ARGUMENT.

THIS piece, as many more of Ossian's compositions, is addressed to one of the first Christian missionaries. The story of the poem is handed down, by tradition, thus. In the country of the Britons between the walls, two chiefs lived in the days of Fingal, Dunthalmo, lord of Teutha, supposed to be the Tweed; and Rathmor, who dwelt at Clutha, well known to be the river Clyde. Rathmor was not more renowned for his generosity and hospitality, than Dunthalmo was infamous for his cruelty and ambition. Dunthalmo, through envy, or on account of some private feuds, which subsisted between the families, murdered Rathmor at a feast; but being afterwards touched with remorse, he educated the two sons of Rathmor, Calthon and Colmar, in his own house. They growing up to man's estate, dropped some hints that they intended to revenge the death of their father, upon which Dunthalmo shut them up in two caves on the banks of Teutha, intending to take them off privately. Colmal, the daughter of Dunthalmo, who was secretly in love with Calthon, helped him to make his escape from prison, and fled with him to Fingal, disguised in the habit of a young warrior, and implored his aid against Dunthalmo. Fingal sent Ossian with three hundred men, to Colmar's relief. Dunthalmo having previously murdered Colmar, came to a battle with Ossian; but he was killed by that hero, and his army totally defeated.

Calthon married Colmal, his deliverer; and Ossian returned to Morven. MACPHERSON.

CALTHON AND COLMAL:

А РОЕМ.

PLEASANT is the voice of thy song, thou lonely dweller of the rock. It comes on the sound of the stream, along the narrow vale. My soul awakes, O stranger! in the midst of my hall. I stretch my hand to the hand to the spear, as in the days of other years. I stretch my hand; but it is feeble and the sigh of my bosom grows. Wilt thou not listen, son of the rock, to the song of Ossian? My soul is full of other times; the joy of my youth returns. Thus the sun appears in the west, after the steps of his brightness have

moved behind a storm ; the green hills lift their dewy heads the blue streams rejoice in the vale. The aged hero comes forth on his staff; his grey hair glitters in the beam. Dost thou not behold, son of the rock, a shield in Ossian's hall? It is marked with the strokes of battle; and the brightness of its bosses has failed. That shield the great Dunthalmo bore, the chief of streamy Teutha. Dunthalmo bore it in battle before he

1 Thus the sun appears in the west, after the steps of his brightness have moved behind a storm.] Par. Lost, ii. 469. Quoted by Macpherson, 1st edit.

As when from mountain tops the dusky clouds
Ascending, while the north wind sleeps, o'erspread
Heaven's cheerful face, the louring element

Scowls o'er the darkened landskip snow, or shower ;
If chance the radiant sun, with farewell sweet,

Extend his evening beam, the fields revive,
The birds their notes renew, and bleating herds

Attest their joy, that hill and valley ring.

"The green hills lift their dewy heads; the blue streams rejoice in the vale." Macpherson has also transcribed a sonnet of Spencer, quoted by Newton; a proof that he consulted Newton's edition of Milton for parallel passages.

2

The aged hero comes forth on his staff.] A fine addition to Milton's simile: From the Night Thoughts, Night iv.

Here, like a shepherd gazing from his hut,
Touching his pipe, or leaning on his staff,
Eager ambition's fiery chace I see.

fell by Ossian's spear. Listen, son of the rock, to the tale of other years!

Rathmor was a chief of Clutha. The feeble dwelt in his hall. The gates of Rathmor were never shut; his feast was always spread. The sons of the stranger came. They blessed the generous chief of Clutha. Bards raised the song, and touched the harp: joy brightened on the face of the sad! Dunthalmo came, in his pride, and rushed into the combat of Rathmor. The chief of Clutha overcame: the rage of Dunthalmo rose. He came, by night, with his warriors; the mighty Rathmor fell. He fell in his halls, where his feast was often spread for strangers.

Colmar and Calthon were young, the sons of car-borne Rathmor. They came, in the joy of youth, into their father's hall. They beheld him in his blood; their bursting tears descend. The soul of Dunthalmo melted, when he saw the children of youth. He brought them to Alteutha's3 walls; they grew in the house of their foe.

3 Al-teutha, or rather Balteutha, the town of Tweed, the name of Dunthalmo's seat. It is observable, that all the names in this poem are derived from the Gaelic language; which is a proof that it was once the universal language of the whole island. MACPHERSON.