L ARGUMENT. Cuthullin, after the arms of Fingal had expelled Swaran from Ireland, continued to manage the affairs of that kingdom as the guardian of Cormac, the young king. In the third year of Cuthullin's adminiftration, Torlath, the fon of Cantéla, rebelled in Connaught; and advanced to Temora to dethrone Cormac. Cuthullin marched against him, came up with him at the lake of Lego, and totally defeated his forces. Torlath fell in battle by Cuthullin's hand; but as he too eagerly preffed on the enemy, he was mortally wounded. The affairs of Cormac, though, for fome time, fupported by Nathos, as mentioned in the preceding poem, fell into confufion at the death of Cuthullin. Cormac himself was flain by the rebel Cairbar; and the re-establishment of the royal family of Ireland by Fingal, furnishes the fubject of the epic poem of Temora. THE DEATH of CUTHULLIN: A POE M. ་ s the wind on the fhield of Fingal ? Or is the voice of paft times in my hall? Sing on, fweet voice! for thou art pleasant. Thou carrieft away my night with joy. Sing on, O Bragela, daughter of car-borne Sorglan! "It is the white wave of the rock, and not Cuthullin's fails. Often do the mifts deceive me for the ship of my love! when they rife round fome ghoft, and spread their grey fkirts on the wind. Why doft thou delay thy coming, fon of the generous Semo? Four times has autumn returned with its winds, and raised the feas of Togorma*, fince thou haft been in the roar of * Togorma, i. e. the island of blue waves, one of the Hebrides, was fubject to Connal, the fon of Caithbat, Cuthullin's 8 of battles, and Bragéla diftant far! Hills of the isle of mift! when will ye answer to his hounds? But ye are dark in your clouds. Sad Bragéla calls in vain! Night comes rolling down. The face of ocean fails. The heath-cock's head is beneath his wing. The hind fleeps, with the hart of the defert. They fhall rife with morning's light, and feed by the moffy ftream. But my tears return with the fun. My fighs come on with the night. When wilt thou come in thine arms, O chief of Erin's wars?" Pleasant is thy voice in Offian's ear, daughter of car-borne Sorglan! But retire to the hall of fhells; to the beam of the burning oak. Attend to the murmur of the fea it rolls at Dunfcai's walls; let fleep defcend on thy blue eyes. Let the hero arife in thy dreams! Cuthullin fits at Lego's lake, at the dark rolling of waters. Night is around the hero. His thousands fpread on the heath. A hundred oaks burn in the midft. The Cuthullin's friend. He is fometimes called the fon of Colgar, from one of that name who was the founder of the family. Connal, a few days before the news of Torlath's revolt came to Temora, had failed to Togorma, his native ifle; where he was detained by contrary winds during the war in which Cuthullin was killed. feaft |