle."
I tore the mail from her moulders. Her fnowy breaft appeared. She bent her red face to the ground. I looked in filence to the chiefs. The fpear fell from my hand ; and the figh of my befom role. But when I heard the name of the maid, my crowding tears de- fcended. 1 bleffed the loA'ely beam of youth, and bade the battle move.
Why, fon of the rock, mould Offian tell how Teu- tha's warriors died ? They are now forgot in their land ; and their tombs ar.e not found on the heath. Years came on with their ternpefis : and the green mounds moul- dered away. Scarce is the grave of Dunthalmo feen, or the place where he fell by the fpear of Qflian. Some gray warrior, half blind with age, fitting by night at the flaming oak of the hall, tells now my actions to his fons, and the fall of the dark Dunthalmo. The faces of youth bend fidelong towards his voice ; furprife and joy bum in their eyes.
I found the fon f of Rathrhor bound to an oak ; my fword cut the thongs from his hands. And I gave him the white-bofomed Colmal. They dwelt in the halls of Teutha ; and Offian returned to Selma.
LATHMON:
A POEM.
THE ARGUMENT. Lithmon, a Eritifh prince, taking advantage of Finpit's ab'erce in ]
' i Vii [iHs hit.: JBnci ! I .-• | I • v.ith t.V. rl.it .ijijea-vnce or ' i ...; ;1 .mi iht tout ot Murvtn, ar.d end.-, it n..»y be fuppoicd, about noon '.he :i*.xt <! 17.
CELMA, thy halls are filent. There is no found in the ^ woods of Morven. The wave tumbles alone on the coaft. The filent beam of the fun is on the field. The daughters of Morven come forth, like the bow of the mower ; they look towards green [Jllin for the white fails of the king. He had promifed to return, but the winds of the north arofe.
Who pours from the eaftfrn hill, like a flream of darknefs ? It is the hoft of Lathmon. He has heard of the abfence of Fingal. He trulls in the wind of the north. Kis foul brightens with joy. Why doft thou come, Lathmon? The mighty are not in Senna. Why comeft thou with thy forward fpear ? Will the daugh- ters of Morven fight ? B^it flop, O mighty ftream, in thy courfe ! Does not Lathmon beheld the'e fails ? Why doll thou vanifh, Lathmon, like the mill of the lake ? But the fqually florin is behind thee; Fingal pur- futs thy fteps!
The king of Morven flarted from fleep, as we rol- led on the dark -blue wave. He ftretched his hand to his fpear, and his heroes role around. We knew that hebadfeen his fathers^ for they often defcended to his dreams, when the fword of the foe rofe over the land ; and the battle darkened before us. " Whither haft thou fled, O wind?" laid the king of Morven, " Doit
68 LATHMON:
thou ruffle in the chambers of the fouth, and purfue the (hower in other lands ? Why doft thou not come to my fails ? to the blue face of my feas ? The fee is in the land of Morven, and the king is abient. But let each bind on his mail, and each affume his fhield. Stretch every fpear over the wave : let every fword be unlheathed. Lathmonf is before us with his hoft: he that fled I] from Fin gal on the plains of Lona. But he returns, like a cohered ftream, and his roar is between our hills "
Such were the words of Fingal. We rufhed into Carmona's bay. Offian afcended the hill ; and thrice ftruck his bbffy fhield. The rock of Morvcn replied ; and the bounding roes came forth. The foes were troubled in ray preferice' : and collected their darkened hoft ; for I flood, like a cloud on the hill, rejoicing in the arms of my youth.
Morni f fat beneath a tree, at the roaring waters of Strumonff: his locks of age are gray: he leans for- ward on hi.s ftaff ; young Gaul is near the hero, hear- ing the battles of his youth. Often did he rife, in the fire of his foul, at the mighty deeds of Morni. The a- ged heard the found of Offian's fhield : he knew the fign of battle. Heftarted at once from his place. His gray hair parted on his back. lie remembers the ac- tions rS other years/'
" My ion, he faid to fair-haired Gaul, " I hear the found of battle. The king of Morven is returned, the Cgn of war is heard. Go to thehalk ofStrumon, arid bring his arms to Morni. Bring the arms which my father wore in his age, for my arm begins to fail. Take
■
A POE<\f. 6<)
thou thy armour, O Gaul : and rufh to the firft of thy battles. Let thine arm reach to the renown of thy fa- thers. Be thy courfe in tlie field, like the eagle's wing. Why ftiouldft thou fear death, my fon ? the valiant fall with fame ; their fhields turn the dark ftream of dan- ger away, and renown dwells on their gray hairs. Doit thou not fee, O Gaul, how the Heps of my age are ho- noured ? Morni moves forth, and the young meet him, with reverence, and turn their eyes, with filent joy, on his courfe. But I never fled from clanger, my fon ! my fword lightened through the darknefs of battle. The ftranger melted before me ; the mighty were blafted in my prefence."
Gaul brought the arms to Morni : the aged warriof covered himfelf with fteeL He took the fpea-r in his hand, which was often ftained with the blood of the valiant. He came towards Fingal, his fon attended his ileps. The fon cf Comhal rejoiced over the warrior, when he came in the locks of his age*
" King of the roaring Strumon ! " faid the riling joy of Fingal ; " do I behold thee in arms, after thy ftrength has failed ? Often has Morni fhone in battles, like the beam of the riling fun ; when he dhperies the ftorms of the hill, and brings peace to the glittering fields. But why didft thou not reft in thine age ? Thy renown is in the long. The people behold thee, and blefs the departure of mighty Morni. Why didft thou not reft in thine age? For the foe will vanifh before Fin- gal."
" Son of Comhal," replied the chief, " the ftrength of Morni's arm has failed. I attempt to draw the fword of my youth, but it remains in its place. I throw the fpear, but it falls fhort of the mark ; and I feel the weight of my fhield. We decay like ihe grafs of the mountain, and our ftrength returns v.o more. I have a fon, O Fingal, his foul has delighted in the actions of Morni's youth; but his fword has net been lifted a* gainft the foe, neither has his fame begun. I com? with him to battle; to direcl big arm. His renews
Vol. j-R (}
yo LATHMON :
will be a fan to my foul, in the dirk hour of my de- parture. O that the name of Morni were forgot a- mcng the people ! that the heroes would only fay., Be* hold the father of Gaul."
" King of Strumon," Fingal replied, " Gaul mall lift the fword in battle. But he fhall li;t it before Fin- gal; my arm fhall defend his youth. But reft thou in the halls of Selma ; and hear of our renown. Bid the harp be ftrung ; and the voice of the bard arife, that thofe who fall maty rejoice in their fame ; and the foul of Morni brighten with gladnefs. CiTian I thou haft fought in battles: the blood of ftrangers is on thy fpear: lee thy courie be with Gaul in the ftrife ; but depart •not from the fide of Fingal ; left the foe find you alone; and your lame foil at once."
I fawf Gaul in his arms, and my foul was mixed with his : for the fire of the battle was in his eyes ! he looked to the foe withjoy. We fpoke the words of friendship in feeret ; and the lightning of our fwords poured together ; for we drew them behind the wood, and tried the ftfength of our arms en the empty air.
Night came down on Morven. Fingal fat at the beam of the oak. Moi ni fat by his fide with all his gray waving lockb. Their difcourfe is of other times, and the actions of their fathers. Three bards, at times, touched the harp ; and Ullin was near with his fong. He fung of the mighty Comhal ; but darknefs gather- ed || en Morni s brow. He roiled his red eye on Ullin ; and the long of the bard ceafed. Fingal obferved the aged hero, arid he mildly fpoke.
" Chief of Strumon, why that darknefs ? Let the days of ether years be forgot, Our father's conteiid d in battle ; but we meet together, at the feaft. Our fwords are turned on the foes, and they melt before v.s
s 1,'V.*.:- ■'" tt:s ow«li.uji ujj'„j-i;-> *itii ^uircfiry ar.j sr'JK'] li; :<r.
A PORM. 71
on the field. Let the days of our fathers be forgot, king of] ton*'
" King of Morven," replied the chief, "I remember thy father with joy. He was terrible in battle ; the rage of the chief was deadly. My eyes were full of tears, when the king of heroes fell. The valiant fall,
0 Fingal, and the feeble remain on the hills. How many heror* ha | d away, in the days of Morni ! And T d Bran the battle ; neither did I fly from t ; valiant. Now let the friends of Fin gal reft ;
1 ight isaround ; that they may rife, with ftrength, to battle againft car borne Lathmon. I hear the found of his hoft, like thunder heard on a diftant heath. Of- fiaii ! and fair-haired Gaul ! ye are fwift in the race. Obferve the foes of Fingal from that M'oody hill. But
..ur fathers are not near to fhield you. Let not your fame fall at once. The valour of yo h may fail."
