132 EXCURSION FROM RUABON 



copy was very incorrecl, and the notes and various 

 readings, it is laid, tend more to confound than injflruqt. 

 The editor left alfofeveral parts of the work unpublish- 

 ed, on account of the fadts there related being found 

 in the hiflory written by Ranulph Higden, an author 

 five hundred years fubfequent to Nennius. This 

 was improper, and, to the character of Nennius, un- 

 jufl. — Some hiftorians have fuppofed that the work 

 was commenced by Gildas, the author of the epiftle 

 " De Excidio Britannia^,** and that it was only con-r 

 tinued by Nennius ; for it is quoted under the name 

 of Gildas by Tyfilio, and many of the Englifli hif- 

 torians. In the preface Nennius declares it to be 

 his own entire compofition, from traditions, writings, 

 and ancient Britifh monuments, as well as from the 

 works of foreign authors.-— It appears that the name 

 of this writer, before he became abbot, was Gildas, 

 but on his preferment he took that of Nennius. The 

 latter, therefore, was probably only his ecclefiaftical 

 jiame; and the various titles of Gildas Nennius, Gildas 

 Minor, Gildas Sapiens, &c. appear tohave been intend-, 

 ed, by the tranfcribers, to diftinguifh his work from 

 the works of Gildas ap Law, the North Briton. This 

 circumftance obtained for him by Polydore Virgil, 

 and others, the appellation of Pfeudo Gildas, or 

 The Falfe Gildas^ without the lead apparent confi- 

 deration that there might haye been two ancient 

 writers of the fame uarae, 



Tv; 



