The genuine history of the Britons asserted against Mr. Macpherson ...
The genuine history of the Britons asserted against Mr. Macpherson ... The genuine history of the Britons asserted against Mr. Macpherson ...
J74 THE GENTTINE HISTORY OF " too abfurd to gain any credit. But perhaps ^^ the Pifts gave the diftrift of Argyle to their " allies of Ireland, in confideration of fervices '^ againft the Romans. Thefe fervices were ex- '* tremely unnecefTary ', for the Romans, till pro- '* voked by incurfions, were very inoffenfrve to- '* wards the Barbarians beyond the walls. Na- *' tions, in fliort, have been known to receive fo- " reigners into the bofom of their country to re- " pel invafions, but it is ridiculous to think that " any people would have recourfe to fo danger- ^' ous an expedient for the pleafure of haraffing *' neighbours who did not in any degree offend " them." The former was Mr. Macpherfon*s firft argu- ment againft Bede. This is his fecond. And it is calculated to prove, that the Scots could not have fettled in Caledonia either by force or treaty. But, fuppofmg every part of it to be juft, the whole is of no moment againft a faft that is pofitively afferted by a credible autho- rity. Such an argument would not deftroy the llighteft incident of the flighteft hiftory that ever was written. Though the Scots could not fettle by force, as indeed I think that Mr. Macpherfon's reafoning feems ftrong» ly to evince, they might fettle by treaty, fof any reafon that is afftgned by him. The fer- vices of the Scots againft the Romans might be unnecelTary : and yet the Caledonians might allov#
THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 17^ allow them a portion of land in their country. To invite the Irifh into the ifland merely to at- tack the inofFenfive Romans, might be folly in the Caledonians ; and yet they might do it. Mr. Macpherfon forgets, t^at he is arguing, not iigaind the afligned reafons of a fa£l, but againft the exiflence of the faft itfelf. Againft the for- mer his arguments would carry weight. But ihey carry none at all againft the latter. There are alfo other modes of fettling peaceably in a country, than what is here mentioned. And in the Hiftory of Manchefter I have fuggefted one very different from this, and in all probability the true one ^. P. 106— 107.— " It is difficult for the unpre- ^' judiced part of mankind to believe, that a *' colony, fufficient to occupy the weftern high- " lands and ifles, could have wafted themfelves, " their wives, and children, at once, from Ire- " land into the northern Britain, in Curraghs or " miferable ikiffs, whofe hulls of wicker were " wrapped up in a cow's hide. In thefe wretch- ** ed vefiels, it is true, an irregular communi- *' cation was kept up between both the iflands ^ but the navigation was dangerous, and per- *^ formed
- Page 133 and 134: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 123 dons of F
- Page 135 and 136: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 125 " we can
- Page 137 and 138: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 127 and Ptole
- Page 139 and 140: THE BRITONS ASSSRTED. 129 Friths. A
- Page 141 and 142: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 131 The name
- Page 143 and 144: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 133 reafoning
- Page 145 and 146: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 135 plierfons
- Page 147 and 148: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 137 it natura
- Page 149 and 150: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 139 hoflility
- Page 151 and 152: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 141 '' Gadhel
- Page 153 and 154: THE BRITONS ASSERTED, 143 P. 54—5
- Page 155 and 156: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 14^ very nume
- Page 157 and 158: THE BRITONS ASSERTED, 147 could in
- Page 159 and 160: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 149 could eve
- Page 161 and 162: THE BRITONS ASSERTED, i^t of the Ch
- Page 163 and 164: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 1^3 of Oflian
- Page 165 and 166: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 155 FROM p. 5
- Page 167 and 168: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 157 are fpirl
- Page 169 and 170: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 159 lefponden
- Page 171 and 172: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 161 founded u
- Page 173 and 174: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. i6j It gives
- Page 175 and 176: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. i6s of INIanc
- Page 177 and 178: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 167 he recite
- Page 179 and 180: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 169 much, as
- Page 181 and 182: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 171 Mr. Macph
- Page 183: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 17J attribute
- Page 187 and 188: THE SRitONS ASSERTED. 177 Separatel
- Page 189 and 190: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. lyg Oif men f
- Page 191 and 192: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. i8t monflrate
- Page 193 and 194: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 183 It which
- Page 195 and 196: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 18^ But there
- Page 197 and 198: XHE BRITONS ASSERTED. liy HAVING IV
- Page 199 and 200: THE BHITONS ASSERTED. 1S9 Quid rigo
- Page 201 and 202: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. [91 countryme
- Page 203 and 204: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 195 "^ which
- Page 205 and 206: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 19^- fpe£tiv
- Page 207 and 208: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 197 on ravage
- Page 209 and 210: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. £99 fyftem t
- Page 211 and 212: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 201 Mr. Macph
- Page 213 and 214: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 203 bus colit
- Page 215 and 216: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. i^y The autho
- Page 217 and 218: THE TRITONS ASSERTED. 207 " before
- Page 219 and 220: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 209 aiTerted,
- Page 221 and 222: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 21 name for t
- Page 223 and 224: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 213 opinions
- Page 225 and 226: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 21^ along the
- Page 227 and 228: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 217 called Br
- Page 229 and 230: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 21^ riers, by
- Page 231 and 232: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. zzz- dcrive t
- Page 233 and 234: THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 223 flint ^ A
J74 THE GENTTINE HISTORY OF<br />
" too abfurd to gain any credit. But perhaps<br />
^^ <strong>the</strong> Pifts gave <strong>the</strong> diftrift <strong>of</strong> Argyle to <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
" allies <strong>of</strong> Ireland, in confideration <strong>of</strong> fervices<br />
'^ againft <strong>the</strong> Romans. <strong>The</strong>fe fervices were ex-<br />
'* tremely unnecefTary ', for <strong>the</strong> Romans, till pro-<br />
'* voked by incurfions, were very in<strong>of</strong>fenfrve to-<br />
'* wards <strong>the</strong> Barbarians beyond <strong>the</strong> walls. Na-<br />
*' tions, in fliort, have been known to receive fo-<br />
" reigners into <strong>the</strong> b<strong>of</strong>om <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir country to re-<br />
" pel invafions, but it is ridiculous to think that<br />
" any people would have recourfe to fo danger-<br />
^' ous an expedient for <strong>the</strong> pleafure <strong>of</strong> haraffing<br />
*' neighbours who did not in any degree <strong>of</strong>fend<br />
" <strong>the</strong>m."<br />
<strong>The</strong> former was <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon*s firft argu-<br />
ment againft Bede. This is his fecond. And it<br />
is calculated to prove, that <strong>the</strong> Scots could not<br />
have fettled in Caledonia ei<strong>the</strong>r by force or<br />
treaty. But, fupp<strong>of</strong>mg every part <strong>of</strong> it to be<br />
juft, <strong>the</strong> whole is <strong>of</strong> no moment againft a faft<br />
that is p<strong>of</strong>itively afferted by a credible autho-<br />
rity. Such an argument would not deftroy<br />
<strong>the</strong> llighteft incident <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> flighteft hiftory<br />
that ever was written. Though <strong>the</strong> Scots<br />
could not fettle by force, as indeed I think<br />
that <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon's reafoning feems ftrong»<br />
ly to evince, <strong>the</strong>y might fettle by treaty, f<strong>of</strong><br />
any reafon that is afftgned by him. <strong>The</strong> fer-<br />
vices <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Scots againft <strong>the</strong> Romans might be<br />
unnecelTary : and yet <strong>the</strong> Caledonians might<br />
allov#
Change language