We heard the words of the chief with joy, and mov- ed in the clang of our arms. Our fteps are on the woody hill. Heaven burns with all ks ftars. The me- teors of death fly over the held. The diftant none of the foe reached our ears. It was then Gaul fpoke, hi his valour; his hand half-unfheathed the fword.
" Son of Fingal," he laid, " why burns the foul of Gaul ? my heartbeats high. My fteps are difordered; and my hand trembles on my fword. When I look towards the foe, my foul lightens before me, and I fee their ileeolng hoft. Tremble thus the fouls of the vali- ant in battles of the fpear ? How would the foul of Morni rife if we ihould ruih on the foe ! Our renown would grow in the fong ; and our fteps be ftately in the eyes of the brave."
" Son of Morni," I replied, " my foul delights in battle I delight to mine in battle alone, and . mv name to the bards. But what if the foe mould pre- vail ; (hall I behold the eyes of the king ? They are terrible in his diipleafure, and like the flames of death. But I will not behold them in his wrath. Ofiian fhall G a
*}% LATHMON.
prevail or fall. But frail the fame of the vanquifhed rife ? They pais away like a fhadow. But the fame of Offian frail rife. His deeds mall be like his fathers. Let us rufh in our arms ; fon of Morni, let us rufh to battle. Gaul ! if thou malt return, go to Selma's lofty wall. Tell to Everallin that I fell with fame ; carry this fword to Branno's daughter. Let her give it to Of- ear, when the years of his youth fhall arife."
" Son of Fingal," Gaul replied with a figh ; " fhall J return after Oman is low ! What would my father fay, and Fingal, king of men I The feeble would turn their eyes and fay, heboid tb» mighty Gaul -who deft bis friend in his blood ! ' ' Ye fhall not behold me, ye feeble, but in the midft of my renown* Oman ! I have heard from my father the mighty deeds of heroes ; their mighty deeds when alone ; for the foul increafes in dan-
" Son of Morni," I replied, and ftrode before him on the heath, " our fathers fhall praife our valour, when they mourn our fall. A beam of gladnefs mall rife on their fouls, when their eyes are full of tears. They will
fay, Our font have not fallen lite the graft of the field, for they fpread death around them. But why fhould we think of
the narrow houfe ? The fword defends the valiant. But death purfues the flight of the feeble ; and their renown is not heard."
We rufhed forward through night ; and came to the roar of a ftream which bent its blue courfe round the foe, through trees that echoed to its noife ; we came to the bank of the ftream, and faw the fleeping hoft. Theirfiresweredecayedon theplain: andthe loneiyfteps of their fcouts -were diitant far. I ftretched my fpear be- fore me to fupport my fteps over the ftream. But Gaul took my hand, and fpoke the words of the valiant.
" Shall the fon of fingal rufh on a fleeping foe ? Shall he come like a blai't by night, when it overturns the young trees in fecret ? Fingal did not thus receive his fame, nor dwells renown on the gray hairs of Morni, for actions like thefe. Strike, Ofiian, ftrike the fhieli
A POEM. 73
•f battle, and let their thousands rife. Let them meet Gaul in his firft battle, that be may try the ftrength of his arm."
My foul rejoiced over the warrior, and my burfting tears defcendcd. u And the foe flia.ll meet Gaul," I faid : " the fame of Morni's ion IhaU arife. But rufh not too far, my hero : let the gleam of thy fteel be near to Offian. Let our hands join in {laughter. Gaul! doll thou not beheld that rock ? Its gray fide dimly gleams to the ft ^rs. If the foe fnall prevail, let our back. be towards the rock. Then {hail they fear to approach our fpears ; for death is in our hands."
I (truck thrice my echoing fhield. The ftarting foe arofe. We ruflied on in the found of our arms. Their crowded fteps fly over the heath ; for they thought that the mighty Fingal came ; and the ftrength of their arms withered away. The found of their flight was like that of flame, when it ruftles through the blafted groves. It was then the fpear of Gaul flew in its ftrength : it was then his fword a'-ofe. Cremor fell , and mighty Leth. Dunthormo ftruggled in his blood. The fteel rufhed through Crotha's fide, as bent, he rofe on his fpear ; the black ftream poured from the wound, and hilled on the half-extinguifhed oak. Cath- min faw the fteps of the hero behind him, and afcend- ed a blafted tree ; but the fpear pierced him from be- hind. Shrieking, panting, he Fell ; mots and wi- thered branches purine his fall, and ftrew the blue arms of Gaul.
Sueh were thy deeds, fon of Momi, in the firft of thy battles. Nor flept the fword by thy fide, thou laft of Fingal's race ! Oflian rufned forward in his ftrength, and the people fell before him ; as the grais by theftaffof the boy, when he whiffles along the field, and the gray beard of the tJi-fte falls. But care- lefs the youth moves on ; his fteps are towards the defert. Gray morning rofe around us; the winding itreams are bright along the heath. The foe gathered on a hill; •ud the rage of Lathmon rofe. He bent the red eve G 3
?4 lathmon:
of his wrath : he is filent in his rifing grief. He often ftruck his bofiy fhield ; and his lleps are unequal on the heath. I law the diftant darknefs of the hero, and I fpoke to Morni's foh.
" Car-borne + chief of Strumon, doft thou behold the foe ? They gather on the hill in their wrath. Let cur fteps be towards the king ||. He fhall arife in his ftrength, and the hoft of Lathmon vanifh. Our fame is around us, warrior, the eyes of the aged t will re- joice. But let lis fly, fen of Morni, Lathmon defcends the hill." " Then let our fteps be flow," replied the fair-haired Gaul ; " left the foe fay, with a fmile, Be- hold the iiar i ion of night, tbey art like gh<<J1s, terrible in dark* nefijiut they melt aivay before the beam of the eafl. Oflian, take
the fhield of Gormar who fell beneath thy fpear, that the aged heroes may rejoice, when they fhali behold the actions of their ions."
Such were cur words on the plain, when Sulmath ff came to car-borne Lathmon : Sulmath, chief of Dutha, at the dark-rolling ftream of Duvranna ||[|. " Why doft thou not rtifh, fob of Nuiith, with a thoufand of thy hemes ? Why doft thou not defcend with thy hoft, before the warriors fly ? their blue arms are beaming to the rifing light, and their fteps are before us on the heath."
" Son of the feeble hand," faid Lathmon, " fha!l my hoft defcend? They are but two, ion of Dutha, and fhall a thoufand 1'ft their ftee! ? Nuath would mourn, in his hall, for the departure of his fame. His eyes would turn fcom Lathmon, when the tread of his feet approached. Go thou to the heroes, chief of Dutha, for I lxhold the ftately fteps of Oflian. His fame is worthy of my fteel ; let him fight with Lathmon."
t Car-borne is a fi:lc of h » nr bellowed, hy O.Tian, inlifcriminsfelv en every
n h:> t.kcuui.-.i^or litter I. .-. a-, ui 'titc.
■
A FOF.M. 75
The noble Sulmath came. I rejoiced in the words of the king. I raifedthe lhield on my arm ; and Gaul placed in my hand the fword of Morni. We returned to the murmuring ilream ; Lathmon came in his fh-ength. His dark hoft rolled, like the clouds, behind him : but the fon of Nuath was bright in his fteel.
" Son of Fingal," faid the hero, " thy fame hai grown on our fell. How many lie there of my people by thy hand, thou king of men ! Lift now thy fpear again!! Lathmon; and lay the fon of Nuath low. Lay him low among his people, or thou thyfelf muft fall. It fhall never be told in my halls that my warriors fell in my prefence ; that they fell in the prefence of Lath- mon when his fword refted by his fide : the blue eyes of Cutba f would roll in tears, and her fteps be lonely in the vales of Dunlathtnon."
u Neither fhall it be told," I replied, " that the fon of Fingal fled. Were his Heps covered with darknefs, yet would not Ollian fly ; his foul would meet him and
fay, Does the bard oj Selma fear the foe ? No : he does not
fear the foe. His joy is in the midft of battle."
Lathmon came on with his fpear and pierced the . ihield of Oman. I felt the cold fteel at my fide ; and drew the fword of Morni: I cut the fpear in twain; the bright point fell glittering on the ground. Th fon of Nuath burnt in his wrath, and lifted highhis found- ing fhield. His dark eyes rolled above it, as bending forward, it fhone like a gate of brafs. But Oman s fpear pierced the brightneft of its boiTes, and funk . a tree that role behind. The fhield hung on the quiver- ing lance ! but Lathmon ftill advanced. Gaul fofefaw the fall of the chief, and ftretched his buckler before my fword; when it defceaded, in a itream of light, over the king of Dunlathmon.
Lathmon beheld the fon of Morni, and the tear ftart>
. his eye. He threw the fword of his fathers 'on
I . ;'i, and fpoke the words of the valiant. " Why
d fight agaijrfl; the f^ft of mortal men \ ■ Your foujs are beams ) ; ybui lv.crus the
♦ CuU-.j appears to have hcen Lathmott'a i*':f« or ::>\r.,-'Jt.
