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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 137
it naturally would be, and as it is now written
Mss in Wellh and Moi in Irifli. And the inha-
bitants of the lower lands of Caledonia, which
He immediately to the North of Antoninus's
Vallum, and along the line of the Eaftern coaft,
would naturally be diftinguifhed from the reft
of the Caledonians, the Mountaineers upon one
fide of them, by fome topical and defcriptive
appellation. The Mountaineers are thus difcri-
minated at prefent by the title of Albanech or
Highlanders. And the others are to this day-
denominated the Lowlandeis. May or Mse, a
Plain, runs out into Mai-ed or Mae-at in the
plural. And as we have feen Fir-Gallt and
Fir-Caledon above, and as the Carnabii and
Cantii mud have been originally Fir-Cant and
Fir-Carnab, fo Mc^at^e mufl; have been Fir-Mse-
at, and fignifies die Men of the Plains.
I have dwelt the longer upon this paflage, to
lay open the inaccurate mode of reafoning which
is ufed by Mr. Macpherfon, the very bold manner
in which he advances fuppofitions into certainty,
and his ftrange method of contradifting in the
Notes what he aflerts in the Text. The reafoning
here is peculiarly loofe and flimfy. The
aifertions are uncommonly ftrong and arbitrary.
And the contradiftion of the Note to the Text
is remarkably llriking.
p. 54.