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

210 Of the IVeJiern IJlands.
vations and difcoveries, that fome of the Britifh
iflcs were conlecrated to Demi-gods . — That Sa-
turn^ bound with chains of jleep^ is confined in one
of them, ■> 'der the cuftody of Briareus, and that
leveral inierior divinities are h s conftant atten-
dants.
SoLiNus writes with great gravity and Teem-
ing precifion concerning the inhabitants of the
Ebudes, their manner of livings and their form of
government. '' They know not," fays he *,
*' what corn is : they Hve on fifh and milk only.
" The ifles of the Hebudes r.re feparated from one
*' aPiOther by narrow founds, and by reafon of
" their contiguity are governed by one King.
*' This Monarch has no property. — He is fup-
" ported at the expence of the public, — He is
*' bound by eflabhfhed laws to rule according to
*' the principles of equity. Left he fhould be
*' tempted by avarice to commit ary acts of op-
" preffion, poverty confines him within the rules
" of juftice. — He has no perfonal intereft to pro-
" mote. — He has no wife, that can with any pro-
*' priety be called his own : any woman for whom
*' he conceives a paflion mufl: be at his fervice. —
** Hence it is, that he has neither hopes nor de-
" fires v/ith regard to children, to whom he can-
" not claim a peculiar right."
Many ancient v titers of hiftory and geogra-
phy have t 'ken a boundlefs liberty of inventing
marvellous ftories, in their defcriptions of the man-
ners and cufloms of diftant nations ; and Solinus
feems, iu liis dcfcrip'.ion oF Thule and the other
Britilh ifies, to have indulg?d his fancy in that
* -jW.,. I'ol^'hiuor. cap. 35.
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