ly. The
language of their oldest poets, it seems, is still perfectly
intelligible, which is by no means our case.

The works of Taliesin, Llywarch Hen, Aneurin Gwawdrydd, Myrddin Wyllt,
Avan Verddig, who all flourished about the year 560, a considerable time
after Ossian, are hardly understood by the best critics and antiquarians
in Wales, though our language has not undergone more changes than the
Erse. Nay, the Bards that wrote a long while after, from the time of
William the Conquerer to the death of Prince Llewelyn, are not so easy to
be understood; but that whoever goes about to translate them, will find
numerous obsolete words, not to be found in any Dictionary or Glossary,
either in print or manuscript.

What this difference is owing to, I leave to be determined by others, who
are better acquainted, than I am, with such circumstances of the Scottish
Highlands, as might prove more favourable towards keeping up the perfect
knowledge of their language for so many generations. But, be that as it
may, it is not my intent to enter into the dispute, which has arisen in
relation to the antiquity of Ossian's poems. My concern is only about
the opinion the world may entertain of the intrinsic value of those which
I offer. They seem to me, though not so methodical and regular in their
composition as many poems of other nations, yet not to be wanting in
poetical merit; and if I am not totally deceived in my judgment, I shall
have no reason to repent of the pains I have taken to draw them out of
that state of obscurity, in which they have hitherto been buried, and in
which they run great risk of mouldering away.

It might perhaps be expected, that I should say something of the Bards in
general on this occasion; but as I have treated that subject in my Latin
Dissertation, which I shall annex to these translations, it will be
sufficient to observe here, that the usual subjects of their poems were
the brave feats of their warriors in the field, their hospitality and
generosity, with other commendable qualities in domestic life, and
elegies upon their great men, which were sung to the harp at their
feasts, before a numerous audience of their friends and relations. This
is the account that the Greek and Roman writers have given of them, as I
have shown at large in the above-mentioned treatise, which I intend to
publish.

The following poems, from among many others of greater length, and of
equal merit, were taken from a