Blair Collection > History of the Celtic language

28 HISTORY OF THE
/ have already made out by so many proofs and authorities,
they must needs have a language quite different from other
people, and that was the Celtic tongue. But to carry this
name no farther, which indeed properly appertained to no
other than the European provinces towards the west, it was
at first the language of the Gomarians in Asia, then of the
SaccB, afterwards of the Titans, and also of the Cimri or
Cummerians. After all which, that is a series of many ages,
it became at last the language of the Celtce, who were better
known by the name of Gauls.
" The language, therefore, of the Cellce who fixed in Gaul,
was, from the first ages of the post-diluvian world, the language
of the Gomarians, who were seated originally in the higher
Asia, towards Hircania and Bactriana ; and it is not to be
doubted but the language of the Gomarians was that of
Goraer, who was their head and founder ; and if it was the
language of Gomer, it must necessarily have been one of those
formed at the confusion of Babel. All these deductions are
so true, natural, and well pursued, that I cannot see how they
should be denied. They are supported and confirmed by
scripture. But let us not rest here ; for we ought to neglect
nothing for the confirming of a truth which may be contested,
because it has in a manner continued hitherto concealed and
unknown. It is certain from what has been offered, that the
CeltcB who extended themselves to the utmost boundaries of
the west — that is, into Gaul — were the descendants of those
who anciently bore the name of Titans. Calliraachus, who
flourished in Egypt about 250 years before our Saviour's time,
was so satisfied with it, that he took delight to recount it, be-
cause it seemed to tend to the honour of Ptolemy Philadel-
phus, his hero, and who played them a very ill trick. These
CeltcB (KtXrai) were, according to that author, o^'iyovoi Tirnns,
Titanum Posteri, or rather Titanum sera posteritas, i. e. the
posteritj', or descendants of the Titans.
•• If these Celtse came from the Titans, it is not to be