76 LATHMON: A POEM.
fames of death. Who can equal the renown of the heroes, whofe actions are fo great in youth ? O that ye were in the halls of Nuath, in the green dwelling of Lathmori ! then would my father fay, that his fon did not yield to the feeble. But who comes, a mighty ftream, along the echoing heath ? the little hills are troubled before him, and a thoufand fpirits are on the beams of his fteel ; the fpirits f of thofe who are to fall by the arm of the king of refounding Morven. Hap- py art thcu, O Fingal, thy fons fnall fight thy battles ; they go forth before thee : and they return with the Reps of renown."
Fingal came, in his mildnefs, rejoicing infecret over the actions of his fon. Morni's face brightened with gladneis, and his aged eyes looked faintly through the tears of joy. We came to the halls of Selma, and fat round the feaft of fhells. The maids of the fong came into our prefence, and the mildly blulhing Everallin. Her dark hair ipread on her neck of fno\v, her eyes tolled in fecret on Offian ; flie touched the harp of mu- fic, and we blefled the daughter of Branno.
Fingal rofe in his place, and fpoke to Dunlathmon's battling king. The fword of Trenmor trembled by his lide, as he lifted up his mighty arm. " Son of Nu- ath/' he faid, " why doft thou fearch for fame in Mor- ven ? We are not of the race of the feeble ; nor do our fwords gleam over the weak. When did we come to Dunlathmon, with the found of war ? Fingal docs not delight in battle, though his arm is ftrong. My renown grows on the fall of the haughty. 1 he lightning of my fteel pours on the proud in arms. The battle comes : and the tombs of the valiant rife ; the tombs of my people rife, O my fathers 1 and I at lalt mult re- main alone. But I will remain renowned, and the de- parture of my foul fhall be one ftream of light. Lath- men ! retire to thy plare. Turn thy battles to other lands. The race of Morven are renowned, and their foes are the fons of the unhappy."
O I T H O N A:
A POEM.
THE ARGUMENT.
C»ul . the fon of Mo?ni, attended Lathmon into his own country, after his beinf? detent ed in Morven, a-- related in the ;>re<.edint; poem. He was kindly eatertain- ed <••, Nuath the fa- her of Lathmon, and fell in love wilh his daughter Oithona. The lady »«s no lelsena.noured of Gaul, and a day was fixed tor their marriage. In the nu an time, Kingal, preparing for an expedition into the country of the Britons, fLi,t for Gaul. He obeyed, and went ; but not withou: prouaiing to Oi- thona to return, -,i he furvived the war, by a certain day. Lathmon too was o- bliged to attend his father Nuath in his wars, and Oithona was left alone at Den- lathmon, the feat of the family. Dunrornmath, lord of Uthal. fupuofed to be one ot the Orkney-, taking advantage Of the abfence 01 her friends, came and carried off, by force, Oithona, who had formerly re ;cted bis 1 >ve, into Troma- thon, a defert ifland, where he concealed her in a cave
Caul returned on the day appointed ; heard of the rape, and failed to Tromathon, . j brimfelf on Dunromiuath. When he landed, he found O'thona dif- confolate, and reiolved not to furvivc the loCs of her honour. She told him the ltory of her misfortunes, and fhe fcarce ended, when Dunrommatti with his fol- lowers, appeared at the further end of the ifland. Gaul prepared to attack him, recommending to Oithona to retire, till the battle was over. She reemingly o- beyed; but fliefccreUy armed herfelf, ruined Into the thickelt of the battle, and was mortally wounded. Gaul purfu'.ng the Hying enemy, found her juS expiring on the field ; he mourned over he , railed her tomb, and returned to Mur\en. ■ ftory handed down by tradition ; nor is it given with any material n to Dunlathmon, after the
TT\arkness dwells around Dunlathmon, though the "*-' moon fhews half her face on the hill. The daugh- ter of night turns her eyes away ; for {he beholds the grief that is coming. The fon of Morni is on the plain ; but there is no found in the hall. No long-ftrearning beam of light comes trembling through the gloom. The voice of Oithona f is not heard amidft the noife of the ftreams of Duvranna. "Whither art thou gone in thy beauty, dark, haired daughter of Nuath ? Lathmon is in the field of the valiant, but thou didft promife to remain in the hall ; thou didft promife to remain in the hail till the fon of Morni returned. Till he returned from Strumon, to the maid of his love The tear was on thy cheek at his departure : the figh role in fecrefc in thy breaft. But thou doft not come to meet him,
* Oi-th«na, ' the virgin of the wave.'
1% OITHONA:
with fcngs, with the lightly-trembling found of the harp."
Such were the words of Gaul, when he came to Dunjath'mon's towers. The gates were open and dark. The winds were bluftering in the hall. The trees ftrewed the threshold with leaves ; and the murmur of night was abroad. Sad and filent, at a rock, the fon of Mcrni fat: his foul trembled for the maid; but he knew not whither to turn his courfe. The fon f of Leth ftood at a diftance, and heard the winds in his bufhy hair. But he did not raife his voice, for he law the forrow of Gaul.
Sleep defcended on the heroes. The vifions of night arofe. Oithona ftood in a dream, before the eyes of Morni's fon. Ker dark hair was loofe and dif- ordered : her lovely eye roiled in tears. Blood fLained her fnowy arm. The robe half hid the wound of her breaft. She flood over the chief, and her voice was heard.
" Sleeps the fon of Morni, he that was lovely in the eyes of Oithona ? Sleeps Gaul at the diftant rock, and the daughter of Nuath low ? The fea rolls round the dark ifle of Tromaihon ; I fit in my tears in the cave. Nor do I fit alone, O Gaul, the dark chief of Cuthal is there. He is there in the rage of his love. And what can Oithona do ?"
A rougher blaft rufhed through the oak. The dream of night departed. Gaul took his afpen fpear ; he flood in the rage of wrath. Often did his eyes turn to the eaft, and accufe the lagging light. At length the morning came forth. The hero lifted up the fail. The winds came ruftling from the hill ; and he bounded on the waves of the deep. On the third day arofe Tro- mathon ||, like a blue fhield in the midft of the fea. The white wave roared againft its rocks ; fad Oithona fat on the coaft. She looked on the rolling waters,
t Morlo, the fnn of Leth, is one of Fingal's moft famous heroes. He and three Other men attended Gaul on hit. expedition lo 'I runi;ilh.on. || Trom-thon, 4 heavy or deep founding wave.'
A POEM. 79
and her tears defcend. But when flie faw Gaul in his j fiarted and turned her eyes away. Her love- ly check is bent and red ; her white arm trembles by her fide. Thrice fhe Arove to fly from his pretence ; but hex fteps failed her as foe went.
" Daughter of Nuath," laid the hero, " why dofl thou fly from Gaul ? Do my eyes fend forth the flame of death ? or darkens hatred in my foul ? Thou art to me the beam oi the eaft, nfing in a land unknown. But thou covereft thy face with fadnefs, daughter of high. J hmon! Is the foe of Oithona near ? My foul
burns to meet him in battle. The fword trembles on the fide of Gaul, and longs to glitter in his hand. Speak, daughter of Nuath, dofl. thou not behold my teari :"
" Car heme chief of Strumon," replied the fighing maid, " why c< eft thou over the dark-blue wave, to Nuath'j r : Why did I not pafs away
in fecret, like tl - flower of the rock, that lifts its fair head unfeen, and firews its withered leaves on the blah? Why didfl thou come, O Gaul, to hear my departing flgh ? I pafs au ay in my youth ; and my name ftialj not be heard. Or it will be heard with forrow, and the tears of Nuath will fall. Thou wilt be fad, fon of Morni, for the fallen fame of Oithona. But foe feall fleep in the narrow tomb, fai from the voice of the mourner. Why didfl: thou come, chief of Strumcn, to the fea-beat rocks of Tromathon ?"
" I came to meet thy foes, daughter of car borne Nuath ! the death ofCuthal's chief darkens berore me 5 or Morni:s fon (hall fall. Oil bona ! when Gaul is low, raife my tomb on that oozy rock ; and when the dark-bounding ihip fnal! pafs, call the 'ous of the lea ; call them and give this nyord, that they may carry it to Morni's hall; that the gray haired hero may ceaflj to lock towards the defert for 'the return of his j. ...
