390 SOME THOUGHTS, &c. 



the Irish to five, and the rubbio to fourteen : all with more or 

 less modification, but yet so as that these measures may all fairly 

 be considered to be derived from a single unit. From the inti- 

 mate connexion between France and Scotland the hypothesis of 

 the origin of the Scotch acre does not seem improbable, at least 

 compared with other links in my chain. The passage in the 5th 

 book of Columella appears to show that the arepennis was 

 regarded as a half jugerum, which of course it would be if it 

 were considered an actus. But he speaks of two kinds of cande- 

 tum, the former used in towns and being a hundred feet square, 

 the latter agricultural and 150 feet square, that is, I suppose, 100 

 cubits. The transition from the latter to the arepennis or arpen- 

 tum of 120 cubits square would thus be the point at which the 

 influence of Koman ideas showed itself. 



