of thousands 5. His spear met a son of Lochlin; battle spreads from wing to wing! As a hundred winds in Lochlin's groves; as fire in the pines of a hundred hills; so loud, so ruinous, so vast the ranks of men are hewn down. Cuthullin cut off heroes like thistles; Swaran wasted Erin. Curach fell by his hand, Cairbar of the bossy shield! Morglan lies in lasting rest! Ca-olt trembles as he dies! His white breast is stained with blood; his yellow hair stretched in the dust of his native land "7! He 25 He roared in the midst of thousands.] "When in the midst of thousands he roared." Supra, Fingal, i. 48. VIRGIL'S En. i. 491. Penthesilea furens, mediisque in millibus ardet. 26 As a hundred winds in Lochlin's groves; as fire in the pines of a hundred hills, so loud, &c.] POPE's Iliad, xiv. 157. Less loud the winds that from the Eolian hall Roar through the woods, and make whole forests fall, Catch the dry mountains, and its shades devour. 27 His white breast is stained with blood; his yellow hair stretched in the dust of his native land.] POPE's Homer, Iliad, vi. 15. Next, Teuthra's son distained the sands with blood; In fair Arisbe's walls, his native place, He held his seat, a friend to human race; Fast by the road, his ever-open door often had spread the feast where he fell. He often there had raised the voice of the harp: when his dogs leapt around for joy, and the youths of the chace prepared the bow! Still Swaran advanced, as a stream, that bursts from the desart. The little hills are rolled in its course; the rocks are half sunk by its side 28 ! But Cuthullin stood before him, like a hill that catches the clouds of heaven 29. The winds contend on its head of pines; the hail rattles As Teuthra's son distained the sands with blood, Ca-olt's white breast is stained with blood: As the hospitable Axylus dwelt at Arisbe, his native place, Ca-olt's yellow hair is spread in the dust of his native land; and, as the friend of mankind kept open house by the road side for the reception of strangers, Ca-olt, by an improvement not unworthy of a modern, had of ten spread the feast on the very spot where he fell. 28 As a stream that bursts from the desart. The little hills are rolled in its course; the rocks are half-sunk by its side.] MILTON, Par. Lost, vi. 195. As if on earth, Winds under ground, or waters forcing vent, 29 But Cuthullin stood before him like a hill that catches the elouds of heaven.] MILTON, Par. Lost, iv. 985. On the other side, Satan alarmed, Collecting all his might, dilated stood, Like Teneriff or Atlas unremoved; His stature reached the sky, and on his crest on its rocks. But, firm in its strength, it stands, and shades the silent vale of Cona! So Cuthullin shaded the sons of Erin, and stood in the midst of thousands. Blood rises like the fount of a rock, from panting heroes around. But Erin falls on either wing, like snow in the day of the sun. 66 "Lochlin "O sons of Erin," said Grumal, conquers on the field. Why strive we as reeds against the wind? Fly to the hill of dark-brown hinds." He fled like the stag of Morven; his spear is a trembling beam of light behind him. Few fled with Grumal, chief of the little soul: they fell in the battle of heroes, on Lena's echo "The winds contend on its head of pines, and the hail rattles on its rocks. But firm in its strength it stands, and shades the silent vale of Cona." VIRGIL, Æn. xii. 701. 66 Horrendumque intonat armis : DRYDEN. Virgil and Milton have made use of a comparison similar to this (in Ossian). I shall lay both before the reader, that he may judge which of these two great poets have best succeeded." MACPHERSON. First edit. Such professed imitations require no comment. ing heath. High on his car, of many gems, the chief of Erin stood. He slew a mighty son of Lochlin, and spoke, in haste, to Connal. "O Connal, first of mortal men, thou hast taught this arm of death! Though Erin's sons have fled, shall we not fight the foe? Carril, son of other times, carry my friends to that bushy hill. Here, Connal, let us stand like rocks, and save our flying friends.” Connal mounts the car of gems 30. They stretch their shields, like the darkened moon, the daughter of the starry skies, when she moves, a dun circle, through heaven "; and dreadful change is expected by men. Sithfadda panted up the' 30 Connal mounts the car of light.] First edit. Like Nestor ascending the chariot of Diomed, who retires the last before Hector and Jove. Pore's Iliad, viii. 143. Thus said the chief, and Nestor, skilled in war, 31 Like the darkened moon, when she moves a dun circle through heaven, and dreadful change is expected by men.] MILTON, Par. Lost, i. 596. Or from behind the moon, In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs; Darkened so, yet shone, &c. hill, and Sronnal, haughty steed ". Like waves behind a whale behind them rushed the foe. Now, on the rising side of Cromla stood Erin's few sad sons; like a grove through which the flame had rushed 33, hurried on by the winds of the stormy night; distant, withered, dark they stand, with not a leaf to shake in the gale. But the dreadful change expected by men was suppressed in the first edition, to conceal the imitation of Milton's dim eclipse, "the dun circle of the darkened moon." 32 Sithfadda panted up the hill, and Sronnal, haughty steed.] Supra, 30. POPE's Iliad, viii. 190. He said, and hasty o'er the gasping throng Drives the swift steeds. The chariot smokes along : The shouts of Trojans thicken in the wind : The storm of hissing javelins pours behind. "Like waves behind a whale behind them rushed the foe;" and Cuthullin, with the prudent Connal, retiring in his chariot, pursued behind by Lochlin, is precisely Diomed and Nestor pursued in their chariot by the Trojans behind. 33 On the rising side of Cromla stood Erin's few sad sons, like a grove through which the flame has rushed, &c.] Distant, withered, dark they stand, &c. as restored in the edition of 1773 : From Milton: Par. Lost, i, 611. Yet faithful how they stood; Hath scathed the forest oaks, or mountain pines, |