iJ23 



of Ossian, by this same Evirallin, was a very powerful hero. Con- 

 tradictions of this kind are, however, but trifles to either Ossian or 

 his commentator. Aimx^f \ 



The fourth example is " Fingal's combat with the king of Loch- 

 lin." This combat is so like most of the single combats described in 

 the Irish Ossian, that it is hard to say from which of them the Scotch 

 bard borrowed his battle. The " description of the wrestling match 

 between Fingal and Swaran," Mr. Macpherson says, in a note, 

 (p. 67, 0. ed.) " resembles one in the twenty-third Ihad." He need 

 not, however, have travelled to the plains of Troy for a description of 

 this kind. He could have found it, as it is probable he did, in the old 

 popular tale of the Irish, called " Cath Fionntragha," (Caw Fin- 

 traha,) or the " Battle of Ventry," where the battle between Conn 

 Crither and the king of Spain is described in these words : " Dionn- 

 soigheadar an dis sin a chSile agus do sineadar na lamha luthghonacha 

 luaitheusga loinnbeimionnacha Ids na craoiseachaibh ceannghorma crof- 

 hairsionga cinngheura catha, agus tugadar gona doimhne doi-kighis air 

 chorpaibh a cheile, gur lainbhriseadar a ccraoiseacha, agus a ccomhlui- 

 reacha, agus gur scoilteada a sgiatha, agus do chuadar iar sin air a 

 cdoidhmhaibh troma tortbhuilleadhacha, agus do rinneador urluighe 

 ardhachd ainiarmharthach air a cheile, gur chrithnig/i an talamh trom- 

 fhodachafo na ccosaibh, gur bhuail Conn Crithir baoghal buillc air 

 Righ na he Eosbainne, gur theilg a cheann da chaomhcholuinn." i, e. 

 "These two attacked each other, and stretched their quick-wounding, 

 swift-moving, strong-striking hands; with the blue-headed, broad- 

 bladed, sharp-pointed spears of battle; and they inflicted deep incurable 

 wounds upon each others bodies ; so that they broke their spears and 

 their coats of mail, and cleft their shields ; and then they took to 

 their heavy strong-striking swords, and made on each other an 

 attack offensive and powerful ; so that the heavy-clodded earth trem- 



