The poems of Ossian, in the orig. Gaelic, with a tr. into Lat. by R. Macfarlan. With a dissertation on the authenticity of the poems, by sir J. Sinclair, and a tr. of the abbé Cesarotti's dissertation on the controversy respecting Ossian, with notes and a suppl. essay by J. McArthur, Volume 2

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1807

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Page 377 - Brumo was a place of worship (Fing. b. 6.) in Craca, which is supposed to be one of the isles of Shetland. It was thought, that the spirits of the deceased haunted it, by night, which adds more terror to the description introduced here. The horrid circle of Brumo, where often, they said, the ghosts of the dead howled round the stone of fear.
Page 363 - The ancient manner of preparing feasts after hunting, is handed down by tradition. A pit lined with smooth stones was made; and near it stood a heap of smooth flat stones of the flint kind. The stones as well as the pit were properly heated with heath. Then they laid some venison in the bottom, and a stratum of the stones above it ; and thus they did alternately till the pit was full. The whole was covered over with heath to confine the steam.
Page 361 - Cuthullin the son of Semo, and grandson to Caithbat, a druid celebrated in tradition for his wisdom and valour. Cuthullin when very young married Bragela the daughter of Sorglan, and passing over into Ireland, lived for some time with Connal, grandson by a daughter to Conga 1 the petty king of Ulster.
Page 371 - ... the praise bestowed on him by the people he entertained. No nation in the world carried hospitality to a greater length than the ancient Scots. It was even infamous, for many ages, in a man of condition, to have the door of his house shut at all, LEST, as the bards express it, THE STRANGER SHOULD COME AND BEHOLD HIS CONTRACTED SOUL.
Page 6 - Chrith laoich, bu treun, air cùl lann : An ceathramh, thuirt Fionnghal an righ, ' Thuit ceannard a chuain sa' ghleann.' ' Cha do thuit,' 'se fhreagair mi fhéin. Géilleadh Cuchullin dha 'n triath " Vidi ego eorum ducem," dixit Moran ; " Est similis rupi princeps, Est hasta instar pini in jugo-montis, Instar lunae surgentis ejus clypeus : Sedebat ille super caute in littore Ut nebula quae est ex adverso super monte.
Page 363 - Trenar are sensible at home of the death of their master, the very instant he is killed. It was the opinion of the times, that the souls of heroes went immediately after death to the hills of their country, and the scenes they frequented the most happy times of their life. It was thought, too, that dogs and horses saw the ghosts of the deceased.
Page 371 - This last, however, was so uncommon, that in all the old poems I have ever met with, I found but one man branded with this ignominious appellation; and that, perhaps, only founded upon a private quarrel, which subsisted between him and the patron of the bard, who wrote the poem.
Page 364 - Then they laid some venison in the bottom, and a stratum of the stones above it ; and thus they did alternately till the pit was full. The whole was covered over with heath to confine the steam. Whether this is probable I cannot say ; but some pits are shewn, which the vulgar say, were used in that manner.
Page 371 - ... is still a higher degree of generosity than that of Axylus in Homer: for the poet does not say, but the good man might, at the head of his own table, have heard with pleasure the praise bestowed on him by the people he entertained. No nation in the world carried hospitality to a greater length than the antient Scots.
Page 364 - The ghoft comes mounted on a meteor, and furrounds twice or thrice the place deftined for the perfon to die; and then goes along the road through which the funeral is to pafs, fhrieking at intervals; at laft, the meteor and ghoft difappear above the burial place.

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