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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 249
common appellations of Ireland, when the little
didridl of Strathern was buried in the obfcurity
of its own infignificance. And, Erin and its re-
latives being merely denominations of Ireland
derived from its wefterly fituation, any infular or
peninfular diflrift in Britain might receive the
fame appellation from the inhabitants to the Eall
Thus we have Britons and Brigantes upon
of it.
the Continent and in Albion. Ireland was called
Inis Alga, and a cherfonefus in Caledonia Elg-in.
And we have the little ifland of Era or Erra
near the ifle of Mull and to the Weft of it, and
the ifland of Era or Erin near the Harris ' ; Erin
for the whole body of the Hebrides ; lerna on
the weftern fide of Loch Fyn in Argyle, and ler-
nus on the weflern fide of Ireland ; and Elierna
in the days of the Romans, and two Erns and
two Siratherns at prefent, even upon the eailern
fide of Caledonia -.
^ See Irwin's Hill. Scot. Nomenclatura Latino-Vernacula,
J682. p. 71.
* See the Roman ftatlon, ad Hiernam, in R.ichard, Iter g.
And fee Buchanan, p. 39. vol. I. Ruddiman, for an Ern in
Murray, and an lerna along it, and Ptolemy for the river
Jernus in Ireland.
These