ven are on his head. His steps are in the paths of the sad. It is Carril of other times. He comes from Tura's silent cave. I behold it dark in the rock, through the thin folds of mist. There, perhaps, Cuthullin sits, on the blast which bends its trees 3. Pleasant is the song of the morning from the bard of Erin! "The waves crowd away,” said Carril. “They crowd away for fear. for fear. They hear the sound of thy coming forth, O sun! Terrible is thy beauty, son of heaven, when death is descending on thy locks; when thou rollest thy vapours before thee, over the blasted host. But pleasant is thy beam to the hunter, sitting by the rock in a storm, when thou shewest thyself from the parted cloud, and brightenest his dewy locks: he looks down on the streamy vale, and beholds the descent of roes! How long shalt thou rise on 32 I behold it dark in the rock, through the thin folds of mist. There, perhaps, Cuthullin sits, on the blast which bends its trees.] The description of Tura's silent cave, is transcribed from the Cave, written (by Macpherson) in the Highlands. Behold! it opens to my sight, Dark in the rock; beside the flood; war, and roll, a bloody shield, through heaven 33? I see the death of heroes, dark wander-. ing over thy face!" Why wander the words of Carril ?" I said. "Does the son of heaven mourn! He is unstained in his course, ever rejoicing in his fire. Roll on, thou careless light. Thou too, perhaps, must fall. Thy darkening hour may seize thee, struggling, as thou rollest through thy sky 34. But pleasant is the voice of the bard; pleasant to Ossian's soul! It is like the shower of the morning, when it comes through the rustling vale, on which the sun looks through mist, just rising from his rocks. But this is no time, O 33 How long shalt thou rise on war, and roll a bloody shield through heaven.] SHAKSPEARE, 1. Hen. IV. act v. sc. 1. How bloodily the sun begins to peer Above yon dusky hill. 34 The darkening hour may seize thee, struggling, as thou roliest through thy shy.] In the first editions, "The dun robe may seize thee, struggling, in thy sky." By the dun robe of the sun, is probably meant an eclipse. MACPHERSON, ib. The dun robe seizing the sun, was suggested by Beattie's recent Ode on Sleep, Scots Mag. 1758; reprinted, Edin. 1760. See night's dun robe involves the boundless waste. But what becomes of the Earse original, of which the dun robe, and the darkening hour, are such different translations? bard, to sit down at the strife of song. Fingal is in arms on the vale. Thou seest the flaming shield of the king. His face darkens between his locks. He beholds the wide rolling of Erin. Does not Carril behold that tomb beside the roaring stream! Three stones lift their grey heads beneath a bending oak. A king is lowly laid! Give thou his soul to the wind. He is the brother of Cathmor! Open his airy hall! Let thy song be a stream of joy to Cairbar's darkened ghost." |