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

«6 THE GENUINE HISTORY OF
therafelves, we cannot in juflice rejeft without
a fliperior authority to the contrary. And the
remains of Celtic or Gallic appelhtions, among
the Umbri, are a flrong confir.nation of their af-
fertions. I fliall mention only two, becaufe they
feem both to have been prior to any migration of
colonies from Gaul. And thefe are their own
national and original appellation of Umbri, and
the fimilar appellation of their originally princi-
pal river, the Umbrio, both evidently the fame
with the Umbri and Humber in Britain ;
the ge-
nerical appellation of the Celt^, in Italy and
this ifland, being communicated by both to a
great iefluary or river in their country, and our
Humber being therefore written and pronounced
Chumber formerly '.
A migration then from Gaul into Italy, before
the reign of Tarquin the Firil, is precluded by
the pofitive' voice of hiftory. And all inferences,
derived from the fuppofition, muft equally fall
with it to the ground. A migration from Gaul
into Britain, as early at lead as the other, is in-
ferred from it by Mr. Macpherfon. And the
conclufion is reafonable in itfelf. But the premifes
have been here proved to be falfe. And
Mr. Macpherfon mufi: refer his firfl colony from.
Gaul to the sra of the Fhoccean eflabliihmcnt
in it.
Carte, vol. i. p. 17.
Th