THE LAY OF MOIRA BORB.

ARGUMENT.-Ossian commences the Lay of Moira Borb without the usual introduction of a dialogue with St. Patrick-but with an expression of grief, excited by the recollection of what he is proceeding to record. While the Fenians were reclining with their chief on a cliff listening to the roar of a neighbouring water-fall, and enjoying the prospect of the sea, they beheld a corrac, or small boat, occupied by only one mariner, a female, approaching the land. Wondering at this novel appearance, they hastened down to the beach, to gratify their curiosity by a nearer view, when suddenly they saw a maiden of enchanting beauty and princely mien rise from the corrac and spring ashore. After a friendly greeting they conducted her to Finn, by whom she was most courteously received. On being requested to declare her rank and her object in coming to Erin, she replies that she is the daughter of a king whose dominion lies beneath the waves-that she is a refugee come to claim protection from the Fenians, against the prince of Sora, who would force her to be his bride. Finn, with his wonted generosity, promises that he will be her friend, and defend her against all aggression -and Oscar vows that she shall never be the spouse of her persecutor. Presently the prince of Sora is seen careering over the sea on a fiery steed, clothed in shining mail, and by his noble bearing and splendid attire, filling them with astonishment. As he dashes forward to seize the princess, Oscar and Gaul hasten to intercept him. Gaul rends his shield by the stroke of a dart, and Oscar flings from his left handia javelin, the shaft of which had been hardened in the fire, and with such indomitable force, that it transpierced the magic steed, and struck him dead. Notwithstanding this disaster, the warrior prince, now on foot, defies fifty of the bravest Fenians, whom he overcomes, captures, and binds. As he easily vanquished all who approached him in close combat, they waged a distant fight—until Gaul, who is ready in all such emergencies, to turn the scale, comes forth to meet him, and, after a well sustained conflict, by a lucky thrust, lays his antagonist prostrate. The bard generously laments the fall of the heroic prince, and states that, by command of the king, he was interred with golden rings put on his fingers, as a tribute of respect to his valour. The heroine expressed her gratitude to Finn and the Fenians by remaining a year in the royal mansions of Almhuin. Gaul did not escape from the conflict without wounds which placed him for six months under his leeche's care.

The Bard, after lamenting the departure of his youth, the inefficacy of female charms to solace the cares of old age, and the failure of his mental faculties, concludes his "little tale."

The opening scene of this poem is by Eas Ruadh (Ashroe), “ a very beautiful water-fall of the river Erne, at Ballyshannon, and the principal salmon leap in Ireland. The scenery is extremely picturesque; a bold coast of perpendicular rocks is covered to the very edge with the richest verdure, and projects in unequal promontories, as it opens to the sea."—Miss Brooke.

The word Eas, in the original, "signifies a water-fall, heap, or cataract, where the water is precipitated from an eminence, and of course makes a considerable noise; and on this idea Mac bobhair na mhoill,' is translated by Miss Brooke 'deafening son of the heap;' but we have the authority of an ancient Irish manuscript, that the Eas had its name from Ruadh Mac Bobhair, who was there accidentally killed by falling from the summit The Scotch Ossian, however, makes his cataract softly murmur—the fall of Roya that softly murmurs.' O'Reilly, p. 253. In a note to the Annals of Ireland by the Four Masters, Geraghty's Edition, p. 64, it is named "Eas Aodha Ruaidh Mac Baduirn. The cataract of Red Hugh, son of Badurn, where Red Hugh, monarch of Ireland, was drowned about five centuries before the Christian æra." In the Scotch copy, the pursuer of the lady is called "Dyre borb." In the Irish "Moighre borb." Macpherson differs from both, and calls him "Borbar." Neither the Scotch nor the Irish poem gives any other name for the lady but " Neyn Re heir fa hwne," or "Inghean Righ, thire fo thuinn;" but Mr. Macpherson has supplied these defects, and christened the distressed damsel "FAINASOLLIS."-O'Reilly's Essay, p. 253. The Report of the Highland Society remarks that "Miss Brooke's Moira Borb resembles, in many particulars, Macpherson's Maid of Craca”and that in the report of the Rev. James M'Gregor will be found "a closer resemblance to Macpherson than is commonly the case; though in this, as in other instances, where such an opportunity of comparison occurs, the simplicity and distinctness of narrative in the original ancient poem will be easily contrasted with the general and more ornamented expression of Macpherson." "The catastrophe of the poem in Miss Brooke differs from that of the similar story in Macpherson, where the lady is killed by a shaft from the bow of her pursuer." This, however, was the fate of the heroine who was pursued by "Illan, son of the king of Spain," or "Illan of Sora"-a poem which has a striking resemblance to Moira Borb. Macpherson ingeniously dovetails into one story those facts and descriptions which properly belong only to another, and thus he makes up his centos from a variety of sources.

