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ecules. Many individuals of this nation 
are also called Hartland, whose names 
were derived from this and like lands; 
and we can scarcely suppose that any 
men convey such representations to the 
mind, as Headlands ; or that these Head- 
lands were named originally from them. 
We have, moreover, persons of the 
names of Hill, Rivers, Ford, &c.; bit 
we do not even dream that these men 
represent to our minds, Hills, Rivers, 
and Fords; or that these parts of nature 
were not named before these men, or 
their ancestors of these names, first ex- 
isted; and therefore we do not suppose, 
that Hills, Rivers, and Fords, received 
their names originally from them. 
Let us transfer this reasoning to the 
Headlands of Italy and other places, 
and we shall nut find the wisdom of the 
ancients, in attributing their names to 
heroes. But I will briefly shew some 
causes of our errors, in mistaking one 
thing for another. There are, it is said, 
several hills in Wales of the name of 
Esgir; and Mr. Lloyd supposes, as 
Esgir is Welsh for aleg, that they took 
their names from it. There are also in 
this principality, two little streams, 
which are known by the names of Cock 
and Hen; and the inhabitants around 
believe them so named from our fowls 
of these names. Now the hills, named 
Esgir, were formerly written, Aisgear ; 
and this comes from Ais, an hill, and 
gear, short or steep; these hills, there- 
fore, mean the sharp. or steep hills: 
Cock and Hen, for water, come from Ock, 
er Oicke, and An varied to in, Och, re- 
ceived the prefix c, as it does in the 
names of many other places and streams. 
‘Thus, An water, takes this prefix in Can, 
alake. An, is also varied to En; the 
E was always aspirated in pronunciation, 
and hence En became Hen. 
The word Promontory, seems to have 
been attached to many names by the 
ancients, and so continued by the mo. 
derns, froin not understanding the ori- 
ginal-appellations. Should the reader 
doubt of the ungkilfulness of the ancients, 
in the etymologies of old names of 
“places, he may consult their writers. 
From what [ have before written in your 
Magazine, it is certain, that at a very 
early age, our old names of places were 
first given: that they were also in some 
centuries after chiefly forgatten, is equally 
certain from the writings of the ancients, 
That places gave names originally. to 
heroes and men, may easily be proved ; 
and yet the Greeks, Romans, and other 
a 
Derwwations of Ireland, Herculaneum, Ke. 
[May I, 
nations, supposed, that these heroes and 
men, gave names tw headlands, towns, 
provinces, kingdoms, and, in fine, to 
every part of nature. 
In Jike manner, the moderns have de- 
rived Warwick from King Gwaur; York, 
from King Ebrauc; Carlisle, from King 
Luil; Colchester, from King Coel; and 
Cantabrigia, from King Canteber. Hart~ 
ford bas been considered as indisputably 
derived from the Harts; Buckingham, 
from the Bucks ; and Ely, from the Eels. 
The Ordovites, have been rendered The 
Honourable Vices; the Selgovie, Plun- 
derers; and the Gudeni, Robbers and 
Thieves. By tracing old names of 
streams from adjectives, instead of sub- 
stantives, we have our Black Water, our 
White Water, Brown Water, Green 
Water, Red Water, and our Blue Water 
Streams, The common way of naming 
hills, authors have asserted, was drawn 
from the several:parts of the human body; 
we have therefore some called, Bald 
Pates, some named Skulls, some Fore- 
heads, Sides of Faces, Eyelids, and Eyes; 
some again, Mouths; some Necks, Arms, 
Breasts, Bellies, Buttotks, Hips, Legs, 
and Feet. Thus travelling metapho- 
rically, from head to foot, we have all 
these inapplicable terms... Much more | 
information on these matters might we 
give, but weanust return to Herculaneum, 
Shropshire has an hill called £rcol, 
there is also Child’s Ercol, and High 
Ercol, all derived, without the assistance 
of Hercules. The same as to Ercolafa, 
or Herculaneum, it was originally seated 
on an eminence, on the border of Mount 
Vesuvius, and upon the sea-coast, be- 
tween two rivers. It was defended by.a 
citadel, built on a kind of natural mole, 
or neck of land, which advanced con- 
siderably into the sea. The word Er, or 
Her, might therefore imply Point, or 
Border : Cul, or Col, the head; and Lan, 
the land: and the whole word,. the 
Point, or Border-Head-Land; .and this 
exactly described the old settlement. 
I have thus shewn that Hartland 
Point took not its name from men 
named Hartland. That the names, hills, 
rivers, fords, -&c. were not derived from 
individuals of these names. The name 
Esgir, for Hill, 1 have proved, means 
notaleg; and Cock and Hen, for Water, 
imply not fowls. Ihave gone further, 
and shewn that Hercules gave not deno- 
minations to Head-lands, which took 
their names before his existence. More 
sull may I recite, that Ireland, asa part 
of this globe, is not Land of the Moon 3 
; and 