" And fhall the daughter of Nuath live V /he replied
burfling figh, '; Shall I live in Tromathon, and
- : My heart is not of that rock ;
mcr my foul cartk'fs as that i'ea, -which lifts its blue
8o OITHONA:
waves to ever)'' wind, and rolls beneath the ftorm. The blaft which fhall lay thee low, fhall fpread the branches of Oithona on earth. We fhall wither together, lbn of car- borne Morni ! The narrow houfe is pleafantto me, and the gray-ftone of the dead: for never more will I leave thy rocks, fea-furrounded Tromathon ! Night f came on with her clouds, after the departure of Lath- ir.on, when he went to the wars of his fathers, to the mofs-covered rock of Duthormoth ; night came on, and I fat in the hall, at the .beam of the oak. The wind was abroad in the trees. I heard the found of arms. Joy role in my face ; for I thought of thy re- turn. It was the chief of Cuthal, the red-haired ftrength of Dunrommath. His eyes rolled in fire : the blood of my people was on his fword. They who defended Oithona fell by the gloomy chief. What could I do ? My arm was weak ; it could not lift the fpear. He tock me m my grief, amidft my te*ars he ralfed the fail. He feared the returning ftrengih of Lathmon, the bro- ther of unhappy Oithona. But behold, he comes with his people ! the dark wave is divided before him ! Whither wilt thou turn thy fteps, fon of Morni ? Ma- ny are the warriors of Dunrommath !"
" My fteps never turned from battle,," replied the hero as he ufdheathed lis fword ; " and fhall I begin to fear, Oithona, when thy foes are near ? Go to thy cave, daughter of Nuath, till cur battle ceafe. Son of Leth, bring the bows of our fathers ; and die founding quiver of Morni. Let our three warriors bend the yew. Ouriehes will lift the fpear. They are an hoft on the rock ; but our fouls are ftrong."
The daughter of Nuath went to the cave : a troubled joy role on Iter ^:ind, like the red path of the lightning on a ftormy cloud. Her foul was reiblved, and the tear was dried from her wildly-looking eye. Dunr- inrnath flow ly approached ; for lie faw the ion of Morni. Con- tempt contracted his face, a fmile is on his dark -brown
I Oitbflaa relates tow ihe was tarried sway h\ DuwM&satM
A poem. 8r
cheek ; his red eye rolled, half-concealed, beneath his fhaggy brows.
" Whence are the Tons of die fea ?" begun the gloomy chief. " Have the winds driven you to the rocis of Trormthon ? Or come you in fearch of the while-hand- ed daughter of Nuath ? The ions of the unhappy, ye feeble men, come to the hand of Dunrommath. Ills eye fpares not the weak, and he delights in the blood of ftrangers. Oithona is a beam of light, and the chief of Cuthal enjoys it in feeret : weuldft thou come on its lovelintfs, like a cloud, fon of the feeble hand ? Thou mayeft come, but {halt thou return to the halls of thy fathers V
" Don. thou not know me," faid Gaul, " red-haired chief of Cuthal ? Thy feet were fwift on the heath, in the battle of car-borne Lathmon: when the fword of Morni's fon purfued his hoft in Moron's woody land. Dunrommath ! thy words are mighty, for thy warriors gather behind thee. But do I fear them, fon of pride ? I am not of the race of the feeble."
Gaul advanced in his arms ; Dunrommath fhrunk behind his people. But the fpear of Gaul pierced the
floomy chief, and his fword lopped off his head, as it ended in death. The fon of Momi fhook it thrice by the- lock ; the warriors of Dunrommath fled. The ar- rows of Morven purfued them : ten fell on the moily rocks. The reft lift the founding fail, and bound on the echoing deep. Gaul advanced towarda the cave of Oithona. He beheld a youth leaning againft a rock. An arrow had pierced his fide : and his eye rolled faint- ly beneath his helmet. The foul of Morni's fon is fad, he came and fpoke the words of peace.
" Can the hand of Gaul heal thee, youth of the mournful brow ? I have fearched for the herbs of the mountains ; I have gathered them on the feeret tanks of their dreams. My hand has doled the w« the valiant, and their eyes have blefled the ion of Mor- ni. Where dwelt thy Fathers, warrior ? Were they of the fons of the mighty ? Sadneft Ihail come, like . Vol. II. H
?a OTTHONA : A POEM.
on thy native Breams ; for thou art fallen in thy youth/'
" My fathers," replied the ftranger, (i were of the r?c? of the mighty ; but they ftall not be fad ; for my fame is departed like morning mill. High walls rife on the banks of Duvranna ; and fee their mofly towers in the ftfeam ; a rock afcends behind them with its behding firs. Thou mayeil behold it far diftant. There my brother dwells. He is renowned in battle: give him this glittering helmet."
The helmet ftil from the hand of Can! ; for it was the wounded Oithoha, She had armed herfelf in the cave, and came in li arch of death, Her heavy eyes are half clef d ; the blood pours from her fide. " Son of Morni," ftie faid, " prepare the narrow tomb. Sleep comes, like a cloud, on my foul. The eyes of Oithona are dim. O had I dwelt at Duvranna, in the bright beam of my fame ! the n had my years come on with joy ; and the virgins would blefs m\ fleps. But 1 fall in youth, fon of Morni, and my father [hall blufh in his hall."
She fell pale en the rock of Tromithon. The mourn- ' ful hero railed her tomb. He came to Morven ; but we faw the darkuefs of his foul. Offian took the harp in the praife of Oithona; The brightnefs of the face of Gaul returned. But his figh rofe, at times, in the midft of "his friends, like biafts that fliake their unfrequent wings, after the ftorniy winds are laid.
|
& r-} |
• ^ |
|
|
C£ - •■■ |
||
|
^-'•■■' |
',~ |
|
|
HL |
C R O M A:
A P O E M.
THE ARGUMENT.
• -ay .iic-Al of annexing the dii-'iinion- : c ■ ■- •...- I M icco di ;ly inarched into i tie country
. .,. «-,. Kh lie hold or Arth or Artho, who v.as aithe tiine, I Ireland.
.■nr.ti'fhiiJK Jiid^inlr*, unfit for i :ti-n, font for aid i nOiTiai Ftrf Crothan
. te fon afCiothar, attacking Rothmar, \\as!b n i, . r'oi 05 totally defeated OlRan renewed the war;
c.inie in b'iitle, :<uli-.! rv.uv. i,ar,an_; /u;;;J his army. Cromab-'ing thus deliver- ed Of its enemies, Offiail lotuiiicd to Scotland.
" Tt was the vpice of my love ! few are his vifits to ■*■ the dreams of Malvina! Open your airy halls, ye fathers of mighty Tofcar. Unfold the gates of your clouds ; the fteps oi Malvina's departure 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 of the lake ? Thy ruflling wing was in the tiic trees, the dream of Malvina departed. Bat {he be- held her love, when his robe of mift flew on the wind; the Learn of the fun was on his fkhts, they glittered like the gold of the firanger. It was the voice of my love ! few are his vifits to my dreams !
" But thou dwelled in the foul of .Malvina, fon of mighty Oman. My fighs arife with the beam of the fill; my tears uefcend with the drops of night. I was a lovely tree, in thy prefence, Ofcar, with all my branch- es round me; but thy death came like a blaft from the defert, and laid my green head low ; the fpring returned with its (howers, but no leaf of mine arofe. The vir- gins law me filent in the hail, and they touched the harp of joy. The tear was on the check of Malvina: H %
g4 CROMA:
the virgins beheld me in my grief. Why art thou fad, theyfaid; thou firft of the maids of Lutha? Was he lovely as the beam of the moining, and ftately in thy fight?"
"Pleafant is thy fong in Ofllan's ear, daughter of ftrea- my Lutha ! Thou haft heard the mufic of departed bards in the dream of thy reft, when deep fell on thine eyes, at the murmur of Moruth f. When thou didft return from the chafe, in the day of the fun, thou haft heard the mufic of the bards, and thy fong is lovely. It is lovely, O Maivina, but it melts the foul. There is a joy in grief when peace dwells in the breaft of the fad. But furrow waftes the mournful, O daughter of , Tofcar, and their days are few. They fall away, like the flower on which the fun looks in his ftrength after the mildew lias palled over it, and its head is heavy with the drops of night. Attend to the tale of Offian, O maid ; he remembers the days of his youth.
The king commanded; I raifed my fails, and rulhed into the bay of Croma : into Croma's founding bay in lovely Innis fail [|. High on the coaft arofe the towers of Crcihar, king of fpears ; Crothar, renowned in the battles of his youth ; but age dwelt then around the chief. Rothmar railed the fword agaiuft the hero ; and the wrath of Fingal burned. He frnt Offian to meet Rothmar in battle, for the chief of Croma was the companion of his youth. I fent the bard before me with fongs ; I came into the hall of Crothar. There fat the hero amiclft the arms of his fathers, but his eyes had failed. His gray locks waved around a ItaiF, on which the warrior leaned. He hummed the fong of other times, when the found of our arms reached his ears, Crothar role, firetched his aged hand, and blef- i'ed the fon of Fingal.
" Oilian," faid the hero, " the ftrength of Crothar's arm has failed. O could I lift the fword, ?.s on the day that Fingal fought at Strutha! He was the. firft of
A POFM. $?
mortal men ; but Crothar had alfo his fame. The king of Morven praii'ed me, and he placed en my arm the holTy fhield ofCalthar, whom the hero had flain in Mar. Doft thou not behold it on the wall, for Cro- thar's eyes have failed ? Is thy ftrength, like thy fa- ther's Offian ? let the aged feel thine arm."
