ARGUMENT TO BOOK IV.

The action of the poem being suspended by night, Ossian takes that opportunity to relate his own actions at the lake of Lego, and his courtship of Evirallin, who was the mother of Oscar, and had died some time before the expedition of Fingal into Ireland. Her ghost appears to him, and tells him that Oscar, who had been sent, the beginning of the night, to observe the enemy, was engaged with an advanced party, and almost overpowered. Ossian relieves his son, and an alarm is given to Fingal of the approach of Swaran. The king rises, calls his army together, and, as he had promised the preceding night, devolves the command on Gaul, the son of Mor. ni, while he himself, after charging his sons to behave gallantly, and defend his people, retires to a hill, from whence he could have a view of the battle. The battle joins; the poet relates Oscar's great actions. But when Oscar, in conjunction with his father, conquered in one wing, Gaul, who was attacked by Swaran in person, was on the point of retreating in the other. Fingal sends Ullin his bard to encourage him with a war song, but notwithstanding Swaran prevails; and Gaul and his army are obliged to give way. Fingal, descending from the hill, rallies them again : Swaran desists from the pursuit, possesses himself of a rising ground, restores the ranks, and waits the approach of Fingal. The king, having encouraged his men, gives the necessary orders, and renews

the battle. Cuthullin, who, with his friend Connal, and Carril, his bard, had retired to the cave of Tura, hearing the noise, came to the brow of the hill, which overlooked the field of battle, where he saw Fingal engaged with the enemy. He, being hindered by Connal from joining Fingal, who was himself upon the point of obtaining a complete victory, sends Carril to congratulate that hero on his success. MACPHER

SON.

FINGAL.

BOOK IV

WHO comes with her songs from the hill, like

the bow of the showery Lena? It is the maid

' Fingal being asleep, and the action suspended by night, the poet introduces the story of his courtship of Evirallin, the daughter of Branno. The episode is necessary to clear up several passages that follow in the poem ; at the same time, that it naturally brings on the action of the book, which may be supposed to begin about the middle of the third night from the opening of the poem. This book, as many of Ossian's other compositions, is addressed to the beautiful Malvina, the daughter of Toscar. She appears to have been in love with Oscar, and to have affected the company of the father after the death of the son. MACPHERSON.

2 Who comes with her songs from the hill, like the bow of the showery Lena.] "Who is this that cometh out of the wilder

of the voice of love! The white-armed daughter of Toscar! Often hast thou heard my song; often given the tear of beauty. Dost thou come to the wars of thy people? to hear the actions of Oscar? When shall I cease to mourn, by the streams of resounding Cona? My years have passed away in battle. My age is darkened with grief!

Daughter of the hand of snow! I was not so mournful and blind3. I was not so dark and

ness, like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense?" Song of Solomon, iii. 6.

Blair observes," that these occasional addresses to Malvina, have a finer effect than the invocation of any muse." The poet indeed, invokes no muse in the beginning, to avoid apparent imitation; but addresses to persons or objects not immediately connected with the subject, are invariably prefixed to the lesser poems. Such occasional digressions by the bard in person, are peculiar to modern poetry, and were first introduced by Milton's address to Urania and to Light, of which the ostentatious addresses to Malvina, and to the sun, moon, and evening star, are no obscure imitations.

3 Daughter of the hand of snow, I was not so mournful and blind.] From Ossian's courtship of Evirallin, (Suireadh Oisein), an Irish ballad, beginning thus: "But I tell you, wanton girl, I was once valiant in battle, though now I am worn out with years." The wanton girl, or, as translated by others, the daughter of Ionsai, (Nighean Iunnsai) who solicited, or rather despised the old bard, is thus converted into Malvina, the

forlorn, when Evirallin loved me! Evirallin with the dark-brown hair, the white-bosomed daughter of Branno! A thousand heroes sought the maid, she refused her love to a thousand. The sons of the sword were despised: for graceful in her eyes was Ossian! I went, in suit of the maid, to Lego's sable surge. Twelve of my people were there, the sons of streamy Morven ! We came to Branno, friend of strangers! Branno of the sounding mail! "From whence," he said, "are the arms of steel? Not easy to win is the maid, who has denied the blue-eyed sons of Erin! But blest be thou, O son of Fingal! Happy is the maid that waits thee! Though twelve daughters of beauty were mine, thine were the choice, thou son of fame !"

He opened the hall of the maid, the darkhaired Evirallin. Joy kindled in our manly breasts. We blest the maid of Branno. Above us on the hill appeared the people of stately Cormac. Eight were the heroes of the chief. The heath flamed wide with their arms. There Colla; there Durra of wounds, there mighty Tos

daughter of Toscar, and Oscar's mistress, a fictitious personage for which there is no foundation, even in tradition.