[FRAGMENT] IX. James Macpherson Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T83707 K068251.000 Macpherson, James, 1736-1796 Fragments of ancient poetry, collected in the Highlands of Scotland, and translated from the Galic or Erse language. Edinburgh printed for G. Hamilton and J. Balfour 1760 pp. 41-45. 70p.; 8⁰.

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[ FRAGMENT ] IX .

THOU askest , fair daughter of the isles ! whose memory is preserved in these tombs ? The memory of Ronnan the bold , and Connan the chief of men ; and of her , the fairest of maids , Rivine the lovely and the good . The wing of time is laden with care . Every moment hath woes of its own . Why seek we our grief from afar ? or give our tears to those of other times ? But thou commandest , and I obey , O fair daughter of the isles !

CONAR was mighty in war . Caul was the friend of strangers . His gates were open to all ; midnight darkened not on his barred door . Both lived upon the sons of the mountains . Their bow was the support of the poor .

CONNAN was the image of Conar's soul . Caul was renewed in Ronnan his son . Rivine the daughter of Conar was the love of Ronnan ; her brother Connan was his friend . She was fair as the harvest-moon setting in the seas of Molochasquir . Her soul was settled on Ronnan ; the youth was the dream of her nights .

RIVINE , my love ! says Ronnan , I go to my king in Norway Supposed to be Fergus II . This fragment is reckoned not altogether so ancient as most of the rest . . A year and a day shall bring me back . Wilt thou be true to Ronnan ?

RONNAN ! a year and a day I will spend in sorrow . Ronnan , behave like a man , and my soul shall exult in thy valour . Connan my friend , says Ronnan , wilt thou preserve Rivine thy sister ? Durstan is in love with the maid ; and soon shall the sea bring the stranger to our coast .

RONNAN , I will defend : Do thou securely go . — He went . He returned on his day . But Durstan returned before him .

GIVE me thy daughter , Conar , says Durstan ; or fear and feel my power .

HE who dares attempt my sister , says Connan , must meet this edge of steel . Unerring in battle is my arm : my sword , as the lightning of heaven .

RONNAN the warriour came ; and much he threatened Durstan .

BUT , faith Euran the servant of gold , Ronnan ! by the gate of the north shall Durstan this night carry thy fairone away . Accursed , answers Ronnan , be this arm if death meet him not there .

CONNAN ! faith Euran , this night shall the stranger carry thy sister away . My sword shall meet him , replies Connan , and he shall lie low on earth .

THE friends met by night , and they sought . Blood and sweat ran down their limbs as water on the mossy rock . Connan falls ; and cries , O Durstan , be favourable to Rivine ! — And is it my friend , cries Ronnan , I have slain ? O Connan ! I knew thee not .

HE went , and he fought with Durstan . Day began to rise on the combat , when fainting they fell , and expired . Rivine came out with the morn ; and — O what detains my Ronnan ! — She saw him lying pale in his blood ; and her brother lying pale by his side . What could she say ? what could she do ? her complaints were many and vain . She opened this grave for the warriours ; and fell into it herself , before it was closed ; like the sun snatched away in a storm .

THOU hast heard this tale of grief , O fair daughter of the isles ! Rivine was fair as thyself : shed on her grave a tear .