I gave my arm to the king ; he feels it with his aged hands. The iigh rofe in his breaft, and his tears de- fcended. " Thou art ftrong, my fon," he laid, " but not like the king of Morven. But who is like that he- ro among the mighty in war ? Let the feaft of my halls he fpread ; and let my bards raife the fong. Great is he that is within ray wails, fons of echoing Croma !" The feaft is ipread. The harp is heard ; and joy is in the hall. But it was joy covering a figh, that darkly dwelt in even' breaft. It was i'ke the faint beam of the moon, fpread en a cloud in heaven. At length the muiic ceafed, and the aged king of Croma ipeke ; he (poke without a tear, but the iigh fwelled in the midft of his voice.
" Son of Fingal ! clofl thou not behold the darknef3 of Crothar'shail of fheils ? My foul was not dark at the feaft] when my people lived. I rejoiced in the pre- fence offtrangers, when my fon ihone in the halL But, Officii, he is a beam that is departed, and left no ftreak of light behind. He is fallen, fon oii Fingal, ii the battles of his father. Rothmar, the chief of grafly Tromlo, heard that my eyes had failed; he heard that my arms were fixed in the hall, and the pride of his leul arofe. He came towards Croma; my people fell before him. I took my arms in the hall; but what could fight- lels Crothar do ? My Heps were unequal ; my gi i great. I wiftted for the days that were paft. Days ! wherein i fought ; and conquered in the held ofh My fon returned from tin :hafe; the fair-haired Fo-^ var-gormoV. Ht had 1 tlifj ?d in battle, for
his arm was young, B it the foul of the youth was
-
S6 CROMA:
great; the fire of valour burnt in his eyes. He faw the difordered fteps of his father, and his iigh arofe. " King of Croma," he faid, " is it becaufe thou haft no fon ? is it for the weaknefs of Fovar-gormo's arm that thy fighs arife ? I begin, my father, to feel the ftrength of my arm ; I have drawn the fword of my youth ; and I have bent the bow. Let me meet this Rothmar, with the youths of Croma : let me meet him, O my father; for I feel my burning foul/'
" And thou (hah meet him," I faid, " fon of the fightlels Crothar! But let others advance before thee, that I may hear the tread of thy feet at thy return ; for my eyes behold thee not, fair-haired hovar gormo ! He went, he met the foe ; he fell. The foe advances towards Croma. He who flew my fon is near, with all his pointed {"pears."
It is not time to fill the fhel!, I replied, and took my fpear. My people faw the fire of my eyes, and they rcfe around. All night we ftrode along the heath. Grav morning rofe in the eaft. A ^reen narrow vale appeared before us ; nor did it want its blue ftream. The dark heft of Rothmar are on its banks, with all their glitterinp; arms. We fought along the vale; they fled ; Rothmar funk beneath my fword. Day had not defcended in the weft when I brought his arms to Cro- thar. The aged hero felt them with his hands ; and joy brightened in his foul;
The people gather to the hall; the found of the fuel's is heard. Ten harps art firung ; five bards advance,, and fing by turns j, the prail'e of Oman ; they poured
NIGHT it dull
A POEM. 87
forth their burning fouls, and the harp anfwered to their voice. The joy of Grama was great : for peace returned to the land. The night came en with filence,
B valley murmurs; but its murmur is
e 01 the (lead I lie long-howling ow 1 is
. a Rl;"-.' ! it fade- — it flies. Some tu.
ih s a ay : the meteor marks the path.
• 1 dog is howling from the hut of ttic hill, rhe Hag lies 00 the moor!.
tain miifs : the hind is at his ride she hear; the wind in lii» branchy horns, She
lift of the rock ; the hea:h-c ink's head i- beneath his wing, N ■".'..•.. ; :• : '.t the owl and, the. howling fox. She oh aTeaflefs
free: lie i„ . cio-ui .... the i, ill.
nark, panting, (rcnililing, fad, the iravelle- hai loll hi- way. Through fhrubs, through thorn.-, he ?•*•,, along 1'he gurgl.ng rill. He fe-.rs the roc!: an-' • ■ , ■■„. i . gho't u! night. The old tree groans to th. I-Utt ; the falli, g branch
r , he Wind drive: the wiihenVi bur-. c'e;:i<: t. -.ether, aloi.g '
It i-the light t t.s.i of a ghoft ! He trembles a idn 'he night.
Datk,d'i!k>-, howling i-, niyht ! cloud\ , w:nd>,ai.d full ofgiccU! The dead are abroad ! my friends, receive »;ie from the night.
SECOND BARD.
THE wind hup. The {power defcends. rhe fpirit of the mour.ram fhrieks. Woods fall from high. U'inri, w- flap I he giowimt liver ro-u.-. The tra-eller attempts the ford Hark that Ihnek. ! he d.e- :-.. The ii-i m drives the horfe from the hill, the goat, the lowing cow. They tremble ,i» drives cha fhowerjjbefide tire m >'.i'.Jering bank.
The hunter ltarts from deep, in his lonely hut ; he wakes the fire decayed. His wet dog- fmoke around him. he Gils the chinks irtti heath. Luud roar two m'nni'.ain-il rer.:i!s which meet befirie hi- ho ith.
Sad, on the tide of a hill, the wandering fheiherd fits. The tree refounds above him. rhe dream roars down the rock. He waits tor the riling moon to guide
Gbofts ride en the ftorm to-night. Sweet is their voice between the fqualls of wind. Their foi.gs;.:e of uthe:
Therein is pa't. The dry wind blows. Streamer ia>-, and wind- ivs lap. Cold drops fail from the roof. 1 fee tne Harry Sky. Hut the Ihowei- gathers again, 'I he wed L gloomy and dark. Night i- Uormy and dilVnal, rct.'hcinc, uiy irunds, from night.
T11IR1 BARD. THE wind Rill founds between tie hills; and whiffle- *h"-t:rr-h t^a grifs of the rhe firs fall from their place The turf', . ; . ,.
n er the iky, and fliew the burning liars. ",' , •-., :en of death I
■ ■•■••■" "'.red fern 1 loak. Who is T.;: , - . tnctree,
■ 'ht, on the lake. Is this 41s broken boat on the more ? Are th-fe his
I The ri-iky fr.ow d.f. -rd=. The too-, of the hills are v hite. '1 he Uormy wind-, ahate. \ urious is itic night did col i ; receive l.ie, m- irlends, from night.
"V .: : ' XIC.HT is calm p.r.d rai: V .-. •■ . ■: ..' •- n'rt*. The winds, wi:h 'he ip on the umuntaio. 1'ei lake ; bright il.e ' I
I ■- ■■•; 'tcf '1 hi-id I
. x ,- toeiiead? That form
88 CROMA:
and the morning returned with joy. No foe came in darknefs, with his glittering fpear. The joy of Croma was great ; for the gloomy Rothmar was fallen.
I raifed my voice for Fovar-gormo, wlien they laid the chief in earth. The aged Crothar was there, but his figh was not heard. He fearched for the wound of his fon, and found it in his breaft. Joy role in the face of the aged. He came and fpoke to Offian.
" King of fpears !" he faid, " my fon has net fallen without his fame. The young warrior did not fiy ; but met death as he went forward in his ih'ength. Hap- py are they* who die in -youth, when their renown is heard! The feeble will not behold them in the hall; or fmile at their trembling hands. Their memory fliaU be honoured in the fong ; the young tear of the virgin
the moon. Receive me not5 tay friend, for lovely is. the nifc.ht.
FIFTH BARD. NTOI1T iso'.ri, V,t dreary. 1 i.t moon i, ir. a cloyrt in the weft. Slow mo Hong the (haded hill. Th< ... The torn
,. ., heard from the bootf- M< re than half
■.- i lie fettled 1; 1 he i. ,.u, ll.i..'.. :• ... ..,.--. . .;-. he ;:k.
the hill acd whil iftrei cloud. He fees the fta
plouch r Ilk noun. M ihoithe; -lit: •■ ;>'•. he ;.'<:. I y the mofTy rock
Vhi'm nor.' . ',." ,'-"nill on that lofty rock. Ira;
I'i )■.. • .,-. ir aii. N. .,:;; i- dreary, fucnt, ;
Lei
A POEM. 89
falls. But the aged wither away, by degrees, and the fame of their youth begins to be forgot. They fall in fecret ; the figh of their ion is not heard. Joy is a- round their tomb ; and the ilone of their fame is pla- ced without a tear. Happy are they who die in youth* when their renown is around them 1"
1
^:fe^£fe
BERRATKOX:
A P O E M.
THE ARGUMENT.
clofesu.w, ii-.j i.itiOycj <it tlit poet's death.
