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

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THE BHITONS ASSERTED. 1S9<br />

Quid rigor ceternus coeli, quid fidera pr<strong>of</strong>unt,<br />

Jgmhmquefreturn f Maduerunt Saxonc fufo<br />

Orcadcs.<br />

Latinus has omitted <strong>the</strong> Pi6ls, who were un-<br />

doubtedly and confeffedly concerned : Claudian<br />

more accurately has noticed <strong>the</strong>m. Latinus<br />

drives back <strong>the</strong> Scots to <strong>the</strong>ir native bogs, redadum<br />

in paludes fuas ; an expreffion, not liiited<br />

at all to <strong>the</strong> mountains <strong>of</strong> Arg} le, but highly<br />

charafleriftic <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> plains <strong>of</strong> Ireland : and Clau-<br />

dian mentions <strong>the</strong> Scots as <strong>the</strong> fons <strong>of</strong> Ireland,<br />

and makes a great carnage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m. And where,<br />

efpecially v^'ith regard to <strong>the</strong> lall and main point,<br />

is <strong>the</strong> difference betwixt <strong>the</strong> poetical and pro-<br />

faical hilforian ? And where is <strong>the</strong> Hyperbole<br />

and warm imagination <strong>of</strong> Claudian ? His co-<br />

louring is ftronger : but his texture is <strong>the</strong> fame,<br />

as Latinus*s. And it appears from both, that<br />

<strong>the</strong> Iriih at this period were repelled in an in-<br />

"rafion <strong>of</strong> Britain, P.nd that Ireland l<strong>of</strong>t a number<br />

<strong>of</strong> her troops in this unfortunate expedition.<br />

<strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon*s affertfon <strong>the</strong>refore, that Clau*<br />

dian's account is Qot confirmed by any o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

writer, is not true. And it carries no force with<br />

It, if it was. Though <strong>the</strong> account in Claudian<br />

had not been corrobor^ited by any one elfe, <strong>the</strong><br />

fafts in him might yet be real. And his own<br />

teftimony would have been fufficient to au<strong>the</strong>n-<br />

ticate <strong>the</strong> whole.<br />

Bttt

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