·Madame du Bocage. L'eau qui calma ma foif ranimant mon courage, Dans les bras l'un de l'autre avoient perdu la vie. Ces fecours précieux, que j'emporte à la nage, Quand fous d'épais rofeaux je cherchois le fommeil, Sous les antres je vois des Tigres en furie; Force mon défefpoir à changer de retraite. Dans l'horreur, qui par-tout fuit ma course in quiéte, 譬 Sur un Mont efcarpé je m'ouvris des fentiers: Les Champs qu'il dominoit abondoient en Pal miers. Ma peur, à cet afpect, un moment diffipée, Nul injuftel Mortel ne peut troubler le cours! Niadame du Offian. Ossian. Ungeachtet so vieler scharfsinnigen Untersuchungen, welche Dr. Blair, Warton, Dr. Johnson, Shaw, Smith, Clark, u. a. m. über die Aechtheit derjenigen Gedichte angestellt haben, welche ein Schottländer Macpherson als Gedichte Offian's, eines celtischen Barden im dritten Jahrhunderte, in Prosa überfest, im J. 1761 zuerst bekannt machte, bleibt es doch immer noch zweifels haft, wie groß oder wie geringe der Antheil sey, welchen die wirklich ächte, zum Theil im Munde der Hochländer noch gangbare altschottische Poesie an diesen Gedichten hat, die wohl unstreitig ihre gegenwärtige Form und Einkleidung größtentheils erst von jenem englischen Ueberseher erhalten haben. Minder streitig aber ist der hohe Werth diefer Ge dichte wegen ihrer edlen erhabenen Simplicitåt, wegen ih rer Neuheit und Mannichfaltigkeit an Bildern und Empfindungen, und wegen ihrer eindringlichen, naturvollen Schreibart. Fingal und Temora sind darunter die größ ten und vollständig, auch dem Wesentlichen, wenn gleich nicht der Form nach, wirklich episch. Hier nur die Ges schichte der Agandecca, eine Evisode im Fingal, die aber mit dem Ganzen in genauer Verbindung steht, und gewißfermaßen die Katastrophe des Gedichts vorbereitet und hers beiführt. FING A L; B. III Before the halls of Starno the fons of the chace convened. The king's dark brows were like clouds. His eyes like meteors of night. Bring hither, he cries, Agandecca to her lovely king of Morven. His hand is ftained with the blood of my people; and her words have not been in vain. She came with the red eye of tears. She came with her loose raven locks. Her white breaft heaved with fighs, like the foam of the streamy Lubar. Starno Starno pierced her fide with fteel. She fell like a wreath of fnow that flides from the rocks of Ronan; when the woods are ftill, and the eccho deepens in the vale. Then Fingal eyed his valiant chiefs, his valiant chiefs took arms. The gloom of the battle roared, and Lochlin fled or died. Pale, in his bounding fhip he closed the maid of the raven hair. Her tomb afcends on Ardven, and the fea roars round the dark dwelling of Agandecca. 1 Bleffed be her foul, faid Cuchullin, and bleffed be the mouth of the fong. Strong was the youth of Fingal, and strong is his arm of age. Lochlin fhall fall again before the king of ecchoing Morven. Shew thy face from a cloud, o moon; light his white fails on the wave of the night. And if any ftrong spirit of heaven fits on that low-hung cloud; turn his dark fhips from the rock, thou rider of the ftorm! Such were the words of Cuchullin at the found of the mountain ftream, when Calmar afcended the hill, the wounded fon of Matha. From the field he came in his blood. He leaned on his bending fpear. Feeble is the arm of battle! but ftrong the foul of the hero! Welcome! O fon of Matha, faid Connal, welcome art thou to thy friends! Why burfts that broken figh from the breaft of him, that never feared before? And never, Connal, will he fear, chief of the pointed steel. My foul heightens in danger, and exults in the noife of battle. I am of the race of fteel; my fathers never feared. Cormar was the first of my race. He sported through the ftorms of the waves. His black fkiff bounded on ocean, and travelled on the wings of the blast. A fpirit once: embroiled the night. Seas fwell and rocks refound. Winds drive along Beisp. Samml. 5. B. น the Offian. 'onian. the clouds. The lightning flies on wings of fire. He feared and came to land: then blufhed that he feared at all. He rushed again among the waves to find the fon of the wind. Three youths guide the bounding bark; he ftood with the fword unfheathed. When the low-hung vapour paffed, he took it by the curling head, and fearched its dark womb with his fteel. The son of the wind forfook the air. The moon and stars returned. Such was the boldness of my race; and Calmar is like his fathers. Danger flies from the uplifted fword. They beft fucceed who dare. But now, ye fons of green-vallyed Erin, retire from Lena's bloody heath. Collect the fad remnant of our friend, and join the fword of Fingal. I heard the found of Lochlin's advancing arms; but Calmar will remain and fight. My voice fhall be fuch, my friends, as if thousands were behind me. But, fon of Semo, remember me. Remember Calmar's lifelefs corfe. After Fingal has waited the field, place me by fome ftone of remembrance, that future times may hear my fame; and the mother of Calmar rejoice over the ftone of my renown. No: fon of Matha, faid Cuchullin, I will never leave thee. My joy is in the unequal field; and my foul increases in danger. Connal, and Carril of other times, carry off the fad fons of Erin; and when the battle is over, fearch for our pale corfes in this narrow way. For near this oak we fhall ftand in the stream of the battle of thousands. O Fithil's fon, with feet of wind, fly over the heath of Lena. Tell to Fingal that Erin is inthralled, and bit the king of Morven haften. O let him come like the fun in a storm, when he fhines on the hills of grass. Morning is gray on Cromla; the fons of the fea afcend. Calmar ftood forth to meet them in the |