CHAP, ix.] THE WITNESS OF LANGUAGE. 331 



purity, crossed with Celtic, Danish, Norse, and English 

 blood (see Fig. 112). 



From this outline of the evidence of history and 

 ethnology it will be seen that the Iberic tribes occupied 

 an important position in Europe in ancient times, and 

 are still amply represented in the present population. 

 When we consider the many invasions of strangers, and 

 the oscillations to and fro of different peoples, it is 

 impossible not to realise the strange persistence of 

 the race. Through all the troubles which followed the 

 conquest of Gaul by Caesar, and of Britain by Claudius, 

 through the terrible events which accompanied the% 

 downfall of the Eoman Empire, causing the Britons to 

 be exterminated over a large part of England, and the 

 almost total extinction of the ancient type of Koman in 

 Italy, the Iberian lived, and still is found in his ancient 

 seats, with physique scarcely altered, and offering a 

 strong contrast to the fair -haired Celtic, Belgic, and 

 German invaders. The Iberian race is known to the 

 ethnologist and historian merely in fragments, sundered 

 from each other by many invasions and settlements of 

 the Aryan race. It is shown by the researches into 

 caves and tombs to have been in possession of the whole 

 of Europe north and west of the Ehine, in the Neolithic 

 age, and has been traced by Dr. Virchow into Germany 

 and Denmark. 



The Witness of Language. 



If, as we have seen above, the Iberian race is still 

 represented in Britain, we may naturally inquire whether 

 there be any traces of it offered by the Welsh language. 

 In discussing this question Professor Sayce remarks 

 that " language cannot be the test of race at all, but 



