Three hypotheses present themselves, with more or less probability, and all of 

 them have been by turns selected by some writer or observer. Pretty generally 

 the favourite suggestion has been that this is an ancient British fortification, 

 constructed at or before the Koman invasion, and defended against the Roman 

 power. A few archreologists have thought that the Romans themselves formed 

 the camp, but as the acknowedged Roman camps are all more or less quad- 

 rangular, while the British ones take the natural though irregular form of the 

 hill throughout all its undulations, there seems but little ground to suppose 

 that the stern Romans planted their conquering eagles here. When the 

 Arch<eological Association visited this spot a few years ago, the learned 

 antiquary, Dr. Guest, of Cambridge, was asked his opinion about the camp, 

 and he said it was certainly British, but he would not commit himself to 

 any particular era. Other antiquaries have not been so cautious, and the 

 late Dr. Card, Vicar of Great Malvern, wrote a "Dissertation on the Hereford- 

 shire Beacon," in which he attempted to prove that this camp was of British 

 workmanship, and formed under the direction of the renowned Caractacus, a 

 prince whose genius, patriotic valour, and misfortunes, have all combined to 

 immortalize his name. So little is known of the history of the inhabitants 

 of Britain before the Saxon sway in England was fully established under Alfred, 

 that the few names that arise conspicuous out of a haze of mystery like rocks 

 in a sea of vapour, have been eagerly seized upon to give a grace to local 

 inquiries. As brave men lived before the time of Agamemnon, so there were, 

 doubtless, wairiors in Britain both before and after the date of Caractacus, 

 though their names and actions have not had a Tacitus to record them, and wc 

 must admit the interest that attaches to the histoiy of the Silurian Prince 

 Caradoo or Caractacus, whether we believe with Bishop Horsley that he really 

 stood here within these trenches or not. His noble bearing when taken prisoner 

 by treachery, and led before the Emperor Claudius at Rome, is well known to 

 every reader of history ; and Mason, in his poem of Caractacus, has well drawn 

 the intrepid though vanquished British chieftain. Claudius is said to have 

 f xpresed his wonder at the boldness of his prisoner, and asked him how he could 

 think of ojiposing the Roman dominion, to which Caractacus, as stated by 

 Mason, fearlessly replied — 



Soldier, I hart arms, 

 Had neighing steeds to whirl ni\ iron cars. 

 Had wealth, dominion. — Dost thou wuuder, Roman, 

 That 1 sought to save them ? 



In what language this was spoken is not said. Claudius could not have under- 

 stood it in British, but it might have been interpreted to him, but the 

 description of Tacitus is alone sufficiently affscting when he said that while 

 the other captives descended to abject supplication — '^ At non Caractacus aut 

 vidtu demisso, ant verbis, misericordiam requirem, ubi tribunati adstitit in hunc 

 m idum loctttits est," and naturally enough amidst the grandeur of Rome, 

 Caractacus simply expressed astonishment that the Emperor should have envied 

 hiiu the possession of a humble cottage in Britain. But did the Silurian 



