[ " ] 



grants became corrupted, and thefe, by their connedlions with 

 their kindred remaining in the baronies of Bargie and Forth, 

 have in fome meafure introduced this corrupted dialedl there. 

 The town of Wexford is the market to which this colony reforted 

 to difpofe of the produce of their farms, and in this market all 

 things are bought and fold in the modern Englifh diale(5l ; this 

 alfo is another caufe of the decline of the language of the colo- 

 nifts, but not one word of Irifh is underflood or fpoken in thefe 

 two baronies ; ftill they preferve many words and phrafes of 

 their original language, and fome original fongs, which having 

 been committed to writing, will exift as long as the people. 



Were there no hiftorical documents to afcertain the arrival 

 and eftablifliment of this colony, the language fpoken by them 

 would be a fufficient teflimony. " Language," fays Dr. Johnfon, 

 " is the pedigree of nations ; there is no tracing the connedlions 

 " of ancient nations but by language *." And the learned 

 Dr. Prieftley informs us " that the language of a people is a 

 " great guide to an hiftorian, both /;/ tracing their origin^ and 

 " in difcovering the ftate of many other important circumftances 

 " belonging to them. Of all cuftoms and habits (adds tha 

 " Dodlor) that of fpeech being the moft frequently exercifed, is 

 " the moft confirmed, and leaft liable to change. Colonies, 

 " therefore, will always fpeak the language of their mother 

 " country, unlefi fome event produce a freer intercourfe with 

 " people who fpeak another language ; and even the proportion 

 " of that foreign intercourfe may in fome meafure be eftimated 



* Bos-well's Journal, of a Tour to tin Hebridts^ 



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