ANCIENT CHARIOT. 295- 



impetuous velocity, we fliall eafily perceive how every 

 evolution of the cavalry might be performed in the 

 fame manner as the modern cavalry perform the mo- 

 dern evolutions of wheeling by fours ; as alfo, how 

 they might change their fronts, refolve themfelves into 

 lefTer bodies, and unite again into one. I could quote 

 inftances of all thefe manoeuvres, but I think it will be 

 more pleafing to the reader to apply thefe obfervations 

 himfelf to the many inftances which he will meet with 

 in the courfe of his ftudies. 



Various were the methods taken and pracftifed to 

 evade this attack, which could not be rejijled by the in- 

 fantry, fuch as wheeling back and opening to the 

 right and left ; but the only one I fhall take notice of 

 is the manoeuvre mentioned by Polyanus * in his flratage- 

 mata. He fays that Alexander, having learned that the 

 Thracians had a powerful body of this chariot cavalry^ 

 trained his Macedonians to couch upon the ground, and 

 with their fhields thrown over them to form a teftudo, 

 over which the chariots of the enemy might pafs with- 

 out effeifl. 



As this Britifli ifland was, in the very early ages of 

 antiquity, and prior to the fiege of Troy, planted by co- 

 lonies from the great commercial nations in the eaflern 

 piirts of the Mediterranean fea ; fo the learning and 

 arts of thefe polifhed people flouriflied in this land : 

 the aftonifhing monuments of the Druids, who were 

 the priefts of thofe colonies, are proofs of a knowledge 



* Lib. iv. c. 3. §. II. 



in 



