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

12 8 'The Genius y Manners^ &c,
there was not any country which produced fewer
inftances of incontinence.
It is difficult to fay how far the Caledonians
may have employed themfelves in cultivating the
powers of the mind. The Druids *, thofe great
teachers of all the other Celtic nations, were fettled
among them ; and it may be prefumed that they
reafoned like their brethren elfewhere concerning
the nature and extent of the univerfe, the mag-
nitude of the celeflial bodies, the power of the
Gods, and the nature of the human foul.
It does not appear from hiftory that the Cale-
donians had any public games, or fchools of war $
but it is certain that their defcendants ufed exer-
. cifes perfedlly fimilar to thofe of the Greek Pen-
tathla. Thefe were leaping, running, throiving
the Jlone, as they exprefs it in the Gahc, darting
the iaunce, and wreflling. All thefe diverfions
were peculiarly fubfervient to a martial life. And
if to thefe exercifes we add that of hunting, it is
plain, that though they wanted academies, their
military talents were cultivated to very good pur-
pofe ; and muft have been confiderably improved,
before they had any opportunities of engaging an
enemy.
In the Highlands and Iflands, where the old
cuftoms of the Scots maintained their ground af-
ter they had been long abolifhed in the reformed
parts of the kingdom, the moflof thofe exercifes
were, till of late, held in high repute. They
* The author wrote a diflertation on the Druids, and the
rites of their religion, which he gave to the late ingenious and
learned Sir James M'Doiiald, Baronet, and was unfortunately
loft or miflaid among Sir James's papers.
reckoned