5

On
—
NOTES. 423
longitwdinem, on account of tli« length of the -winter. From
the time of Columba till the twelfth century, the Irish were
almost the only clergy ia Scotland, and modelled the history
of the Scots to suit their own Vanity. The adventitious
circumstance of an Irlsji colony having settled in Argyleshira
about the middle of the third century, gave an air »f plausihility
to the imposture, and, like the Germanic origin of the Caledo.
niaos, hinted at by Tacitus, it has been twisted about and about
in every direction, and is as keenly contested at the present day,
'
as the first moineat the discussion begao. the evidence of
Calepinfe, the Romans reclioned Ireland a cold country, and that
it derived' its name from this very circumstance. Pei^haps this
mistake induced Ptolemy to place Ireland due north of Scotland,
(iistead of west, the former being the colder position of the two ;
and this very error of Ptolemy has tended not a little to perplex
the point, in question.
There is not a passage in any Roman author whatever, which
can in the remotest degree imply that Ireland was Scotland,
whilst every one of them clearly Implies that Scotland was
Ireland. Had the Scots, so formidable to the Romans, been
Irish auxiliaries, it could not have escaped the Rornan historians
to a man.
The Romans, on the contrary, had a most contemptible
opinion of Ireland. Tacitus tells us (Vit. Agric. cap. 8.)
that Agi'icola placed garrisons on the coast of Britain, opposite
to Ireland, in spem magis quam ob formidinem—i. e. ^^ from the
hope of advantageous intercourse, rather than from any dread of
their arms j" and in the same chapter adds, " that Ireland might
be conquered and kept by one legion and" a
few auxiliaries
Legione una et modicis auxilus debellari Hiberniam,< obtineriqne
passe.
It is well known that the Roman pristentures, from Sol.
way Firth to the river Tyne, and from Clyde to Forth, were
Constructed to resist the invasions of the Scets and Picts. But
had these incursions been from Ireland, the Romans would certainly
have fortified (he coast opposite to it, and opposed these
barriers to the greatest danger. We are well warranted to infer,
that tke most formidable defence would bo
3 H 2
opposed to the