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

2« THE GENUINE HISTORY OF
gratioii into Britain coseval with the expedition
into Italy. Tacitus and Ca?far, however, lend
not the fmallefl fanftion to either part of his
chronology. And, even if his authority could be
of any moment on a fubjeft of this nature, its owu
contradi^torinefs muft deftroy itfelf.
This is the whole of our Author's argument,
with refpect to the coming of the firfl colonifts
into Britain. And I am forry to obferve on re-
viewing the whole, that, in the progrefs of the
argument, he feems to be unhappy in every
movement. And the period and fact of a Gallic
colony originally fettling in Britain, which arc
the firft great points in his hiftorical fyftem, arc
left abfolutely doubtful and undetermined.—But,
as thefe are two particulars of fome confequence
in the hiftory of Britain, the great defign of the
prefent work, to enlighten the dark period of its
earlier annals, naturally raifes in me a defire to
afcertain them. It mufl be hazardous indeed to
attempt, where Mr. Macpherfo'n has failed. But
it can be no difgrace to be baffled, where even
he has been unfuccefsful.
The derivation of the Britons from the Gauls
does not depend, as Tacitus and Csfar have
placed it, upon any precarious reafonings from.
the