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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 261
From p. 141 to 146 Mr. Macpherfon is en-
gaged in producing fome negative reafons, as
he himfelf calls them, in favour of his own doc-
trine. But, as in p. 146 he proceeds to his
pofitive, it is not worth while to Itay and
attack the former. A wife enemy will not blunt
his fword in the llaughter of the Velites, when
the Legionaries are advancing to the charge
againfl him.
Mr. Macpherfon boaftingly profelTes, in p. 1 3 7,
to " conclude for ever the controverfy by argu-
" ments, which, though obvious, are new and
" decilive." And in p. 146 he triumphantly
threatens, by collecting into one point of view
the mod flriking of Dr. Macpherfon's reafons,
and adding fome of his own to them, *' to quaih
" for ever a fyftem which has been fo long im-
** pofed for truth upon the world."
P. 1^6. " Alba or Albin, it has been already
*' obferved, was the firfl: name given to this
** ifland by the Gael, who tranfmigrated from
*' Belgium into the more elevated country of
" Britain. Hence proceeded the Albion of the
*• Greeks, and the Albium of the Roman lan-
3 3 "guage.