T> end tliy blue courfe, O itream, round the narrow ■*-* plain of Luthaf. Let the green woods hang over it from their mountains ; and the fun look on it at noon. The thiiiie is there on its reck, and (hakes its beard to tli. wine'. The Bower hangs its heavy head, waving, at times, to the gale. " Why doft thou awake me, O gale ?" it feems to fay; " I am covered with the drops of heaven. The time of my fading is near, and the blaft that (hail fcattermy leaves. To-morrow mall the traveller come, he that faw rne in my beauty (hall come : his eyes will fearch the held, but they will not find me ! So fhall they fearch in vain for the voice of Cona, after it has failed in the field. The hunter fhall come forth in the morning, and the voice of my harp fhall not be heard. " Where is the fon of car-borne Fingal ?" The tear will be on his cheek. Then come thou, O Malvina ||, with all thy mufic, come ; lay Of-
fLutha, «fwift ft ream.'
It Mal-mhina, ' Co ft or lovely brow.' Mhia the Gallic language has the fame found with V in Ejigiiih.
A POF.IVf. 91
fian in the plain of Lutha : let his tomb rife in the l.)\r!-. field.
. ! when art thou with thy fangs: with the foft found of n f of Alpin art thou near?
where is the daughter of Tolcar ? "I palled, O ion of ! I, by Tarlutha's moily walls. The fmoke of the hall was ceaied : (Hence was among the trees of the hill. The voice of the chafe was over. I faw the daughters of the bow. J aflced about Malvina, but they anfwered not. They turned their faces away: thin clarknefs co- vered their beauty. They were like liars on a rainy hill, by night, each looking faintly through her mill. PIcafant || be thy reft, O lovely beam ! 1000 haft thou , fet ou our hills ! The fteps of thy departure wereftate- ly, like the moon on the blue trenibhng wave. But thou haft left us in dark nefs, ft; if of the maids of Lu- tha ! We fit, at the rock, and there is no voice; no light but the meteor of fire ! Soon haft thou fet, Mal- vina, daughter of generous Tofcar! But thou rifefl like the beam of the eaft, among the {pints of thy friends, where they fit in their ilormy halls, the cham- bers of the thunder. A cloud hovers over Cona: its biue curling fides are high. The winds are beneath it, with then" wings j within it is the dwelling of-*, Fincral. 'J here the hero fits in daxkjiefs ; his airy fpear is in his hand. His Ihield half-covered with clouds, is like the darkened moon ; when one half ftiU remains in the . . e, and the other looks fickly on the field.
friends fit around the king, on mill; and hear the Tongs oflWin: he ftrikes the half-viewlefs harp; and eaifes the feeble voice. The ieffer heroes, with a thoufand meteors, light the airy hall. Malvina rifes, in
t Tra lition ba 5 not banded down the name of :h:.«fon of Alpin. His father was
. ..tiks. lit 1 ills. M:.l\ .t, u:idio,inr.Lies'.Lt .
■ -' n —r' '. >: 'l :.'*ic to
: , ' '. 1 1 • .. I ■ 1 - .: employments ul their fo ei life. • ent Greeks concerning their departed
I . . . .
9* BERRATHON:
the midft ; a blnfh is on her cheek. She beholds the unknown faces of her fathers, and turns ancle her hu- mid eyes. « Art thou come fo foon," faid Fingal, " daughter of generous Tofcar ? Sadnefs dwells in the halls of Lutha. My aged fonf is fad. I hear the breeze of Cona, that was wont to lift thy heavy locks* It comes to the hall, but thou art not there ; its voice is mournful among the arms of thy fathers. Go with thv ruftling wing, O breeze ! and figh on Malvina's tomb. It rifes yonder beneath the rock, at the blue Jlream of Lutha. The maids J are departed to their place; and thou alone, O breeze! mourneft there."
But who comes from the dufky weft, iupported on a cloud ? A fmile is on his gray watery face ; his locks of mift fly on the wind: he bends forward on his airy fpear: it is thy father, Malvina! " Why fhineft thou fo foon on our clouds," he fays, " O lovely light of Lutha ? Bllt thou wert fad, my daughter, for thy friends were paffed away. The fons of little men 1 were in the hall ; and none remained of the heroes, but Oflian, king of fpears."
And doft thou rememher,-Offian, car-borne Tofcarff , fon of Conloch ? The battles of our youth were many j our fwords went together to the field. They law us coming like two falling rocks ; and the fons of the ftranger fled. " There come the warriors of Con a," they raid; " their heps are in the paths of the vanquifh- ed." Draw near, fon of Alpin, to the fong of the aged. The actions of other times are in my foul: my memo- ry beams on the days that are paft. On the days of the mighty Toicar, when our path was in the deep. Draw
f Oflian ; who had a ^rent frier.rifhip for Malvina, both on account of her love for hij.lon.Ofca), .'.ml her ;.tlcnli(,:i to !>-= own pool's.
f Offianiby^a ' '• i : t, "' ■. '■ : "■ arctedU* h " ■' v'tcaftinns
, i I'ofcar wa-; ih? f >n of tlr.it Conl ch. who w nnlurtunate deaih is ivlaisii iu the ...;'. epifutk o
A POEM. 93
near, foil of Alpin, to the lait found of the voice of Cona.
TJie king of Morven commanded, and I raifed my fails to the wind. Tofcar chief of Lutha flood at my fide, as I refe on the dark-blue wave. Our cour'e wr> to iea-furrounded Benathon f, the ifle of many ftorms* There dwelt, with his locks of age, the ftately -■ of Larthmor. Larthmor who fpread the feaji of (he! s to Comhal's mighty fon, when he went to Starna'a haHs, in the days of As-;andecca. But when the chief was old, the pride of his fon arofe, the pride of fair- haired Uthal, the love of a tlioufand maids. He hound the aged Larthmor, and dwelt in his founding hails.
Lung pined the king in his cave, befide his roiling fea. Morning did not come to his dwelling ; nor the burning oak by night. But the wind of ocean was there, and the parting beam of the moon. The red fiar looked on the king, when it trembled on the weft- ern wave. Snith.0 came to Sehna's hall: Snitho, com- panion of Larthmor'q youth. He told of the king cf Bej Tgthop : the wrath of Fineal rofe. Thrice he af* fumed the fpear, refoived to flretch his hand to CjthaU But the memory jj of his aclious rofe before the king, ?nd he fent his fun and Tofcar. Our joy was great on the railing lea; and we often half-unfheathed our fwords. For never before had we fought alone, in the pf the fpcar.
Night came down on the ocean ; the winds depart- ed or their wings. Cold and pale is the moon. The red liars lift their hcv.d.-:. Our courfe is flow along the coafl; of Serration.: the white waves tumble on the. rocks. "What voice is that," faid Tofcar, " which pomes between the founds of the waves? It is foft bur mournful? like the voice of departed bard;. . Bui I be-
Vol, II. I
i A pro;:" ' -i-Hves.
|, The meaning of U i • - . ' .
ii ntly w >uld mi! fill i .,:>,'. v . .. ,
v
94 BERRATHON :
hold the maid f , (he fits on the rock alone. Her head bends on her arm of mow: her dark hair is in the wjnd. Hear, fon of Fihgal, her fong, it is fmooth as the glid- ing waters of Lavaftv." We came to the filcnt bay, and heard the maid of night.
" Hew long will ye roll aronnd me, blue-tumbling waters of ocean ? My dwelling was not always in caves, nor beneath the whiftling tree. The feaft was fpread in Torthoma's hall ; my father delighted in my voice. The youths beheld me in the fteps of my lovelinefs, and they blcfTed the dark-haired Nina-thoma. It was then thou diclft come, O.Uthal ! like the fun of hea- ven. The fouls of the virgins are thine, fon of gene- rous Larthmor ! But why doit thou leave me alone in the mid ft of roaring waters ? Was my foul dark with thy death ? Bid my white hand lift the fword ? Why then halt thou left me alone, king of high Finthor- mo?']"
The tear ftarted from my eye when I heard the voice of the maid. I flood before her in my arms, and fpoke the words of peace. " Lovely dweller of the cave, what figh is in that breaft ? Shall Gfiian lift his fword in thy prefence, the deftrucYton of thy foes ? Daughter of Torthoma, rife, 1 have heard the words of thy grief. The race of Morven are around thee, who never injured the weak. Come to our dark bo- i'omed (hip, thou brighter than that felting moon. Our rourfe is to the rocky Berrathon, to the echoing walls of f inthorrno." She came in her beauty, fhe came with all her lovely fteps. Silent joy brightened in her face, as when the fhadows fly from the field of fpring ; the blue firtam is rolling in brightnefs, and the green bufh bends over its courfe.
The morning rofe with its beams. We came to Rothma's bay. A boar rufhed from the wood; my
■f Vina-thoma the daughter cf Torthoma, who hail been confined to a defert if- fantfby her lover Uthal .
