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164 THE HISTORYto accomplish this piece of architecture, amongthe rest that I have mention'd, in those remote,barren, and uncultivated ilands?And how suchprodigious obelises cou d be erected there, no lessthan in the other parts of Britain, and in Ireland?for which we have scarce any sufficient machines,in this time of learning and politeness.These monumentsof every kind, especially the forts andthe obelises, induc'd Hector Boethius to tell strangestories of the Egyptians having been there in thereign of Mainus king of Scotland:nor do they alittle confirm the notion, which some both of theIrish and Albanian Scots have about their Egyptian,instead of a Scythian, (or as I shall evince) aCeltic original;tho' I assign more immediately aBrittish for the Irish, and an Irish extraction forthe Scots. Nor is there any thing more ridicu-tlous than what they relate of their Egyptian stock,except what the Britons fable about their Trojanancestors. Yet a reason there is, why they harp^o much upon Egyptians and Spaniards :but altogethermisunderstood or unobserv'd by writers.But, not to forget our monuments, you will not say(what, tho' possible, appears improbable) that, accordingto the ceasless vicissitude of things, therewas a time, when the inhabitants of these ilandswere as learned and knowing, as the present Egyptiansand tlie Highlanders are ignorant. But saywhat yon will, it cannot faildiilnsing light on thesubject; and to improve, if not intirely to satisfy.