Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

viii PREFACE,
any honour upon it, the Scots of the prcferit
age are much indebted to the induftry and
learning of Dr. Macpherfon. He travelled
back, it is true, into the regions of anti-
quity with more advantages than others have
done, and therefore his fuccefs was propor-
tionably greater. A few additional obfer-
vations I am to make upon the general fub-
jedt of the dilTertations, arofc, if they have
any merit, from the difcoveries he had made
to my hand.
Some time before the total derelicflion of
Britain by the Romans, in the reign of Ho-
norius, we find that the Caledonians were
diftinguifhed into two capital nations, the
Deucaledones and Veduriones. By thefe
two branches I underftand thofe, who, a
fhort time thereafter, were known by the
names of Pidts and Scots. It was after the
departure of the Romans, that the defence-
lefs ftate of the degenerated provincials gave
the Pids an opportunity of extending them-
felves to the Eaftern counties to the South
of the frith of Edinburgh. From the joiut
teftimony of all writers who examined the
fubjed, the Pi6ts of the earlieft ages poiTef-
fed only the Eafl and North-eaft coaft of
Scotland. From their fituation, with ref-
pe<St to the Scots of Jar-ghael, their country
was