ii6 Before Chrift 55. 



haps, like the Carthagmians in their firft naval battle againft the Romans, 

 they allowed a confidence in their own naval fuperiority to throw them 

 too much off their guard. The confequence was, that almofl the whole 

 fleer, containing all the fighting men of the country, fell into the hands 

 of the Romans ; the Veneti, deprived of every means of defence by one 

 decifive battle, furrendered themfelves and all their property to the mer- 

 cy of Cgefar, who mafTacred the whole fenate, and fold all the people for 

 liaves. And thus a nation, who, of all thofe on the weft coaft of Eu- 

 rope, appear to have been next to the citizens of Gadir in comrriercial 

 importance, were totally fwept away from the face of the earth. Such 

 was the revenge taken by Caefar for the detention of his commiflaries of 

 .provifions, whom he pretends to dignify with the name and inviolabi- 

 lity of ambafladors. [Ci^s. Bell. Gall. L. iii, cc. 7-16 ; L. v, r.-^2.] 



5 j; The commerce of the Britons muft have fuffered greatly by the 



deftrudion of the Veneti. But Caefar was preparing to bring greater 

 calamities upon them : for, on pretence that they had affifted the Ve- 

 neti, he refolved to invade this ifland, the very exiftence of which was 

 hitherto fcarcely heard of at Rome. The Gallic merchants, whom he 

 examined, in order to procure intelligence of the country, and particu- 

 larly of the harbours, profeffed total ignorance. Notwiihftanding, after 

 fending one of his officers to explore the coaft, he embarked his army 

 and landed in Kent, where he met with a warm reception from the 

 Britons. From the flight notices of other writers, compared with his 

 own, when duely confidered, it is evident that he added nothing to his 

 mihtary fame by the trial he made of the Britilh valour ; and, indeed, 

 he himfelf acknowleges, that he retreated to the continent in the night 

 time. 



5^4 — Next year, in order to wipe off the difcredit brought upon his- 

 arms by the former repulle, he collected above eight hundred fliips, in 

 which he embarked no lefs than five legions *, befides a fupernumerary 

 body of horfe. In this expedition, he fays, he fubdued a great many 

 kings, four of whom were in Kent ; and, having ordered them to pay 

 a tribute to the Romans, he departed, without leaving either an army, 

 or a fort, to maintain the conquefts he alleges he had made. 



In each of his expeditions, Caefar loft a great many of his fliips, owing 

 to his feamen being totally ignorant of the nature of the tides in the 

 Ocean. 



We may more fafely truft to Cfefar, in his account of the ftate of 

 Britain, which is very valuable, as being more particular and accurate 

 than any preceding accotint which has come down to our times. 



He diftinguiflies an original, and an adventitious, people in Britain. 



* In the time of Polybiiis, each legion confiC- foot. The numbers were afterwards increafcd ; 

 ed of 4,200 foot, and '3C0 horfe, at the lowcft and a boily uf auxiliaries, as numerous as itfelf, 

 «ftabU(hrarnt : and they were fomeliinea 5,000 was generally attached tn each of the legions. 



