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

iioS THE GENUINE HISTORY OF
denominated Scotia as well as Hibernia ; this
forms a ftrongly prefumptive argument, that
Ireland was the primary and general feat of the
Scots for ages before. But when Bede and
others inform us, that Ireland was the original
country of the Scots, and that the few who lived
in a narrow confined corner of Caledonia, paffed
over from Ireland to fettle there ; this reflets a
luiler back upon the former aflertion, and what
before was only prefumptive now becomes cer-
tain. And all unite to form thefe important
truths, That the Irifh firfl bore the appellation
of Scots, and firfl communicated it to their own
country ; that they afterwards fettled in Caledo-
nia, and gradually extended their own name
over it ; and that at laft, as in the cafe of the
lonians above, the colony retained the primseval
appellation of their anceflors, when the parcni^
had loft it.
P. 121— 128. Mr. Macpherfon having fairly
ftiewn in p. 118— 120, that Glldas's authority
is not in reality againft his fcheme ; he once more
returns to Btde, as he finds his teftiraony once
more pofitively againft him. And, as before he
endeavoured to fet afide bis aifertions from hi*
uncertainty concerning the reafon? of the fafts
aiiferted.