112 Evolution 



Basques, with their curious language and old customs, 

 and the Pict element in North-east Scotland relics of 

 the early Neolithic population of Europe. But where 

 the later race or races came from is not clear. Some 

 say they were developed in East Europe, some bring 

 them still from Asia (though not as a civilising race), and 

 some from North Africa. It seems to me that the 

 evidence points to a pressure from Asia, sending move- 

 ments through Egypt and North Africa, through the 

 Caucasus and Asia Minor, into Europe. But the ques- 

 tion is too unsettled to pursue here. 



As far as Britain is concerned there is more agree- 

 ment, though still scanty evidence. The Paleolithic 

 race, that had wandered on foot from France, and 

 spread to Yorkshire, entirely died out. A more or less 

 glacial period may have driven them south, and in fact 

 we know that in one of these cold periods England sank 

 below the level of the waves. Arctic cells are found high 

 up on the flanks of Welsh mountains. The next, or 

 Neolithic invaders, are regarded by Windle and Boyd- 

 Dawkins and other writers on the subject as related to 

 the Iberians of early Spain and bringing the Druidic cult 

 and agriculture into England. About or after 2000 B.C. 

 they had to face two Celtic invasions from the continent, 

 with bronze arms. Whether the Goidels (Gaels) or 

 Brythons (Britons) came first is not wholly agreed, but 

 the distribution of races favours the former. The stone- 

 using natives fled north before the bronze-using Celts, 

 and many have identified them with the Picti (or "painted 

 men ") of the early Roman writers, in the far north. 

 The Brythons in turn drove the Goidels to the north 

 (Scotland) and the west (Ireland), and possessed the 

 land till the advent of the Romans. Caesar is responsible 

 for an impression that our British ancestors clothed 

 themselves in paint, and lived on acorns, when the 



