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

PREFACE. xiii
power of the Saxons, that the Scots extend-
ed themfelves far to the South. The bar-
barity of thofe Northern rovers who in-
ceflantly harraffed England, as they them-
felves were heathens, drove certainly a num-
ber of pious Saxon ecceleliaftics into Scot-
land. It was they that introduced the cuf-
tom of recording events in monkifh chro-
nicles ; and upon the authority of Bede, they
all adopted the fyflem of the Hibernian ex-
tradion of the Scots nation.
The Scots lament the deftru6lion of their
antient annals by Edward the Firft of Eng-
land. Though Edward's policy in this cafe
was rude and barbarous, he did very little
hurt to the genuine antiquities of the Scots.
Many of the domeftic tranfadions of the
latter ages were no doubt loft j but what re-
lated to the origin of the nation was Bede's
tale re-told. — I fliall endeavour, in fome
meafure, to account, for that learned wri-
ter's miftake. — A miftake I call it, though
it is more than probable that the venerable
monk of Girwy had fome holy reafons for
giving eafy faith to the fennachies of Ireland.
There is reafon to believe, with Dr.
Macpherfon, that the gofpel was firft preach-
ed in Britain by miflionaries from the Lefler
Afia. The great zeal of Polycarp, biftiop
of