James Macpherson: An Episode in Literature |
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Page ii
... OSSIAN AND THE OSSIANIC LITERATURE . By ALFRED NUTT . ( Popular Studies , No. 3. ) 16mo . 6d . net ; 7d . post free . The only brief account in print of the genuine Ossianic literature . AN EPISODE IN LITERATURE BY J. S. SMART LONDON DAVID.
... OSSIAN AND THE OSSIANIC LITERATURE . By ALFRED NUTT . ( Popular Studies , No. 3. ) 16mo . 6d . net ; 7d . post free . The only brief account in print of the genuine Ossianic literature . AN EPISODE IN LITERATURE BY J. S. SMART LONDON DAVID.
Page 6
... Ossian , the poet of ancient Scotland , when sunk himself into extreme old age ; and from the third century to the eighteenth - a thing sufficiently striking and wonderful - Ossian's lays had been transmitted by oral tradition . In ...
... Ossian , the poet of ancient Scotland , when sunk himself into extreme old age ; and from the third century to the eighteenth - a thing sufficiently striking and wonderful - Ossian's lays had been transmitted by oral tradition . In ...
Page 7
... Ossian . In all their themes they resemble those of another people that yet lives , sings , and does deeds upon the earth , in whose history , without prepossession or illusion , I have more than once recognised that of Ossian and his ...
... Ossian . In all their themes they resemble those of another people that yet lives , sings , and does deeds upon the earth , in whose history , without prepossession or illusion , I have more than once recognised that of Ossian and his ...
Page 8
... Ossian . It was also imbued with that spirit of sadness which the new generation had begun to admire . The Return to Nature had many issues ; and at first it tended to weaken self - discipline and self - restraint . There must now be no ...
... Ossian . It was also imbued with that spirit of sadness which the new generation had begun to admire . The Return to Nature had many issues ; and at first it tended to weaken self - discipline and self - restraint . There must now be no ...
Page 9
... Ossian , the narrator , has himself fallen on evil days . He is old ; he has become blind ; the comrades of his youth are dead and gone . He pours out his laments to the soft notes of a harp . His haunting theme is the transience of ...
... Ossian , the narrator , has himself fallen on evil days . He is old ; he has become blind ; the comrades of his youth are dead and gone . He pours out his laments to the soft notes of a harp . His haunting theme is the transience of ...
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Common terms and phrases
ALFRED NUTT ancient antiquity appeared authenticity Bailey Saunders ballads bard battle beauty Blair Caledonian Campbell Caoilte Celtic Celts century character charm chief Clanranald clouds collection copies critics Cuchullin Dermid Edition eighteenth English epic Erin Fairy Fians Fingal Finn Finn's fragments Gaelic Ossian Gaelic poems Gaelic text Gaelic version genuine gilt Glen hand hero Highland Society's Report hills Homer Hume Ireland Irish island Isles J. F. Campbell James Macpherson John Francis Campbell Johnson Journal des Sçavans King of Lochlin land language legend letter literature Mabinogion Macpherson's friends Magnus Malcolm Laing manuscript modern Morven mountains Muileartach native original Oscar passages Patrick pherson poems of Ossian poet poetic poetry published recited Roman Scotland Scottish Scottish Highlands shield songs spear spirit story Swaran sword Temora thee thou tion tradition translation verses voice William Ernest Henley wind writing wrote
Popular passages
Page 10 - O thou that rollest above, round as the shield of my fathers ! Whence are thy beams, O sun ! thy everlasting light ! Thou comest forth in thy awful beauty ; the stars hide themselves in the sky ; the moon, cold and pale, sinks in the western wave ; but thou thyself movest aloive.
Page 101 - On a rock, whose haughty brow Frowns o'er old Conway's foaming flood, Robed in the sable garb of woe, With haggard eyes the poet stood ; (Loose his beard and hoary hair, Stream'd like a meteor to the troubled air,) And with a master's hand and prophet's fire Struck the deep sorrows of his lyre...
Page 174 - Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided ; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
Page 81 - COLMA IT is night; I am alone, forlorn on the hill of storms. The wind is heard in the mountain. The torrent pours down the rock. No hut receives me from the rain; forlorn on the hill of winds!
Page 212 - Of the embrace of angels with a sex More beautiful than they, which did draw down The erring spirits who can ne'er return...
Page 177 - Millions of Spirits for his fault amerced* Of Heaven, and from eternal splendours flung For his revolt; yet faithful how they stood, Their glory withered: as when Heaven's fire Hath scathed the forest oaks, or mountain pines, With singed top their stately growth though bare Stands on the blasted heath.
Page 173 - Far, far aloof th' affrighted ravens sail ; The famish'd eagle screams, and passes by. Dear lost companions of my tuneful art, Dear as the light that visits these sad eyes, Dear as the ruddy drops that warm my heart, Ye died amidst your dying country's cries — No more I weep. They do not sleep. On yonder cliffs, a...
Page 113 - Stretch their large spreading limbs below. But when the pride of their strength arose, they shook the hill with their heels. Rocks tumble from their places on high ; the green-headed bushes are overturned. At length the strength of Swaran fell : the king of the groves is bound.
Page 177 - Less than archangel ruined, and the excess Of glory obscured: as when the sun new risen Looks through the horizontal misty air Shorn of his beams, or from behind the moon In dim eclipse disastrous twilight sheds On half the nations, and with fear of change Perplexes monarchs.
Page 175 - 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 rings.