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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED, 265
famenels. Albion, according to Mr. Macphcr-
fon himfelf in p. 39,
fignifies the High Land,
and in reality imports the Fleights. Hence it became
the natural defignation of that part of our
ifland, which raufl have been feen from the con-
tinent, before any of it was inhabited : and what
had for ages been the name of all that was feen,
as naturally remained the appellation of all of it
afterwards. Hence it was the name of the Al-
banii of Vefpafiana, who lived in the peculiarly
mountainous parts of the moil mountainous re-
gion of Caledonia. Hence it was affixed for-
merly to the long ridge of hills that runs
from Derbyfliire into Scotland, and adheres to
the wild hills of Braidalbin at prefent. And
hence the Highlanders in general dillinguifh
their country to this day by the title of Alba or
Alb-an, High Land or High Lands, and denomi-
nate themfelves the Alban-ich or Highlanders.
But it is very obfervable in the conduft and di-
rection of Mr. Macpherfon's argument here, that,
even if every thing was true as it is ftated by
himfelf, the point propofed would not be proved
at all. The queflion betwixt him and his anta-
gonifts is not, whether the whole body of the
antient Caledonians or prefent Highlanders be
derived from Ireland, but whether a body of
Irifti did not come over into Caledonia, and com-
municate their own name of Scots to the natives.
Mr.