Ossian Collection > Temora, an ancient epic poem, in eight books

A DISSERTATION. vii
The name of PiBs was, perhaps, given by the Roinaiis to the
Caledonians, who pofleil'ed the eaft coaft of Scotland, from their
painting their bodies. This circumftance made fome imagine, that
the Pifts were of Britifh extradt, and a difterent race of men from the
Scots. That more of the Britons, who fled northward from the tyranny
of the Roman?, fettled in the low country of Scotland, than among the
Scots of the mountains, may be eafily imagined, fiom the very nature
of the country. It was they who introduced painting among the Pi(fts«
From this circumllance proceeded the name of the latter, to diftin-
guifli them from the Scots, who never had that art among them, and
from the Britons, who difcontinued it after the Roman conqueft.
The Caledonians, mofl- certainly, acquired a confiderable know-
ledge in navigation, by their living on a coaft interfered with ma^
ny arms of the fea, and, in iflands, divided, one from another, by
wide and dangerous firths. It is, therefore, highly probable, that
they, very early, found their way to the north of Ireland, which
is within fight of their own country. That Ireland was firft
peopled from Britain is certain. The vicinity of the two iflands j
the exadt correfpondence of the antient inhabitants of both, in
point of manners and language, are fufiicient proofs, even if we
had not the teflimony of authors of undoubted veracity to confirm Dlo. Sic.1.5.
it. The abettors of the mofl romantic fyftems of IriOi antiquities
allow it ; but they place the colony from Britain in an improbable
and remote aera. I fhall eafily admit, that the colony of the Fir—
bolg, confefledly the Belgce of Britain, fettled in the fouth of Ire-
land, before the Caif!, or Caledonians, difcovered the north : but it
is not at all likely, that the migration of the Firbolg to Ireland
happened many centuries before the incarnation.
OssiAN