Ossian Collection > Morison's edition of the Poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

THE POEMS OF OSSIAN. 34
neighbours Scuite or the ivanderlng nation ; which is evi-
dently the origin of the Roman name of Scoti.
On the other hand, the Caledonians, who pcffeffcd the
eaft coaft of Scotland, as the divifion of the country was
plain and fertile, applied themfelves to agriculture and rai-
fing of corn. It was from this, that the Galic name of the
Pi8s proceeded; for they are called, in that language,
Cruithnichi i. e. the luheat or torn-eaters. As the Pids.
lived in a country fo different in its nature from that pof-
feffed by the Scots, fo their national chaiailer fuffered a
material change. Unobftruded by mountains, or lakes,
their communication with one another was fiee and fie-
quent. Society, therefore, became fooner eftabliihed a-
mong them, than among the Scots, and, confequently, they
were much fooner governed by civil magiitratcs and laws.
This, at laft, fjroduced fo great a difference in the manners
of the two nations, that they began to forget their com-
inon origin, and almoft continual quarrels and animofities
fubfifted between them. Thefe animoiities, after fome ages,
ended in the fubverfion of the Pi^ftifh kingdom, but not in
the total extirpation of the nation, according to moft of the
Scots writers, who feemcd to think it more for the honour
of their countrymen to annihilate, than reduce a rival peo-
ple under their obedience. It is certain, however, that the
very name of the Pidts was loft, and thofe tliat remained
were fo completely incorpoiated with their conquerors,
that they foon loll all memory of their own origin.
The end of the Pidifh government is placed fo near that
period, to which authentic annals reach, that it is matter
of wonder, that we have no monuments of their language
or hiftory remaining. This favours the lyftem I have laid
down. Had they originally been of a different race from
the Scots, theu- language of courfe would be diikrent.
The