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The poems of Ossian

&c. containing the Poetical Works of James Macpherson, Esq. in prose and rhyme: with notes and illustrations by Malcolm Laing. In two volumes
Macpherson, James (1736-1796)

collapse sectionI. 
VOL. I.
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FINGAL, AN EPIC POEM;
 I. 
BOOK I.
 II. 
BOOK II.
 III. 
BOOK III.
 IV. 
BOOK IV.
 V. 
BOOK V.
 VI. 
BOOK VI.
  
COMALA:
  
THE WAR OF CAROS:
  
THE WAR OF INIS-THONA:
  
THE BATTLE OF LORA:
  
CONLATH AND CUTHONA:
  
CARTHON:
  
THE DEATH OF CUTHULLIN:
  
DAR-THULA:
  
CARRIC-THURA:
  
THE SONGS OF SELMA.
  
CALTHON AND COLMAL:
  
LATHMON:
  
OITHONA:
  
CROMA:
  
BERRATHON:
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VOL. II.
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TEMORA:
 I. 
BOOK I.
 II. 
BOOK II.
 III. 
BOOK III.
 IV. 
BOOK IV.
 V. 
BOOK V.
 VI. 
BOOK VI.
 VII. 
BOOK VII.
 VIII. 
BOOK VIII.
  
CATHLIN OF CLUTHA:
  
SULMALLA OF LUMON:
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CATH-LODA:
 1. 
DUAN FIRST.
 2. 
DUAN SECOND.
 3. 
DUAN THIRD.
  
OINA-MORUL:
  
COLNA-DONA:
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FRAGMENTS OF ANCIENT POETRY,
 I. 
I. SHILRIC, VINVELA.
 II. 
II. [I sit by the mossy fountain]
 III. 
III. [Evening is grey on the hills]
 IV. 
IV. CONNAL, CRIMORA.
 V. 
V. Autumn is dark on the mountains
 VI. 
VI. [Son of the noble Fingal]
 VII. 
VII. [Why openest thou afresh the spring of my grief]
 VIII. 
VIII. [By the side of a rock]
 IX. 
IX. [Thou askest, fair daughter of the isles!]
 X. 
X. [It is night]
 XI. 
XI. [Sad! I am sad indeed]
 XII. 
XII. RYNO, ALPIN.
 XIII. 
XIII. [Raise high the stones]
 XIV. 
XIV. [Cuchulaid sat by the wall]
 XV. 
XV. DUCHOMMAR, MORNA.
 XVI. 
XVI. [Where is Gealchossa]
  
THE SIX BARDS,
  
DEATH:
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THE HUNTER:
 I. 
CANTO I.
 II. 
CANTO II.
 III. 
CANTO III.
 IV. 
CANTO IV.
 V. 
CANTO V.
 VI. 
CANTO VI.
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CANTO VII.
  
Monday, 29th November.
  
November 30.
  
2d December, 1756.
 VIII. 
CANTO VIII.
 IX. 
CANTO IX.
 X. 
CANTO X.
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THE HIGHLANDER:
 I. 
CANTO I.
 II. 
CANTO II.
 III. 
CANTO III.
 IV. 
CANTO IV.
 V. 
CANTO V.
 VI. 
CANTO VI.
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MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
  
ON THE DEATH OF MARSHAL KEITH.
  
ON THE DEATH OF A YOUNG LADY.
  
TO THE MEMORY OF AN OFFICER KILLED BEFORE QUEBEC.
  
THE EARL MARISCHAL'S WELCOME TO HIS NATIVE COUNTRY.
  
HORACE,
  
HORACE,
  
THE CHOICE.
  
WRITTEN ON A BIRTH DAY.
  
THE MONUMENT.
  
VERSES SENT TO A YOUNG LADY, WITH SOME TRANSLATIONS FROM THE ERSE.
  
THE CAVE.
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FRAGMENTS FROM TYRTÆUS.
 I. 
FRAGMENT I.
 II. 
FRAGMENT II.
 III. 
FRAGMENT III.
  
ANACREON, ODE IV. TRANSLATED.
  
ANACREON, ODE VIII.
  
IN ANSWER TO A LETTER FROM DELIA.
  
A NIGHT-PIECE.
  
VERSES TO A YOUNG LADY.
  
FRAGMENT OF A NORTHERN TALE.
  
THE SAME VERSIFIED.

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629

VERSES TO A YOUNG LADY.

When half the nation round Almira sighs,
And sense secures the conquest of her eyes,
Why bids the nymph a muse unknown to fame
To grace her numbers with so fair a name?
Or would the maid add lustre to my lays?
Or shew the world how weakly I can praise?
The muse disclaimed, and all the powers of song,
The rapture vanished, and the lyre unstrung;
I left to other bards their groves of bays,
And sacrificed my hopes of fame to ease.
Nor Delia's charms could bid my numbers rise,
Nor caught my soul the fire of Chloe's eyes;
On Mira's cheek in vain did roses glow,
And Chloris heaved, unsung, her breast of snow;
Almira only could my breast inflame,
Were but my strength proportioned to my theme.
Grant then I sung, what honour could I pay,
Where every grace displayed prevents the lay?
Thee first in beauty, sighing thousands own;
And thou art stranger to thy worth alone:
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Charms after charms in fair succession rise,
Thy wit pursues the progress of thine eyes;
Each love-sick youth, without the poet's art,
Beholds enough to rob him of his heart;
The muse despairs to make thee brighter shine,
Or give one beauty not already thine.
Permit me then, since useless are my lays,
To give my adoration for my praise;
With other youths, the pleasing pain to prove;
Though hope, alas! can never lodge with love:
Let me admire the charms I'll ne'er possess;
And eye, in rapture, what I can't express.
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