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378 NOTES.Germans. 2.We have the similarity of the language of the Brz.ions to that of the Gauls. This is, of all other marks, the mostunequivocal, and is the more important because Tacitus makes itthe language of the whole island .He appears to have been at greatpains to investigate every trait of distinction among the inhabitants,but found no other except the red hair and large limbs ofthe Caledonians (Picts), and the curled hair and painted countem9iances, of the Silures, (Welch). Would he have mentionedsuch equivocal marks of discrimination, and omitted that oflanguage, when expressly treating of the language of Britain,had any difference existed? Impossible. 3. The forwardnessof the Britons to provoke dangers j and their pusillanimity in repellingthem*This propensity of the Gauls is admirably markedby Caesar, (lib. 3. cap. 19.) in these words. Nam ut ad Bellasiiscipienda Gallorum alacer ac promptus est animus^ sic mollis aeminime resistens ad calamitate^ perferetidas mens eorum est. \. q*" For as the minds of the Gauls are eager and forward to undertakewar, so they are timid, and have very little fortitudeendure calamities." 4.. Theformer bravery of the Gauls. Thisis mentioned by Ca3sar, (lib. 6. cap. 24.) Ac juit antea tempusquum Gennanos Galli virtute superarent^ ultro bellapropter hominum mullitudinem^ agrique inopiam transtoinferrentyRhenumcolonias mittereni^ c5'c. i. e. " And there formerly was a timewhen the Gauls excelled the Germans inbravery, made war oiithem of their own accord, and on account of the multitude ofmen, and want of land, sent colonies across the Rhine.'* Theonly circumstance which Cajsar omits, is the language of th«fBritons, nor is this any matter of surprise. Having slated thatthe inhabitants of the cast coast of Britain were Belgae fromGaul, it was unnecessary to acquaint us thatthoy brought theGallic language along with them; nor is it usual, (as far as Iknow) for a bistorian to say that a nation speaks its own language,for this very obvious reason, that it cannot rationally be supposedto speak any other. Fortunately Tacitus, (in whose time Bri.lulu was well known, from the isle of Anglesf y tothe Grampians^)puts this matter beyond a doubt, when he calls the Bri«