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

THE BRITONS ASSERTED. 269
Albanich amongtheHighlanders, for their country
and themfelves, is a Jiioral demonjlration of their
peculiar defcent from the firfl inhabitants of the
ifland. And in proof the fecond, where the fame
argument is purfued, and fhould therefore be car-
ried farther, we find it only a likelihood, not even
that the Highlanders are defcended from the firfb
colonifls, but only that their names of Alba and
Albanich were the original appellations of the
country and people. This fecond proof againfl
the Irifli extra£iion of the Scots, is therefore
none at all againft that, but merely an argument
of probability in favour of the antiquity and pri-
mitivenefs of the name of Alba or Alban for the
Highlands. It is not a new or fecond argument
in itfelf, but merely the buttrefs of a former
one.—And from both it appears, that the appel-
lation, the ufe of which by the Highlanders, as
tranfmitted to them from their earliefl: anceftor?,
furniftied a moral demonjlration of their derivation
from the firft colonics, has in itfelf only a likeli-
hood of being their original name.
But let us confider the reafoning by itfelf, as
detached from the previous or fubfequent argu-
ments, and as only a probable proof, that the
original name of the Caledonians in general was
Albanich. Thus confidered, the argument at
firft view carries great probability with it. And
I have already lliewn, what feems a ftrong con-
firmation