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

XXIV PREFACE.
great Pidifh monarchs for the long lift of
the petty Princes of Jarghael, of whom he
deprived them. The offer was rejeded with
that fcorn it deferved ; and the monarchs
of Pidavia, whofe exiftence depended upon
the fame, or even worfe, if poflible, autho-
rity, than that upon which the fidion of
the firft forty Scottifh Kings was built, funk
away into their original non-entity.
Ireland, tenacious as it has been of its
ancient annals, begins to regard lefs the
indigefted fidions of her fennachies. Men
of fenfe fee the impoflibility of tranfmitting
events, through a feries of ages, without the
affiftance of letters. They could not pof'
libly aflign an earlier aera for the introduc-
tion of letters than the apoftlefhip of St,
Patrick, and confequently, with Ware they
depended very little upon the accounts
handed down concerning ages prior to the
reign of Leogaire.
In this untoward lituation of the Irifh an-
tiquities, ftept forth O'Connor to fupport
the falling fabric. The zeal of this gentle-
man cap only be equalled by his dogmatifm.
He has crouded the bottoms of his pages
with the authorities of O Flaherty, Keating,
and Buchanan, who had as few lights to
guide them through antiquity, as a writer
of