) Fii-.tbui:no. the paUtx of U'.ial. The namusin Va^e/.toiU arc not of aLcltK; r.ij-iiM.' ; which kua^es it probable that oiTun fouads his pOvin wu a uuc ftory.
A POEM. 95
fpear pierced his fide. I rejoiced over the blood f, and forefaw ray growing fame. But now the found of Dthai's train came from the high Finthcrmo ; they ijr-t a 1 over the heath to the chafe of the boar. Him-- felf comes flowly on, in the pride of his ftrength. He lifts two pointed fpears. On his tide is the hero's (word. Three youths carry his polilhed bows : the bounding of five dogs is before him. His warriors move on., at a dlftaoce, admiring the fteps of the king. State- ly was the fon of Larthmor ! but his foul was dark. Dark as the troubled face of the moon, when it fore- tells the ftorros,
We rofe oh the heath before the king ; he Itopt in the midii of bis courfe. iiis warriors gathered around, and a gray-haired bard advanced. " Whence are the Ions of the ftrangers?" begun the bard. " The chil- dren of the unhappy come to Berrathon j to the fword of car-borne Uthal. He fpreads no feaft in bis hall : the blood of grangers is on his iireams. If from Sl-!- ilk ye eome, from the mofly waUs of Fin'gaJ, ouths to go to your king to tell of the fall of his people. Perhaps the hero may come and pour his blood ou Uthal's lwbrd; lb fnall the fame of Fiu- thormo a: ife, hh 2 the growing tree of the vale."
" Never will it rife, O bard," I laid in the pride df my wrath* "He would fhrink in the preience ofFm- gai; wlioie eyes are the Sanies of death. The fon of Comhal comes, and the kings vanifh in his pretence ; they are rolled together, like milt, by the breath of his rage. Shail three tell to Fingai, that his people fell ? Yes ! they may teil it bard ! "but his people ihall fail
I flood in the darknefs of my ftrength. Tofcar drew his (word at my fide. The foe came on kke a Iheam: the mingled found of death arole. Han took I z
- Offian thought that Us kiHingthe boar, on his firft landing in Berratlwrn. wa i
■ .iii^i. , he ,»r._.'c:,- V •;..*■■ .>. ,
. iccefs offaeir iini action, wtei engagea iu j.ny deljperats undertaking.
- 96 EF.RRATHOX i
man, fhield met fhield; fteel mixed its beams with flee!. jDarts hifs through air ; fpears ring on mails ; and fwords on broken bucklers bound. As the noife of aft aged grove beneath the roaring wind, when a thoufand ghpils break the trees by night, inch was the din of arms. But Uthal fell beneath, my iword ; and the fons- (jfBerrathbufled, It was then I law him in his beau- ty, and the tear hung in my eye. "Thou art fallen}, young tree," I faid, "with all thy beauty round thee. Thou art fallen on thy plains, and the field is bare. The winds come from the defert, and there is no found in thy leaves ! Lovely art thou in death, fon of car- bci He Larthmor."
Nina-thoina fat on the fhore, and heard the found of battle. She turned her red eyes on Lethmal the gray-haired hard of Selma, for he had remained on the ceaft with the daughter of Tcrthcma. " Son of the times of old !" fhe (aid, " I hear the noife of d:.ath. Thy friends ha^e met with [Jthal, and the chief is low f O that I had remained on the rock, inclofed with the tumbling waves ! Then would my foul be 4ad, but his death would not reach my ear^. Art thou fallen on thy heath, O fon of high Finthormo! thou did ft have me on a rock, but my foul was full of thee. Son of 1:1;. h Fiiithei-mo ! art thou fafleu on thy heath ?"
She role pale in her tears, and faw the bloody fhield oH Jthal; fne faw it in Offian's hand ; her fiep.s were dif.-racted on the heath. She flew ; fhe found him ; fhe felk Her foul came forth in a figh. Her hair la- fpread on his face. My burfimg tears defcend. A tomfrarofe on the unhappy, and my fong was heard. " Reft, haplefs children of youth ! at the noife of that jnofly ifaream. The virgins will fee your tomb, at the chafe, and turn away their weeping eyes. Your fame
t'/rs, the humane Vir;^: ni't cxiciited, v V'v.nig the n..j.Lne'-iiuai ol dial gicai inn
A POEM. 97
will be in the fong ; the voice of" the harp will be heabd '■■ in your praife. The daughters of SelmafhaU hear it; •renown &all he in other lands. Reft, chil- dren of youth, at the noife of the molTy ftream. '
Two days we remained on the roaft. The heroes of Eerrat; on convened. We brought Larthmor to his halls; the feaft of ftjeUs- was fpread. The joy ofth.e aged was great ; he looked to the arms of his fathers;: the arms which he left in his hall, when the- pride of Uthal arofe. We were renowned before Larthmor, and he bleffed the chiefs of Morven ; but lie knew not ■ for, was low, the ftaiely ftrength of Uthal. They had told, that he had retired to the woods, with the tears of grief ; they had told it, but he was filent in the tomb of Rothma's heath.
On the fourth day we railed our falls to the roar of the northern wind. Larthmor came to the conft, and bis bards railed the fong. The joy of the king was great] he looked to Rothma's gloomy heatli , I the tomb of his fon ; and the memory of Uthal rofe. '■ Who of my heroes," he faid, " lies there : He Terms to have been of the kings of fpears. Was he rendwned in my halls, before the pride of Uthal rofe ? Ye are fi- lent, fons of Berrathon, is the king of heroes low ? My heart melts for thee, O Uthal ! though thy hand w::s againft thy father ! C that I had remained in the cave ! that my ion had dwelt in Finthormo ! I might have heard the tre^d of his feet, when he went to the chafe of the boar. I might have heard his voice on the Waft of my cave. Then would my foul be glad ; but now darknefs dwells in mv
Such were my deeds, fon of Alpha, when the arm of my youth was ftrong ; fuch v. ere f the actions of Tof- rar, the car borne ion of Cpnloch, But Tofcar is on his flying clou I; and 1 • Lurha : my voicq
wind, when it woods. But Ofiian fhall not be long alone, he fees the. I &
*>8 BERRATHON:
it ill that fhall receive his gholt. He beholds the rhift that fhall form his robe, when he appears on his hills. The ions of little men {hall behold me, and admire the ftature of the chiefs of old. They fhali- creep to their caves, and look to the. iky with fear; for my fteps fhall be in the clouds, and darknefs fhall roll on my fide.
Lead, fon of Alpin, had the aged to las woods. The winds begin to rife. The dark wave of the lake re- founds. Bends there not a tree from Mora with its branches bare ? Jt bends, fon of Ahpin, in the ruffling Waft. My harp hangs en a blafled branch. The found of its firings is mournful. Does the wind touch thee, O harp, or is it fome pairing ghoft! it is the hand of Malvina I brt bring me the harp, fon of Alpin; anothej long fhall arife. My fool fhall depart in the found; my fathers fhall hear it in their airy hall. Their dim faces fhall hang, with joy, from their clouds; and their hands receive their fon. The 2ged oak bend? over the ftream. It fighs with all its raofs. The wi- thered fern whittles near, and mixes, as it waves, with OfBan's hair.
Strike the harp and raife the fcrig : be near with all yjsmr winy?, ye winds. Bear the mournful fovuid away to Fingal's airy hall. Bear it to Fir.gal's itall, that he may hear the voice of his fon ; the voice of him that praifed the mighty.
The blaft of the north opens thy gates, O king, and f behold thee fitting on ir-ifi, dimly gleaming imaU thine arms. Thy form now is not the terror of the valiant : brt like a watery cloud ; when we fee the ftars behind it with their weeping eyes. Thy fhieid h> like the a- ged moon: thy fword a vapour half-kindled with fire; 'dim and feeble is the chief, who travelled in brightnefs -before. But thy fteps f are on the winds of the defert, Snd the iiorrns darken in thy hand.. Thou feakeft
',- This run" n ',*'.-■' Tit 'U-iVUr>t inn of the power of Fhifral o\ c: i ru winds and hnrm ,
A POEM. 9;}
ihe fun in thv wrath, and hideft him [ft thy clouds. The fon's of little men are afraid ; and a thoufand defcehd. But when thou comeit forth in thy rnildnefs; tlit- gale of the morning is near thy courfe. The fun laughs in his blue fields ; and the gray ftream winds in ita valley. The bufhes fhake their green heads in the wind. The roes bound towards the defert.
But there is a murmur in the heath ! the ftormy winds abate ! I hear the voice of Fingah 1 ong has it been abfent from mine ear ! " Come, Ofiian, come away," he fays: " Fingalhas received his fame. We paHed away, like flames that had Alone for a feafon, our departure was in renown. Though the plains of our battles are ('.ark and filent ; our lame is in the four gray ftotoes. The voice of Oifian has been heard ; and the harp was lining in Selma. Come, Ofiian, come away," he fays, " and fly with thy fathers on clouds."
