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

84
THE GENUINE HISTORY Of
exprefsly mentioned by Mr. Macpherfon, in
p. 33, to have arrived to this " pitch of cultiva-
*' tion," that " they fowed corn, they had fixed
*' abodes, and fome degree of commerce was
" carried on in their ports." And, as fome of
the other Britons equally fowed corn, fo all of
them had fixed abodes. Interiores plerique,
fays Ccefar, frumenta non ferunt : fome of them
therefore did. Casfar alfo found towns, and
exaftly the fame fort of towns, among the Ab-
original and Belgic Britons '. And the only
diitinflion between the BelgJE and all the other
idanders was this, according to Mr. Macpherfon
himfelf, that the former carried ovi.fo?ne commerce
from their ports.
Nor was the difference great in itfelf betwixt
the real Britons and real Belgce. They both
con{lru6led their edifices in the fame manner,
ufed the fame flated pieces of brafs or iron
bullion for money, had the fame fondnefs for
keeping poultry and hares about their houfcs,
and the famic averfion to feeing them upon their
tables. And they both painted their bodies, both
tiirew off their cloaths in the hour of battle,
both fuffered the hair of their head to grow to
a great length, both fliaved all but the upper
lip, both had wives in comm.on, and both profe-
cuted their wars on the fame principles. In all
• See Hiflory of Manchefter, p. 467,
thefQ