254 BRITISH ETHNOLOGY v 



the one fair, and the other dark. The dark 

 people resembled the Aquitani and the Iberians; 

 the fair people were like the Belgie Gauls. 



The chief direct evidence of the truth of this 

 proposition is the well-known passage of Tacitus : 



"Ceteram Britanniam qui mortales initio coluerint, indigenes 

 an advecti, ut inter barbaros, parum compertum. Habitus corp- 

 orum varii : atque ex eo argumenta : namque rutilse Caledoniam 

 habitantium comse, magni artus, Germanicam originem assever- 

 ant. Silurum colorati vultus et torti plerumque crines, et 

 posita contra Hispania, Iberos veteres trajecisse, easque sedes 

 occupasse, fidem faciunt. Proximi Gallis et similes sunt ; seu 

 durante originis vi, seu procurrentibus in diversa terris, positio 

 coal! corporibus habitum dedit. In universum tamen sestimanti, 

 Gallos vicinum solum occupasse, credibile est ; eorum sacra 

 deprehendas, superstitionum persuasione ; sermo baud multum 

 diversus." * 



This passage, it will be observed, contains 

 statements as to facts, and certain conclusions 

 deduced from these facts. The matters of fact 

 asserted are : firstly, that the inhabitants of 

 Britain exhibit much diversity in their physical 

 characters ; secondly, that the Caledonians are 

 red-haired and large-limbed, like the Germans ; 

 thirdly, that the Silures have curly hair and dark 

 complexions, like the people of Spain ; fourthly, 

 that the British people nearest Gaul resemble the 

 Galli." 



Tacitus, therefore, states positively what the 

 Caledonians and Silures were like; but the 



1 Tacitus Agricola, c. 11. 



