87 



lot What pity the author did not say elephant or ivory in pliace of 

 bone! It would have been as easy for him to bring that preciouiS 

 spoil from Hindostan or Ceylon, as to cross the Atlantic to the grand 

 temple of Mexico, or the palace of Montezuma, for the plumage of 

 birds* to adorn the royal palace of tufted Morven ! 



Blair places the absence of religious ideas among the proofs of 

 Ossian's authenticity ; but if he had said of forgery, he would have 

 approached nearer the truth. There has never been any state of 

 society in which poetry was cultivated, from which religious ideas 

 were excluded. The first and most sublime efforts of the muses in 

 every country, and in every age, are devotional. Urania takes the 

 precedence of all the Nine. Hesiod and Homer are full of religion, to 

 say nothing of the hymns attributed to Orpheus. The Fenian 

 tales also have numerous religious ideas, and a passage in the poem 

 of the Chase would do no dishonour to the most distinguished Chris- 

 tian poet. Saint Patrick chides Oisin for comparing Fionn with the 

 God of the Christians. 



" Cease, cease thy strain, nor longer dare 



Thy Fionn, chief of chiefs, compare 



With him who reigns enthroned in light. 



The King of kings, of matchless might. 



'Tis he who framed the heaven and earthy 



'Tis he who nerves the hero's hand : '^ 



f 

 'Tis he who calls fair flowers to birth. 



And bids each blooming branch expand. 



He gives the fishy streams to run. 



And lights the moon and radiant sun. 



It did not suit Macpherson's plan to admit any thing like this. 

 He has guarded as carefully as he could against the introduction of 



*SeeDeSolis. '.' 



