62 



other Roman writers do not mention such a colonization, or name 

 •Crimthan, (the leader of the Irish allies against Agricola!) ergo, that 

 colonization could not have happened ; yet he himself subsequently* 

 points to what, even if his objection applied, would be considered far 

 more flagrant omissions by Tacitus, as not mentioning any national 

 names in North Britain, but those of Caledonii and Horestii ; — omit- 

 ting the Saxons in his description of Germany, &c. — 3rd. That no 

 colony of Irish, sufficient to occupy the western highlands and isles, 

 could have come over at once in the corraghs or skiffs then used in 

 navigating the Irish seas. How innocently and entirely does the sim- 

 ple truth of the narrative escape his notice ! 



The colonization was effected in friendship, " amicitia," as most 

 manifestly appears from the ancient affinity and military alliance that 

 is here shewn to have existed between the Picts and Scots. Nor was 

 it effected all at once, but by degrees, " procedente tempore ;" and 

 occurred at a period when Tacitus, or the historians alluded to, could 

 not have mentioned it, unless the honour of treating of Caledonia was 

 to have gifted them with a second sight of centuries and " unborn ages." 

 But Whitaker has laid this disputant, who proclaimed that "he would 

 put an end for ever to the controversy" he assailed; that "his observa- 

 tions would quash a system that had been so long imposed for truth 

 upon the world ;" " that he would decide finally, a point which had 

 been so long agitated ;" yet, to every paradox that he asserts, supplies 

 a confutation even from his own lips, as if illustrating in literature the 

 spear of Telephus, and remedying with one end of his lengthy work the 

 injury the other might have as by random effected. We regret having 

 been drawn into such a strain of criticism, but as the question was 

 so long an article of faith in Scottish history, the interests of truth 

 required our dwelling thus upon it. 



* Introduction, p. 150. 



