There are many of the pieces in Macpherson’s Ossian of marvellous power. The description of Cuchullin’s chariot in the first book of Fingal is equal to any similar composition among the great classical epics. It proceeds:-- “Carbad! carbad garbh a’ chòmhraig, ’Gluasad thar ’chomhnard le bàs; Carbad cuimir, luath, Chuchullin, Sàr-mhac Sheuma nan cruaidh chàs. Tha ’earr a’ lùbadh siòs mar thonn, No ceò mu thom nan carragh geur, Solus chlocha-buadh mu’n cuairt, Mar chuan mu eathar ’s an oidhche. Dh’iubhar faileusach an crann; Suidhear ann air chnàmhaibh caoin; ’S e tuineas nan sleagh a th’ann, Nan sgiath, nan lann, ’s nan laoch. Ri taobh deas a’ mhòr-charbaid Chithear an t-each meanmnach, séidear, Mac ard-mhuingeach, cliàbh-fharsuing, dorcha, Ard-leumach, talmhaidh, na beinne; ’S farumach, fuaimear, a chos; Tha sgaoileadh a dhosain shuas, Mar cheathach air àros nan os; Bu shoilleir a dhreach, ’s bu luath ’Shiubhal, Sithfada b’e ’ainm. Ri taobh eile a charbaid thall Tha each fiarasach nan srann, Caol-mhuingeach, aiginneach, brògach, Luath-chosach, srònach, nam beann. Dubh-sròn-gheal a b’ainm air an steud-each. Làn mhìle dh’iallaibh tana ’Ceangal a’ charbaid gu h-àrd; Cruaidh chabstar shoilleir nan srian ’Nan gialaibh fo chobhar bàn; Tha clochan-boillsge le buaidh ’Cromadh sios mu mhuing nan each, Nan each tha mar cheò air sliabh, A’ giùlan an triath gu chliù. Is fiadhaiche na fiadh an colg, Co làidir ri iolair an neart; Tha ’m fuaim mar an geamhradh borb Air Gorm-mheall mùchta fo shneachd. ’Sa charbad chithear an triath, Sar mhac treun nan geur lann, Cuchullin nan gorm-bhallach sgiath, Mac Sheuma mu’n éireadh dan. A ghruaidh mar an t-iubhair caoin, A shuil nach b’fhaoin a’ sgaoileadh àrd, Fo mhala chruim, dhorcha, chaoil; A chiabh bhuidhe ’n a caoir m’a cheann, ’Taomadh mu ghnùis àluinn an fhir, ’S e ’tarruing a shleagh o ’chùl. Teich-sa, shàr cheannard nan long, Teich o’n t-sonn ’s e ’tighinn a nall, Mar ghaillinn o ghleann nan sruth.” It is difficult to give an English rendering of the above passage that would convey the elegance and force of the original. The admirer of Gaelic poetry cannot but regret that the English reader cannot peruse the Gaelic version, assured, as he feels, that his doing so would raise considerably his estimate of the Gaelic muse. There is not, perhaps, in any language a richer piece of poetical description than the above. Macpherson’s English version of it is as follows:--