J. F. Campbell Collection > Works of the Caledonian bards

38 M O R D U T H.
heard, and the gathering of warriors be fecn.
Not feeble is the arm of the coming foe. The
rolling
The Rev. Mr Whitaker, in a recent hiftory of the antient
Britains, has difplaycd the knowledge of a man of fcience,
and the liberality of a gentleman, in a manner which is
feldom to be met with in the produftions of thofe who
profelTcdiy write to irjure the reputation of an individual,
or the antiquity of a people. It is with reludance, there-
fore, I proceed to refute the aflertions of an author, en-
dowed with many qualifications to command refpe£t. But,
fince he has ventured to publifh as fads, what is dire<ftly
oppofite to this definition, it becomes necediry to
examine how far he is countenanced by truth ; as it would
be dangerous to lay any faft before the public as genuine,
while an author of Mr Whitaker 's fhining abilities (lands
unconqucred in the field to oppofe it.
As the, Galic is at prefent little known, and lefs ftudied,
ignorance concerning any matter wrapped up within the
folds of its garment, would very improperly be attributed
as a dekft to any wnter oi chara^cr in the republic of
letters. But, fince Mr Whitaker has, of his own accord,
darted the contefl, and plumed himielf on an ideal con-
queft obtained over ah ihe critics that ever wrote concern-
ing that language, to examine his pretenfions to merit,
on a fubject which be himfelf has chofen, will certainly be
con fide r^d as no injultice.
Had Mr Whitaker mentioned the matter in words
which could admit of any fjgnification but one, his read-
ers