On the Affinity of the Phenician and Celtic Languages. 27 
means, and key, or clue for ascertaining the extent of their commerce, geographical 
discoveries, and extended empire, in the names given by them to the countries, rivers, 
places, and people, they visited for commercial purposes. The course of events placed 
most of their European colonies under the power of the Romans, whose policy led 
them to make their newly conquered provinces essentially Jtoman, in customs and 
language ; and thus the Punic tongue soon ceased to be colloquial in the countries 
conquered by the Romans. 
In one solitary, separated corner of the remote west, a colony of Phenicians es- 
caped the overwhelming influence of the Roman sword, and kept their language and 
traditions pure and unmixed. Ireland was never visited by a Roman, at least we 
have no historical notice: the Romanised Britons probably visited the island for com- 
mercial purposes, but never with a view to conquest, 
The Irish language, although losing ground every day, but before it was entirely 
extinguished, the zeal of modern investigation has discovered its identity with the 
Phenician, demonstrating the fact almost beyond a question; and the discovery has 
been productive of the most important results to history, geography, and philology, and 
opens a view into events which occurred long before the existence of written his- 
tory. 
Whenever the names of places, as they appear in Ptolemy’s Geography, are sig- 
nificant, and explain their peculiarity of character in the Gaelic or Celtic tongue, we 
may conclude they were conferred by the Phenicians. By these names we may now 
define and mark out the extent of the voyages and discoveries of those adventurous 
and bold mariners, with almost unerring accuracy. They have, in fact, put a label 
upon each which tells its story, if not so fully and clearly as certainly as if we pos- 
sessed it written by Sanconiathon, or in the records of Tyre and Sidon, or their more 
ancient sisters of Saba, Aden, Avalites, Semaa and Corana. 
The geography of the ancient known world, which has hitherto been a jargon of 
unmeaning names, without sense or import, becomes intelligible, clear, and significant. 
The character of many nations, and tribes who inhabited regions, of which no written 
or even traditional history is extant, is strikingly exhibited, and the reasons for 
the names they bear at this day, made clear, explicit, and satisfactory. 
The deadly and unwholesome malaria of the Deltas of the Ganges, Surawady, and 
other great rivers of the east, is pointed out with alarming epithets, and the savage 
cruelty of the people, and the dangerous rocks and unhospitable coasts, are made 
known to voyagers, by warnings contained in their names; while places of secure re- 
treat and supply, are expressed by such inviting demonstrations, as would not fail to 
induce the mariners to visit a port, whose name indicated secure and refreshing repose 
after his labours, sufferings, and deprivations. 
The extent and importance of the early commerce of-the Homeritz, Sabeans, or 
Phenicians of Arabia, may be traced by their names along the coasts of the eastern 
