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 0« the Remote
and make his way into Gaul. There he perform-
ed many fignal exploits ; but did not think it con-
venient to purfue his fortune long in that country,
as he was direded by the oracle of Diana to vifit
this ifland. Here he met with a monflrous race of
giants, who gave him a very hoftile reception : but
their enormous flrength of body, and the great-
nefs of their numbers, ferved only as a field for
Brutus to difplay his great military talents ; for
though a few battles were at firft fought with va-
rious fuccefs, yet in the end Brutus not only over-
came, but exterminated this gigantic race. After
ading fo long in a military and vidorious capaci-
ty, Brutus refigned himfelf to the Icfs laborious,
but equally important occupation of a ruler and
fovereign. The greatnefs of his abilities was then
no lefs difplayed in the arts of peace than in his
former condudl in the field. He reigned long
over the extenfive empire of Britain, and at length
clofed a glorious adminiftration, by dividing his
territories between his three fbns. Thefe were Lo-
crinus, Camber, and Albanadus. England devol-
ved on Locrinus, being his eldeft fon ; Wales
was the patrimony of Camber, and Scotland fell
to the fhare of Albanatlus.
Even this tale had the good fortune to pleafe
r,n once credulous people. The Englifh of the
thirteenth and fourteenth centuries embraced it
with an enthufiafm peculiar to the romantic fpirit
of thofe times. Edward the firfc claimed a fu-
periority over Scotland, on account of his more
dired connexion with Brutus. Accordingly, in
the heat of thofe difputes which enfued on the
death of Alexander the third of Scotland, Ed-
ward's agents urged ftreinioufly before the Pope,
that in confequence of the divifion which Brutus
made