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A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

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——376 NOTES.letters, he would certaiclj have told us, ashe does <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Germans(De Morib. Germ. cap. 6.)Literarvm secreta viri pari,fer^ acfoeminae ignorant— i. e. *' Men and women are equaljyignorant <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> secret <strong>of</strong> letters. "Were we thus to pervade <strong>the</strong>ancient classics, numerous passages to <strong>the</strong> same effect might befound; but I shall content myself with mentioning <strong>the</strong> Turdetani,<strong>the</strong> oldest inhabitants <strong>of</strong> Spain, who, on <strong>the</strong> testimony <strong>of</strong> StraboClib. 3.) had laws written in verse, a thousand years before histime. These Turdetani were clearly Celts, and placed in <strong>the</strong>Celtic district on <strong>the</strong> Baetis or Guadcdquher. The very riverseems to have taken its name from <strong>the</strong> Celtic settlement on itsbanks ; for Guadalqidver (in <strong>the</strong> Gaelic language Gaoidkal Cuib^kar) literally signifies <strong>the</strong> Celtic portion ox territory.The Tur.detani^ and <strong>the</strong>ir neighbours <strong>the</strong> Turduli^ are mentioned byPtolemy, lib. 2. cap. 5. The TurduU are mentioned by Varro,Ub.% cap. 10. and by Piiny, lib, 3. cap. 1.; but <strong>the</strong> surestpro<strong>of</strong> that <strong>the</strong>se Turditani were Celts is, that Mr. Pinkarton hasnot claimed <strong>the</strong>m asGoths, nor indeed once mentioned <strong>the</strong>m,though he has given us a very full account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Celts.^ or wha<strong>the</strong> calls <strong>the</strong> German Celts in Spain. Had <strong>the</strong>y borne any affinity*o his favourite Goths, he would have traced <strong>the</strong>m through everychink and crevice from JSooika So^ind to NovaZembla.When this gentleoian has any favourite point to drive, he is ajnost assiduous champion; and <strong>the</strong>re is no artifice, howevermean, to which he will not stoop. When wishing to establishthat <strong>the</strong> inhabitants <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> east <strong>of</strong> England were Germans, hequotes a passage from Tacitus (Vit. Agric. cap.out <strong>the</strong> most material part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> whole,4.)^ but leavesISee vol. 1. p. 184.Sensible that he would be detected, he has inserted part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>passage omitted, in his list <strong>of</strong> errata; but instead <strong>of</strong> a translation<strong>of</strong> it, gives^ us <strong>the</strong> following comment. He (Tacitus) isspeaking <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Belgic Gauls^ and <strong>the</strong> Belgce in Britain; a?)iQvg<strong>the</strong>former he lived; and <strong>the</strong> latter icere <strong>the</strong> only Britons he couldhnoiv from proximity.—Intrcduc. to vol 1. p. 84. I shall hereinsert <strong>the</strong> passage, and let Tacitus speak for himself. In univer.mm tamen aestimanli GaUos vicinmn solum occnpaxH' crcdibile est.

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