Blair Collection > History of the Celtic language

CELTIC LANGUAGE. 29
doubted but they preserved their language as being that of
their fathers and ancestors, and what I have said before is
clear proof of it. But I have shown, in treating of those
princes who ruled over the Titans, that they were the contem-
poraries of Abraham, and even of his father Terah ; and that
they were ancienter than the reign of Belus, the father of
Ifinus, and the famous empire of Assyria.
" Here is antiquity for you, equal with that of the ancient
patriarchs. But this is not all ; for, before these people, who
in old times made so much noise in the world, bore the name
of Titans, they had that of Sacce, under which they perform-
ed greater things. From these early times, which come up
almost to the dispersion at Babel and the days of Gomer, the
Saccs and the Titans spoke the Celtic tongue, as may be seen
by several words that are still in being, and by the proper
names of those princes and princesses who ruled over the
Titans."
Here have we the result of profound learnhig and
research. Abbot Pezron wrote more than one hun-
dred years ago. He possessed advantages of getting
at truth which few persons in our age may hope to
possess ; therefore, we ought to bow to his opinion
in general. We say in general, because we ourselves
by no means agree with Mons. Pezron in all his
deductions and conclusions, " true, natural, and
well-pursued" as they may be. He calls a halt at
Babel — a common error — as if " the sons of God"
had necessarily joined " the children of men" who
alone suffered in their language, in rearing that
rebellious tower. Keep we this distinction, which
the spirit of inspiration has made, in view, and the