m. 



Ireland, more on account of hope than fear, since Ireland, from its 

 situation between Britain and Spain, and opening to the Gallic sea, 

 might well connect the most powerful parts of the empire with recipro- 

 cal advantages. Its extent, compared with Britain, is narrower, but 

 exceeds that of any islands of our sea ; the soil and climate, as well 

 as the genius and habits of the people, do not much differ from those 

 of Britain. Its channels and harbours are better known to commerce 

 and to merchants. Agricola gave his protection to one of its petty 

 kings who had been expelled by faction, and with a shew of friendship 

 he retained him for his own purposes. I often heard him say, that 

 Ireland could be conquered and held with one legion and a small 

 reserve ; and such a measure would have its advantage even as regards 

 Britain, if Roman poAver were extended on every side, and liberty 

 taken away as it were from the view of the latter island."* 



Here is the passage in full, and is any one of the above conclusions 

 overstrained ? Is a feature of the comment distorted ? If so, it is 

 not intentionally, and Le Roy, in his Military Antiquities of the 

 Romans in Britain, (p. 16,) takes much the same A'iew of it. The 

 proper name of this "regulus" is, however, as undiscoverable in the 

 narrative of Tacitus, as that of Crimthan, yet his anonymous and 



* " Quinto expeditionum anno nave prima (Agricola) transgressus ignotas ad id tempus 

 gentes, crebris simul ac prosperis praeliis domuit; eamque partem Britannise qua; Hiberniam 

 aspicit copiis instruxit, in spem magis quam ob formidinem ; si quidem Hibernia medio inter 

 Britanniam atque Hispaniam sila et Gallico quoque mari opportuna, valentissimam imperii 

 partem magnis invicem usibus miscuerit. Spalium ejus, si Britannia comparetur, angustius, 

 nostri maris insulas superat. Solum coelumque et ingenia cultusque hominum haud multum 

 a Britannia differunt : melius aditus portusque per commercia et negotiatores cogniti. Agri- 

 cola expulsum seditione domestica unum ex regulis gentis exceperat ac specie amicitiae in occa- 

 sionem retinebat. Saepe ex eo audivi legione una et modicis auxiliis debellari obtinerique 

 Hiberniam posse. Idque etiam adversus Britanniam profuturum, si Romana ubique arma et 

 velut e conspectu libertas toUeretur."— Tacit. Vita Agricolaj. 



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