And come I will thou king of men ! the life of Ofii- an fails. I begin to var.ifh on Cona ; and my fteps are not feen in Selma. Beiide the ftone of Mora I fhail fall afleep. The winds whittling in my gray hair fhail not waken me. Depart on thy wings, Owind: thou canft not diilurb the reft of the bard. The night is long, but his eyes are heavy ; depart thou tattling blaft.
But why art thou fad, fon of Fingal ? Why grows the cloud of thy lbul ? 1 he chiefs of other times are departed ; they have gene without their fame. The fons of future years fhail pafs away ; and another race arife. The people arc like the waves of ocean : like the leaves of woody Mbrven, they pais away in the rUftling , nd other leaves lift their green heads. Did thy beauty lait O Ryno f? Stood the ftrength of car-borne
• fir,?a1,who\i-as killed in IreHud, »>i the war againft Sivi.nn (rii:t;il, iJ > r>r the beauty of bis perfoii.Jns fwiftnc
-.i, an.l iiller to Caul, \.<u in love wuU . I be following is her lamentatioo over her lo\cr.
. -i Mi rv: Vs rr.ci'S bends over the .'.arkly-rn'.Hr.g fea. FI13 rm-. Wdcrc, K' m, where :!rt thou i
He c. ro Rev on doudJ ! That in I'.- - mill ><:nri:
. :.-i, 011 CI':,,-, u Mi;.ui,: Strong tfa
-.-
IQO BERRATHON: A POEM.
Qfcar ? Fingal himfelf pafled away ; and the halls of his fathers forgot his Heps. And fhalt thou remain, aged bard ! when the mighty have failed ? But my fame fhall remain, and grow like the oak of Morven ; which lifts its broad head to the ftorm, and rejoices in the courfe of the wind.
t be,ve winds! that lift my dark-brown hair. My fitfis will
i yobT ftre'ani ; for 1 mufl flccp with Ryno.
ith beauty's Jti-us rL-tJi r.i.u; r'r<>:n the civile. The night is round
.:•... ill tin. ■&■> ■!'.■. -vith Ryno.
J-'g-., and v.heie thvbow i Thy fhieM that was fo ftrong? Thy
.■ : ■ i- !, -. " r: cbloody fpear oS Ryno.
^J in thy (hip; I fee ihem iUmed with blood. No arms are in,
. .■;'.!■', thou king of fpears! arife, th*
; I'm nb( r'ng 1 '■::; b. '■ '
lotiiy, iry kir.i:: mil heal to the bin of thy rei oic Mir.vane
-,i.artura with longs. But I will iiot hear you, 0 majUs ! 1 fiecp with fair-haired
TEMORA:
AN
EPIC POEM.
IN EIGHT BOOKS.
|
THE ARGCVrXT. |
||
|
Cairbar, the Con of Borbar-dulhal. lord of Atha in Conna'teht, |
||
|
chief A thcra- |
||
|
Cormv: the for |
||
|
father of Fuiga |
||
|
, i |
' .: fan ill on |
|
|
tk dcfig:'.s coming to CairLar. he alien. |
||
|
• |
t the fame time o.dc-.c.: . : , ■ . |
|
|
1 |
. : ■■■ oe :' |
|
|
- |
||
|
The i.o;m ..pens |
morning. Cairbar feti |
|
|
. ., , when en |
e r his fi outsbr u [hi hin i of the 1 |
|
|
lie iiflem |
c.^.ci! of his chiefs. I . tin > 1 Mo |
|
|
fpifes the enen |
||
|
. |
||
|
rites Ofcar the |
||
|
1 |
||
|
ed: the follow |
||
|
. |
||
|
1 • |
1 |
|
|
ftherii |
||
|
- |
- |
. |
|
Morven.Jo be |
1 |
|
|
nel -he kins th< |
1 be mo uf Cormac |
|
|
1 ■ . • |
||
|
: |
The fceneof thi- -nh is a plain, near |
|
|
. ;:'u on |
:ke borders of the heath oiMui-lena,iri Uiaer. |
fPH
BOOK I.
blue waves of UlHn roll in light. The green hills are covered with day. Trees (hake their du£ kv heads in the breeze. Gray torrents pour their noi- fy {breams. Two green hills, with aged oaks, furrouhd a narrow plain. The blue courle of a ftreaih is there : on its banks Hood Cairbar f of Atha. His ipear fup-
1 Cairbar, the fon or Borbar.J.i iv.l, •\?* dcf. ended !iiu-.!!v from Larthon the a the 1 "..til of Ireland. The t':i"! -.c,e in r,o!fefion oi civ: : .- -cin^um, and the firft mi.
narchs of Inland n , •.'■: of their rate. lienc-; an,:c tij..K C.:h\. ,'n.« ; x-tv ecu u\c twor.arior.^v.lmh "i -rminiitcd, at lill.ir the murder of C rmac, amt the ....>;,:•» fi-o:i of Cairbar, iotU ot Atr.a, who is mentioned in thii pla:e.
102 TEMORA ! Book I.
ports the king: the red eyes of his fear are fad. Cor- mac rifes in his foul, with all his ghaftly wounds. The gray form of the youth appears in darkncfs ; blood pours from his airy fides. Cairbar thrice threw his fpear on earth ; and thrice he ftroked his beard. Kis fteps are fhort ; he often flops : and toffes his finewy arms. He is like a cloud in the defert, that varies its form to every blaft: the valleys are fad around, and fear, by turns, the fhower.
The king, at length, refumed his foul, and took his pointed fpear. He turned his eyes to Moi-lena. The ibouts of blue ocean came. They came with fteps of fear, and often looked behind. Cairbar knew that the mighty were near, and called his gloomy chiefs. , The founding fteps of his warriors came. They drew, at once, their fwords. There Morlath f flood with darkened face. Hidalla's long hair fighs in wind. Red- haired Cormar bends on his fpear, and rolls his ride- long-looking eyes. Wild is the look of Malthos from beneath two fhaggy brows. Foldath Hands, like an oozy rock, that covers its dark fides with foam. His fpear is like Slimora's fir, that meets the wind of hea- ven. His fhield is marked with the ftrokes of battle ; and his red eye defpifes danger. Thefe and a thoufaad other chiefs furrounded car-borne Cairbar, when the fcout of ocean came. Mor-annal from itreamy Moi-le- na-. His eyes hang forward from his face, his lips are trembling, pale.
" Do the chiefs of Erin Hand," he faid, " ftlent as the grove of evening ? Stand they, like a fiient wood, and Fingal on the coaft ? Fingal, the terrible in battle, the king of flrearrry Morven!" " Haft thou feen the warrior?" faid Cairbar with a figh. " Are his heroes many on the coait ? Lifts he the fpear of battle ? Or
J-Vi. l-.rh, 'nreat in the day of battle.' Hidalla', 'mildly looking hero.' Co, ■-, 'e-fciat fea," Malth-os, ' flow to fyeak.' Fold
Fn!u-.'h, wai is fyere ft rongly marked, makes igreal figun in t lie ic. ;:ti..t ;he ].,,. . a- rt., 11.. , r i ■ ■ ..... ; i! iic I, . . ..iu
onfident,and tohav«
Jiad s >■ ii ■•.!. : ... Ireland. Bistrjfce
Soot 7. AN EPIC POEM. IOJ
comes the king in peace ?" " In peace he comes :;ct, Cairbar. I have feen his forward ^pearf. It is a me- teor of death ; the blood of tboufands is on lis fteel. He came firit to the more, ftrong in the gray hair of age. Full rofe his finewy limbs, as he ftrcde in his might. That fword Is by his fide which gives no fe- wound. His Ihield is terrible, like the bloody mo('n afcending through a fterm. Thi n ca oe Oman, kir.g of fongs ; and Movni's fon, the firft of men. Con- nal leaps forward on his fpear. Dennit fpreads his dark brown locks. Fillan bends his bow, the young hunter of ftrearoy Moruth. But v ho is that before them, like the dreadful courfe of a ftream ? It is the fon of Oman, bright between his locks. His long hair fails on his back. His dark brows are half-ihclofed in fuc!. His fword hangs looie on his fide. His fpear glitters as he moves. I fled from his terrible eyes, king of high Temora."
" Then fly, thou feeble man," faldFoldath in gloo- my wrath. " Fly to the gray ftreims of thy land, ion of the little foul! Have not I feen that Ofcarr I beheld the chief in war. He is of the mighty in danger ; but there are others who lift the fpear. Erin has many fons as brave, king of Temora of Groves ! Let Foldath meet him in the ftrength of his courfe, and flop this mighty ftream. My fpear is covered with the blood of the valiant ; my fhield is like the wall of Tura."
" Shall Foldath^ alone meet the foe?" replied the dark -browed Malihos. " Are they not numerous on our coaft, like the