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

M O R D U T H. 39
rolling of Lochlln's dark fliips is on the reft-
lefs bofom of the waves. — Rife, fons of Albin,
rife,
crs would be apt to fufpeft their own want of penetration,
rather than imagine fo great a man capable of writing fuch
abfurdities. 1 (hall give the pafTage at large, as it will, no
doubt, aftonifli every reader acquainted with the antient
language of Britain, who has not already perufed it.
* The whole body of the Caledonians, however, could
never have been, and are not now denominated Albanich.
The name of Caledonia, comprifing all that peninfula
of land which lies to the north of the Friths, the appella-
tion of Alban, or the mountains, could have been given
only to the hilly part of the country, in oppofitions to
the levels of the eaftern coaft, and the plains immediately
to the north of Antonimts'% Vallum. The inhabitants of
thefe, I have already Ihown to have been denominated
Masatzc, or I.owlanders, by the Britons and Romans,
and the inhabitants of the hills only, are denominated
Albanich at present. The tribes of the Caledoniaa
lowlands were denominated Mseatae formerly, in con-
tradiflinftion to the nations of the hills. And the
clans of the Caledonian mountains are denominated
Albanich at prefent, in oppofition to the rcfidenters
of the lowlands.' JVhitaker's Genuine Hijiory oj the
Britons, page 270.
The lri(h extradjon of the Caledonians is a favourite
hypothefis of Mr Whitaker. The prefent extract is an
attempt