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translation which are printed in itahcs, as clearly proving the superio- 

 rity of the new translation." With this request we shall comply, bring 

 the two versions into fair comparison, and draw our own inference. 

 The first passage worthy of notice commences at the seventh line : 



Macpher son's Translation. 



The scout of ocean fcomeS 



Moran, the son of Fithil. 



" Arise," says the youth, " Cuthullin arise !" 



I see the ships of the north ! 



Many, chief of men, are the foe ; 



Many the heroes of the sea-borne Swaran !" 



'Ross's Translation. 



The scout of ocean came 



The swift, high-bounding son of Fithil. 



Rise ! CuchuUin rise ! 



I see a mighty fleet from the ilorth ! 



Haste, haste, thou chief of the feast ; 



Great is Swaran, numerous his host. 



We think we can perceive more taste, with more simplicity and pro- 

 priety, in Macpherson's lines, than in those of his rival. He does not 

 waste time in giving superfluous epithets to the scout of ocean. " I 

 see the ships of the north," is less prosaic than " I see a mighty fleet 

 from the north." The former expression particularizes the object, 

 and intimates a knowledge and a fear of approaching hostility. The 

 haste, hasle ! of Ross after the rise, rise ! looks like rhetorical artifice, 

 and " thou chief of the feast ," unless a sarcasm were meant, is quite 

 inapplicable to Cuchullin lying with his spear and shield by the wall 

 of Tura. We, therefore, prefer Macpherson's " chief of men." It 

 reminds us of ava^ apcpojv, our old school-boy acquaintance. We 

 also deem Macpherson's repetition of many, preferable to the great 

 and numerous of Ross. The epithet sea-borne, independently of the 

 musical swell which it gives to the rhythm, is happily introduced, and 

 the loth and 16th lines, viz : 



" It is Fingal, king of deserts. 

 With aid to green Erin of streams." 



are incomparably more poetical than Ross's, 



" Son of Fithil, it is Fingal, 

 High chief of the dusky hills." 



