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

azi THE GENUINE HISTORY OF
I Kave already obferved, that it Is not of the
lead fignification to the truth and authenticity of
the hiftory, whether Bede derived it from the
Scots of Ireland or the Scots of Caledonia, and
that, even according to Mr. Macpherfon himfelf,
the learned Irifh were more likely to give Bedc
true information concerning an antient incident,
than their ignorant and barbarous brethren of
Argyle. And the fa£l and reafoning here are
neither of them true.
Bede afferts the Scots of Caledonia to have
been aftually denominated Dalrcudini in his time ;
ufque hodie Dalreudini vocantur '. This is
not a particular, that could have been borrowed
from the Irifh annalifts. He fpcaks of a faft
notorious and public, and exifling in his own
time. It was the popular name of the Scots
among the nations around them, in the days of
Bede. This therefore is a circumftancethat muft
have been known to Bede himfelf. And his
alTertion is decifive for its exiflence.
P. 125— 126. " To dell^roy from another
" principle, the tale of Bede and the ftory of
** Ueuda, it may not be improper to obferve, that
the