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of the Roman invasion, were in the lowest state of barbarism, 
in fact, little better than painted savages, my own belief, 
notwithstanding, is, that the Britons, even in these remote 
times, had made greater progress in civilisation than is 
generally supposed. What historians tell us of the rapidity of 
their military evolutions, the destructive effects of their war- 
cars, armed with scythes, and the extraordinary agility of this 
novel description of cavalry, shew us clearly an advance in 
constructive art and military discipline, little if at all 
inferior to the great conquerors of the world. 
It is quite impossible, from our present knowledge, to say 
how, or when, the metallurgic arts were first introduced into 
these islands. But it is evident that they must have made a 
great revolution in the condition of the people, and a great 
advance towards civilisation. It is probable that gold and 
copper had been known, and partially used here, long before 
the importation of foreign art in their conversion into manu- 
factured articles. Gold, though usually found in small 
quantities, is more generally diffused perhaps than any of the 
evident metals. The stream-gold, which is generally first 
discovered in every auriferous region, is always found 
glistening on the surface. The most manifest, as it is the 
most beautiful of all the metals, and probably the most 
abundant in the first instance. It is not unreasonable to 
suppose, that in these metalliferous Islands gold may have 
been readily converted into personal ornaments, even before 
the importation of the foreign art of smelting it. We must, 
therefore, look upon rudely formed personal ornaments of gold, 
as amongst the most ancient metallic relics in tnese islands. 
Some of the plates and rough bars of gold, which from their 
rudeness must have been about the earliest specimens 
applied to this purpose, appear to have been made simply by 
a stone hammer. From the great quantity of ancient golden 
articles found in these islands — and especially in Ireland — 
