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correct observation on such subjects, induced me to hesitate 
as to the accuracy of my own conclusions, but did not con- 
vince me of the correctness of theirs. I have since consi- 
dered the subject more at leisure, and am now convinced 
that neither of the opinions expressed at our last meeting 
was correct. 
*‘ But before I enter upon the question of the meaning of 
the name, I shall say a few words on the probable period of 
the erection of the monument itself, and of the people con- 
cerned in its construction. 
‘* The circumstances and manner of its formation, as well 
as the urns of unburned clay, the small flint knife, and other 
considerations, convince me that the work was not constructed 
by the Celtic Irish,—I mean the people whose language is now 
called Irish, and spokenamong us,—but by a previous people 
who inhabited the island at the first arrival of the Celts, and 
were known by the name of Firbolgs, or Belge. The shells 
which were found suggest a meaning for this name of that 
people, which is, I believe, quite new, at least it is so to me. 
The name of Firbolg has generally been rendered reap, a 
man, bolg, of a bag, pouch, or sack, and also bolg, a boat or 
vessel made of the skins of animals, a coracle; but bollog is 
also a shell, and a round shell, it is also a skull, or bone of the 
head, intimating a similarity between the two things; the 
nerite found in this sepulchre are exactly of this character, 
and seem to indicate that these people were called, by their 
Celtic conquerors, peap bollog, from the circumstance of their 
wearing an abundance of those shells by way of ornament. 
They also called them biz oaoipe painted (or parti-coloured) 
men, for the reason that they stained their bodies; hence 
the name Britain, given to both the islands inhabited by 
these people. Their descendants, who by retiring to the 
north of Britain, were preserved from the annihilation which 
those of the south suffered from the Celts, were called Picts, 
or painted men, by the Romans.. It may be, that while 
