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

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i8g THE GENUINE HISTORY OF<br />

'^^ his native fens (redaclum in paludes fuas Scot-<br />

^' turn. Latin. Pacat. in Panegyr. <strong>The</strong>od.), and<br />

" <strong>the</strong> Saxon deflroyed in conflifts by fea. — If<br />

'' <strong>the</strong> Hiber ians were <strong>of</strong> Caledonian extraft ; if,<br />

^^ from <strong>the</strong> ancient ties <strong>of</strong> confanguinity, a friend-<br />

" ly intercourfe was maintained between <strong>the</strong> Irifli<br />

" and <strong>the</strong> inhabitants <strong>of</strong> Albany ; a perfon <strong>of</strong> a<br />

*' lefs warm imagination than Claudian might<br />

^' fupp<strong>of</strong>e that <strong>the</strong> former fmcerely lamented <strong>the</strong><br />

** misfortunes <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir mo<strong>the</strong>r nation,"<br />

In this argument againfl <strong>the</strong> cuftomary and<br />

obvious application <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> paiTage in Claudian,<br />

is one thing intimated and anotlier afferted. It<br />

is afferted, that <strong>the</strong> account in Claudian is not<br />

confirmed by any o<strong>the</strong>r writer, and mud <strong>the</strong>re-<br />

fore be confidered as <strong>the</strong> exaggeration <strong>of</strong> poetry,<br />

And it is intimated, that if Ireland was peopled<br />

from Caledonia, and if <strong>the</strong>lril'h kept up a friendly<br />

intercourfe with <strong>the</strong> Caledonians, lerne might<br />

with propriety be faid to lament <strong>the</strong> carnage <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Scots, though <strong>the</strong>fe Scots were not derived<br />

from Ireland, and though <strong>the</strong>y were native Ca-<br />

ledonians.<br />

<strong>The</strong> affertion is not true. Latinus Pacatus,<br />

even as quoted and interpreted by <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon,<br />

clearly gives us <strong>the</strong> fubftance <strong>of</strong> what<br />

Claudian has more fully opened. Latinus de-<br />

llroj^s <strong>the</strong> Saxons '' inconfli

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