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

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THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 169<br />

much, as to have any part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir country rent<br />

from <strong>the</strong>m by a colony from Ireland •, and<br />

That,<br />

when <strong>the</strong> Scots are firft mentioned as in <strong>the</strong> ifland<br />

by Marcel! inus, he does not hint that <strong>the</strong>y de-<br />

rived <strong>the</strong>ir defcent from a foreign country. This<br />

is <strong>the</strong> full fum and fubftance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> argument.<br />

And it is evidently unfatisfaftory. To prove<br />

that no colony tranfmigrated from Ireland into<br />

Britain, he endeavours to {hew that nolrifh colo-<br />

ny fettled in Britain hy 'violence. To prove that<br />

<strong>the</strong> Scots did not come into Britain fi-om Ireland,<br />

he intimates that <strong>the</strong> hiflorian, who firft mentions<br />

<strong>the</strong>m in Britain, does not fay that <strong>the</strong>y came from<br />

Ireland. <strong>The</strong> former is a mere fallacy, <strong>the</strong> fub-<br />

Hitution <strong>of</strong> one term for ano<strong>the</strong>r. And <strong>the</strong> latter<br />

is merely a negative reafon, ftrangely adduced<br />

in fupport <strong>of</strong> a p<strong>of</strong>itive aflertion.<br />

To this clear and lliort refutation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Mr</strong>. Mac-<br />

pherfon's great argument, it is proper to add<br />

one obfervation concerning <strong>the</strong> alledged filence<strong>of</strong><br />

Marcellinus. He who firft found <strong>the</strong> Scots in<br />

this ifland, it is faid, " does not furnifli one ob-<br />

*' fcure hint that <strong>the</strong>y derived <strong>the</strong>ir blood from<br />

*' a foreign country." But <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon is<br />

not aware, that <strong>the</strong> part <strong>of</strong> Marcellinus's hiftory,<br />

which firft noticed <strong>the</strong> Scots as in Britain, has<br />

been long l<strong>of</strong>t to <strong>the</strong> world. <strong>The</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>m " in <strong>the</strong> tenth confulfhip <strong>of</strong> Conftan-<br />

** tius," is not <strong>the</strong> firft that <strong>the</strong>y made in <strong>the</strong><br />

Hiftory

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