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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 183
It which Mr. Macpherfon fliouki direct his argu-
ments is, That the Iriih could not have fixed
themfelves in Argyle by the confent of the Cale-
donians. And for this purpofe he Ihould fpecify
all the various modes of fettling amicably in a
countr}^, and fliew the impoffibility, or at lead the
high improbability, of each of thefe with refpeft to
the Caledonians and the Irifn.
P. 107— 108, " Should It be fuppofed that a
*' band of adv^enturers were exi elkd from Ulfler
*' by the prefTure of the fouthern Irilh, it is
*' difficult to account how the Pi£ls of Britain
*' Ihould receive the fugitives. Either generofity
*' or felfifhnefs would have prompted them— to
*' affifl; the exiles in recovering their territories,
*' and, by that means, to endeavour to conquer a
*' part of a fine country for themfelves. But the
*^ Pi£ls were, it feems, ftrangers to the moft com-
*' men maxims of policy ; for, according to the
*' fyflem under confideration, -they muft have
" been of all nations the mod tame, prodigal, and
** imprudent."
This is exaftly in the fame tenour and fpnit
as one or two arguments before. The Caledo-
nians might be of all nations the moft tame, pro-
digal, and imprudent, if the fa^ was true ; and
N yet
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