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The genuine history of the Britons asserted against Mr. Macpherson ...

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THE BRITONS ASSEP».TED. 99<br />

Signification <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word. It is Brith in Welfli,<br />

Brit in Irifli, and Breaft % Breac, and Bryk,<br />

in Erfe, Irilh, and Welfti ; and primarily meant<br />

any thing Divided. This is evident from <strong>the</strong><br />

prefent meaning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> word in many <strong>of</strong> its<br />

derivatives, in <strong>the</strong> Irifh Brioth a Fradlion,<br />

Brath a Fragment, and Bracaim to break afunder,<br />

and in <strong>the</strong> WelQi Breg a Breach, Bradwy<br />

a Fraifture, Briw a Fragment, Briwo to break<br />

into fragments, and Bradwyog and Brwyd<br />

Broken -. And, carrying with it originally <strong>the</strong><br />

fmgle i^ea <strong>of</strong> divifion, it was afterwards, by<br />

<strong>the</strong> natural affimilation <strong>of</strong> ideas in <strong>the</strong> hu-<br />

riian mind, applied to evei-y thing that pre-<br />

fented <strong>the</strong> idea <strong>of</strong> a divifion. It was firft applied<br />

probably, as in <strong>the</strong> Irifli and Highland Breacan,<br />

to <strong>the</strong> ftriped mantles <strong>of</strong> plaid. And^ frpm<br />

<strong>the</strong> colours in regular divifions on <strong>the</strong> plaids,<br />

it would be transferred to obje6ls that were but<br />

difperfedly marked with colours ; and Brith, Brit,<br />

Breast, Break, and Bryk came to fignify Partico-<br />

loured, Speckled, and Spotted. Thus Breac<br />

ftands for any thing fpeckled or a Trout, Breicin<br />

for a fmall IVout, Britineach or Brittinios for<br />

<strong>the</strong> Meazles, in <strong>the</strong> Irifh at prefent ; Brech is ap-<br />

* Oilian, V. I, p. 210. a note.<br />

* So alfo iti <strong>the</strong> Welfh, Breichio, to take j^art with any one.,<br />

Brau and Breuol, Frangible, and Breuolaeth and Breuawd,<br />

Frangibiliry, and in our Anglo-Britlfh word Brittle or Fran-<br />

gible,<br />

H a<br />

pUea

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