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

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THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 2i;5<br />

equally unhinged. — Should we fupp<strong>of</strong>e with<br />

<strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherlbn, that Claudian puts a part for<br />

<strong>the</strong> whole when he fpeaks <strong>of</strong> lerna ^ ; nei<strong>the</strong>r<br />

Stra<strong>the</strong>rn, nor any o<strong>the</strong>r part <strong>of</strong> Caledonia, can<br />

be allowed to claim <strong>the</strong> appellation <strong>of</strong> lerna.<br />

Claudian fays,<br />

Incaluit Piftorum fanguine Thule,<br />

Scotorum cumulos flevit glacialis Icrne.<br />

Here lerne cannot mean any part <strong>of</strong> Caledonia,<br />

and be poetically put for <strong>the</strong> whole <strong>of</strong> it ; becaufe<br />

Caledonia itfelf is mentioned immediately before,<br />

as <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfen here acknowledges it to be<br />

•in ano<strong>the</strong>r place, under <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> Thule.<br />

And <strong>the</strong> lerna <strong>of</strong> one paffiige, and <strong>the</strong> lerne <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, are undoubtedly <strong>the</strong> fame country.<br />

Should <strong>the</strong> lerne <strong>of</strong> Claudian be fupp<strong>of</strong>ed to<br />

mean all <strong>the</strong> weflern divifion <strong>of</strong> Caledonia, <strong>the</strong><br />

extenfive arms <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fea upon that coait can<br />

never come up to <strong>the</strong> Tethys <strong>of</strong> Claudian. Or<br />

fliould lerne be even fupp<strong>of</strong>ed to mean <strong>the</strong><br />

weftern ifles <strong>of</strong> Caledonia, even <strong>the</strong> fea be-<br />

twixt <strong>the</strong>m and Caledonia can never comport<br />

with <strong>the</strong> Tethys <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> poet. <strong>The</strong>y obvioufly<br />

cannot, in <strong>the</strong> plain unwrefled fignification <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> wordj Tethys or Ocean. And <strong>the</strong>y un-<br />

doubtedly cannot, according to <strong>Mr</strong>. Macpherfon<br />

himfelf. According to him, Tethys is too great<br />

a name to be applied even to <strong>the</strong> whole wide fea<br />

betwixt Caledonia and Ireland. " Tethys figni-<br />

'This argument is equally urged by Sir G. Mackenzie, p. 410.<br />

*' fics

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