I.

A little tale have I to tell

Of Cumhal's son, that matchless chief,
Which aye must be remembered well,
Although it wrings my heart with grief.

Where fierce Mac-Bovar's cataracts pour
Down the dark cliff, with deafening roar,
We lay, in number few;
When o'er the deep afar we spy
A corrac small advancing nigh ;*
One female all her crew.

Round princely Finn were gallant men,
Reclined at ease, two score and ten;
Such, lived they now, as might extend
Their rule to earth's remotest end;
Alas! alas! in death they sleep,
And I alone survive to weep.

III.

All, sudden to their feet upsprung,

Save Cumhal's son and Gaul the brave,

To see the corrac as she flung

The spray aside, and cleft the wave;

Till in the little sandy bay,

Beside the cataract fall she lay.

Yet ere she touched the yellow sand,
Our swifter feet had reached the strand.

When up arose the maiden bright

And sprang ashore with speed of light.

The corrac was enchanted, as was the bark of Tasso's Rinaldo

Una barca mirabile incantata

Ch'ella chiamo la barca avventurosa.

Enchanted barks, since the launching of the Argo, have been of great use in the machinery of the poetry of romance. In the Third Book of Macpherson's Fingal, instead of a corrac, "a white sailed boat appeared far off; we saw it like a mist that rode on ocean's wind."

Of purple was her flowing vest,
A jewel glittered on her breast;
Her face shone radiant as the sun,
Too dazzling* to be gazed upon;
And such her dignity and grace
As spoke a maid of princely race.

IV.

When to the tent of Finn she came,
Conducted by our band,

She hailed our chief of far-spread fame
With greeting sweet and bland,
As bland was he in word and look,
While by the hand the maid he took ;
And with a graceful honest pride
Beheld her seated by his side,

While Gaul and all our chiefs around
from admiration found;

No pause

But wonder-struck they gazed.

No wandering thought their bosoms crossed,
Their hearts were gone, their senses lost,
Enraptured and amazed.

O'ercome by beauty's potent spell

That opens heaven and conquers hell.t

Vultus nimium lubricus (lucidus ?) aspici.-HOR.

Thus the aged senators of Troy were struck with admiration of Helen, when they compared her to the Immortals, and said

Αινῶς ὰθανατῃσι θεῇς εἰς ώπα εοικεν.

I. III., 158.

They cry'd, No wonder such celestial charms,
For nine long years have set the world in arms;
What winning graces! what majestic mien!
She moves a Goddess, and she looks a Queen!

-Her angel's face

As the bright eye of heaven shined bright,

And made a sunshine in the shady place,

Pope.

Did never mortal eye behold such heavenly grace.

Spenser,

"At a party given by Abd-ur-rahman to Mr. Layard, at Nimroud, "the host was in raptures with the beauty of the French lady, and whispered to Mr. Layard-Wallah, she is the sister of the sun! What would you have more beautiful than that?"

V.

Then Finn, of aspect sweet and clear,
Said " Maiden, fondly would we hear,
From what strange land you hither came-
Your rank, your lineage, and your name.
"The daughter of that king am I,
Whose realms beneath the ocean lie;
And this my story brief,

Through every land I speed my way,
That sees the glorious light of day,
In quest of Erin's chief."

"And, daughter, what the cause declare
That leads a maid so young, so fair,
Alone and far from friendly home,
Unguarded through the world to roam?"
Great chief, all chiefs excelling far;
(Thus spoke the maid of maids the star,)
To thee I suppliant bend;

Do thou whom none on earth exceeds

In generous, high, heroic deeds,

A helpless maid befriend.

?"

Thy kind protection let me know And shield me from a potent foe.' “And who, in wrath and vengeance strong, Pursues thee and would do thee wrong (The prudent chief replied.) "Dismiss thy terrors—trust my arm— No foe on earth shall do thee harmAnd in my power confide. When in just cause for aid implored, The Fenians wield no feeble sword.' “A hero bold—a man of might,

Pursues me o'er both land and sea,
Enflamed by love and jealous spite ;-
The son of Sora's king is he,
Great Moira Borb, for such his name-
Of weapons keen and far-spread fame.
His suit I spurned, with solemn vows
Ne'er to become his plighted spouse,