NUMBER V.
DUAN, IN THE TRUE OSSIAN SUBLIMITY,
By MR. MACPHERSON.
Does the wind touch thee, O HARP?
Or is it some passing Ghost?
Is is thy hand,
Spirit of the departed Scrutiny?
Bring me the harp, pride of CHATHAM!
Snow is on thy bosom,
Maid of the modest eye!
A song shall rise!
Every soul shall depart at the sound!!!
The wither’d thistle shall crown my head!!!
I behold thee, O King!
I behold thee sitting on mist!!!
Thy form is like a watery cloud,
Singing in the deep like an oyster!!!!
Thy face is like the beams of the setting moon!
Thy eyes are of two decaying flames!
Thy nose is like the spear of ROLLO!!!
Thy ears are like three bossy shields!!!
Strangers shall rejoice at thy chin!
The ghosts of dead Tories shall hear me
In their airy hall!
The wither’d thistle shall crown my head!
Bring me the Harp,
Son of CHATHAM!
But thou, O King! give me the Laurel!
NUMBER VI.
[Though the following Ossianade does not immediately come under the description of a Probationary Ode, yet as it appertains to the nomination of the Laureat, we class it under the same head. We must at the same time compliment Mr. Macpherson for his spirited address to Lord Salisbury on the subject. The following is a copy of his letter:]
MY LORD,
I take the liberty to address myself immediately to your Lordship, in vindication of my poetical character, which, I am informed, is most illiberally attacked by the Foreign Gentleman, whom your Lordship has thought proper to select as an assessor on the present scrutiny for the office of Poet Laureat to his Majesty. Signor Delpini is certainly below my notice—but I understand his objections to my Probationary Ode are two;—first, its conciseness; and next, its being in prose. For the present, I shall wave all discussion of these frivolous remarks; begging leave, however, to solicit your Lordship’s protection to the following Supplemental Ode, which, I hope, both from its quantity and its style, will most effectually do away the paltry, insidious attack of an uninformed reviler, who is equally ignorant of British Poetry and of British Language.
I have the honour to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship’s most obedient,
and faithful servant,
J. MACPHERSON.