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

THJS BRITONS ASSERTED. Si
*' dical words ufed by all were certainly the
«' fhme."
Are the feveral parts of this Extract com-
plcatly at unity with thcmfelves ? They feem
to' be a little heterogeneous. We are firft told,
that the three nations mufl have differed con-
fiderably in their language, and that it is ex-
tremely doubtful, whether the Cimbric and
Gaelic were reciprocally undcrftood at firfl : a d
yet we are afterwards told, that " the radical
" words ufed by all were certainly the fame."
The Gael and Cimbri are faid to have " differed
** confiderably in their manners," when they
borh retained ** the rude fimpiicity of their
" anccdors," and " their original barbarifm of
" manners," " with a fmall mixture of the Sar-
•* mat£e" adhering to one of them. The Cimbri
are faid to have returned *' in all their original
*' barbarifm" into Gaul ; though, " during
*' their feparaticn from it, their m.anners mufl
•*' have fuffered a confderable change." They
returned only " with a fmall mixture of the Sar-
** matje" in their manners ; and yet the change was
" confiderable."—And are not the feveral parts
of this Extra61: in a ilate of hofcility with other
paffages in the work ? The Gael are here re-
prefented, as coming over from Gaul " before
" the arts of civil life had made any confider-
*' able proo-refs/' and as therefore retainini^
f the rude limplicity of their anceflors :" and