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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED. i4j
a^ually a part of it. They are not about one
half, or nearly the whole, of the compafs of
Britain, but are a part, and a fiiiall one, of it*
And they are not divided from Britain by a fea as
broad as the Gallic, in the middle of which lies
the ifle of Man •, they are not one of the many
ifles that lie about Britain ; and they are not a
great ifland whofe two oppofite fides are equal in
length, and which is broader than it is long ;
but they are a narrow traft of country within the
ifland of Britain, lie along the ealiern border of
that fea in which is the ifle of Manj and have
only a (bore upon one fide. Thefe defcriptions
of lerna, Hibernia, andluverlia, therefore, dcci-
lively appropriate the appellations. It is abfo-
lutely impofllble, that the wefl:ern Highlands of
Scotland could be meant by them. And it is
equally impoffible, that any but Ireland could be
meant.
Thus is the firfl part of this conclufive argu-
ment very eafily overthrown. And the fecond
will fall flill more eafily. It pretends to prove
the wellern Highlands of Scotland, the lar or
lar-in of the prefent Highlanders, to be the
lerna of the antients, and the Scots of thefe
Highlands to be native Caledonians, hecaufi the
Scots are called lar-gael or weflern Gauls. And,
even if we allow Mr. Macpherfon all his premifesj
his conclufion is unjuft. Even if we allow lar-
jael tQ be an original appellation for the Scots 3
Pv 2 evef\