ing Carácha. The years that are past, my son, are marked with mighty deeds †.

IN clouds rofé the eaftern light. The foe came forth in arms. The ftrife is mixed at Rath-col, like the roar of ftreams. Behold the contending of kings! They meet befide the oak. In gleams of steel the dark forms are loft; fuch is the meeting of meteors, in a vale by night red light is fcattered round, and men foresee the form.Duth-carmor is low in blood. The fon of Offian overcame. Not harmlefs in battle was he, Malvina hand of harps !

Nor, in the field, are the steps of Cathlin. The ftranger ftood by a fecret ftream, where the foam of Rath-col fkirted the moffy ftones. Above, bends the branchy birch, and ftrews its leaves, on winds. The inverted fpear of Cathlin touched, at times, the ftream.Ofcar brought Duth-carmor's mail: his helmet with its eagle-wing. He placed them before the franger, and his words were heard." The

Thofe who deliver down this poem in tradition, lament that there is a great part of it loft. In particular they regret the lofs of an epifode, which was here introduced, with the fequel of the ftory of Carmal and his Druids. Their attachment to it was founded on the defcriptions of magical inchantments which it contained.

foes

9

foes of thy father have failed. They are laid in the field of ghofts. Renown returns to Morven, like a rifing wind. Why art thou dark, chief of Clutha? Is there cause for grief?"

SON of Offian of harps, my foul is darkly fad. I behold the arms of Cathmol, which hẹ raised in war. Take the male of Cathlin, place it high in Selma's hall; that thou mayst remember the hapless in thy diftant land.

FROM white breafts defcended the mail. It was the race of kings; the foft-handed daughter of Cathmol, at the ftreams of Clutha.-Duthcarmor saw her bright in the hall, he came, by night, to Clutha. Cathmol met him, in battle, but the warrior fell. Three days dwelt the foe, with the maid. On the fourth fhe fled in arms. She remembered the race of kings, and felt her bursting foul.

WHY, maid of Tofcar of Lutha, fhould I tell how Cathlin failed? Her tomb is at rufhy Lumon, in a diftant land. Near it were the fteps of Sul-malla, in the days of grief. She raised the fong, for the daughter of ftrangers, and touched the mournful harp.

COME, from the watching of night, Malvina, lonely beam!

SUL

ARGUMENT.

THIS poem, which, properly fpeaking, is a continuation of the laft, opens with an addrefs to Sul-malla, the daughter of the king of Inis-huna, whom Offian met, at the chace, as he returned from the battle of Rath-col. Sul-malla invites Offian and Ofcar to a feaft, at the refidence of her father, who was then abfent in the wars. Upon hearing their name and family, fhe relates an expedition of Fingal into Inis-huna. She casually mentioning Cathmor, chief of Atha, (who then affifted her father against his enemies) Offian introduces the episode of Culgorm and Surandronlo, two Scandinavian kings, in whose wars Offian himself and Cathmor were engaged on oppofite fides.. imperfect, a part of the original being loft.-Offian, -The story is warned, in a dream, by the ghost of Trenmor, sets sail from Inis-hina.