E 52 ] 



OSSIAN's COURTSHIP e/'EVIRALLIN*. 



XT.E is a dog' who is not compliant — But I tell you, wanton 

 girl, I once was valiant in battle, though now I am worn out 

 with years. When we went to the lovely Evir of the fhining hair, 

 the maid of the white hand, the difdainful favourite of Cormac, 

 we went to Loch Lego, twelve men the moft valiant beneath 

 the fun *. Would you know our determined refolution ? It was 

 to make cowards fly before us. Bran, the fon of Leacan, 

 mildly but firmly fainted the noble and valiant band, that 

 never was ftained by any difgrace. He then enquired of us, in 

 friendly terms, the occafion of our coming ? Caoilte anfwered 

 for us, " to alk your daughter." 



• The original of this poem is given very correftly in the colleftion of Gaelic 

 poems, publiftied in Perth in 1786, by Mr. Gillies, an aftive and fpirited printer, 

 to whom the Erfe language is, on many accounts, much indebted. 



» The opening of this poem is very obfcure ; however, the tradition, handed 

 down together with it, clears up the difficulty. Oflian, when advanced in years, 

 being opprefled with extreme hunger, had recourfe to a young woman who had 

 often' fupplied hini with milk. She made him fome propofal which did not fuit 

 the delicacy of his feelings ; and, on his refufal, (he called him an old dog. This 

 fong was his reply to her on that occafion. — ^We cannot too much admire the in- 

 genious 



