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Dissertation on tlie JEra of Ossian. 7
point of Gallicia in Spain, are very little mentioned
in history. They trusted their fame to tradition
and the songs of their bards, which, by the vicissitude
of human affairs, are long since lost. Their ancient
language is the only monument that remains of them ;
and the traces of it being found in places so widely
distant from each other, serves only to show the
extent of their ancient power, but throws very little
light on their history.
Of all the Celtic nations, that which possessed
old Gaul is the most renowned; not perhaps on
account of worth superior to the rest, but for their
wars with a people who had historians to transmit
the fame of their enemies, as well as their own, to
posterity. Britain was first peopled by them, ac-
cording to the testimony of the best authors ; its
situation in respect to Gaul makes the opinion pro-
bable ; but what puts it beyond all dispute, is, that
the same customs and language prevailed among the
inhabitants of both in the days of Julius Caesar.
The colony from Gaul possessed themselves, at
first, of that part of Britain which was next to their
own country ; and spreading northward by degrees,
as they increased in numbers, peopled the whole
island. Some adventurers passing over from those
parts of Britain that are within sight of Ireland,
were the founders of the Irish nation ; which is a
more probable story than the idle fables of INIilesian
and Gallician colonies. Diodorus Siculus mentions
it as a thing well known in liis time, that the inhabi-
tants of Ireland were originally Britons ; and his
testimony is unquestionable, when we consider that,
for many ages, the language and customs of both
nations were the same.
Tacitus was of opinion that the ancient Caledon-
ims were of Gennan extract ; but even the ancient
Germans themselves were Gauls. The present
Germans, properly so called, were not the same
with the ancient Celtse. The manners and customs