Statements concerning Sir Walter Scott. 285 



appeals most to the imagination, the heroes commemorated, 

 or at least one of them, have become half mythical, along 

 with much else belonging to Scotch Cumbria — the North, as 

 the Romanised Britons called it. 



While the Welsh stone would appear to be the monument 

 of the Welsh prince called Vortipore by Gildas, and addressed 

 by him, in his usual undesirable style, as a contemporary. 

 The inscription, which was deciphered by Mr Lawes, and 

 subsequently submitted to Principal Rhys (who also con- 

 firmed the reading of the Ingenuus stone) reads " Memoria 

 Voteporigis Protictoris," and the Ogham on the edge 

 " Votecorigis." 



The Celts used Eex, Regis, very freely, as closely resem- 

 bling their own rhys and ri(/h; and the title of Protector 

 may be intended as an equivalent of Guledic, the elected 

 leader of the Cymri. Certain other inscriptions are known, 

 which begin " In Memoria." 



It should be added that Principal Rhys had, some years 

 before, been in Scotland, very much for the purpose of 

 seeing the Yarrow inscription, of which both the engraving 

 and the photograph were afterwards sent him ; and though 

 I believe he does not accept the whole reading, it was he 

 who pointed out that the G of Dumnogenus is a tailed one. 

 In a reprint of the engraving this feature was inserted, and 

 the upper part of the D, which is too distinct, omitted. 

 Some of the Welsh scholars seem to me to be misled by 

 theories of Celtic mythology and local deities, which have 

 no foundation but an early prejudice in favour of the old 

 Welsh tales, the main features of which are drawn from 

 the copious Scandinavian mythology. Further, Principal 

 Rhys goes by the stone itself, which, even when cleared of 

 lichen, is probably less distinct than the photograph from 

 a cast made between thirty and forty years before, under 

 the loving eyes of Dr Russell. 



I give the reading of the Yarrow inscription for com- 

 parison with the others. 



" Hie Memoria Ceteloi Finnq fii Principe I. Nudi 

 Dumnogeni. Hie jacent in tumulo duo filii Liberali." 



"This [is] the tomb of Catellus and Finn, sons of the 

 I [llustrious] Prince Nudd, chief of the Dumnonians. Here 

 lie in the sepulchre the two sons of Liberalis." 



