Ossian Collection > Defence of the Scots Highlanders, in general; and some learned characters, in particular

C 256 )
writings among their learned, becaufe none
of their monuments have furvived the rava-
ges of time to convince pofterity how un-
juftly their memories have been branded
with unmerited obloquy and ignorance 3 for
certainly thofe who received, and could read
letters written in Greek, fix centuries before
the Chriftian ^ra, could alfo write and re-
mit anfwers in the fame ftyle and language.
And he muft be a novice in hiftory who has
not read, that trade and commerce were car-
ried on between the Phoenicians and inha-
bitants of the Britifli ifles long before even
the Grecians heard or knew of that traffick
to begin it themfelves ; and it is believed
that the old T'elafgi had been in pofTeffion
of that trade Ions; before the ancient Phceni-
cians themfelves found out the fecret.
Upon the lliorteft refiedion therefore the
learned reader will at once admit, that the
inhabitants of Britain, and of its ifles, could
not tranfad bufmefs with thefe different
people, without the neceifary accomplifh-
ments ufually employed by others who have
been bred to bufmefs, whether in the mec-
cantile