theirweightwassoinconsiderable，thattheyweretransportedonwagonsfromonerivertoanother；andthepirateswhohadenteredthemouthoftheSeine，oroftheRhine，mightdescend，withtherapidstreamoftheRhone，intotheMediterranean。UnderthereignofValentinian，themaritimeprovincesofGaulwereafflictedbytheSaxons:amilitarycountwasstationedforthedefenceofthesea—coast，orArmoricanlimit；andthatofficer，whofoundhisstrength，orhisabilities，unequaltothetask，imploredtheassistanceofSeverus，master—generaloftheinfantry。TheSaxons，surroundedandoutnumbered，wereforcedtorelinquishtheirspoil，andtoyieldaselectbandoftheirtallandrobustyouthtoserveintheImperialarmies。Theystipulatedonlyasafeandhonorableretreat；andtheconditionwasreadilygrantedbytheRomangeneral，whomeditatedanactofperfidy，^106imprudentasitwasinhuman，whileaSaxonremainedalive，andinarms，torevengethefateoftheircountrymen。Theprematureeagernessoftheinfantry，whoweresecretlypostedinadeepvalley，betrayedtheambuscade；andtheywouldperhapshavefallenthevictimsoftheirowntreachery，ifalargebodyofcuirassiers，alarmedbythenoiseofthecombat，hadnothastilyadvancedtoextricatetheircompanions，andtooverwhelmtheundauntedvaloroftheSaxons。Someoftheprisonersweresavedfromtheedgeofthesword，toshedtheirbloodintheamphitheatre；andtheoratorSymmachuscomplains，thattwenty—nineofthosedesperatesavages，bystranglingthemselveswiththeirownhands，haddisappointedtheamusementofthepublic。YetthepoliteandphilosophiccitizensofRomewereimpressedwiththedeepesthorror，whentheywereinformed，thattheSaxonsconsecratedtothegodsthetitheoftheirhumanspoil；andthattheyascertainedbylottheobjectsofthebarbaroussacrifice。^107
[Footnote101:Atthenorthernextremityofthepeninsula，theCimbricpromontoryofPliny，iv。27，PtolemyfixestheremnantoftheCimbri。HefillstheintervalbetweentheSaxonsandtheCimbriwithsixobscuretribes，whowereunited，asearlyasthesixthcentury，underthenationalappellationofDanes。SeeCluver。German。Antiq。l。iii。c。21，22，23。]
[Footnote102:M。D'AnvilleEstablissementdesEtatsdel'Europe，&c。，p。19—26hasmarkedtheextensivelimitsoftheSaxonyofCharlemagne。]
[Footnote103:ThefleetofDrusushadfailedintheirattempttopass，oreventoapproach，theSound，styled，fromanobviousresemblance，thecolumnsofHercules，andthenavalenterprisewasneverresumed，Tacit。deMoribusGerman。c。34。TheknowledgewhichtheRomansacquiredofthenavalpowersoftheBaltic，c。44，45wasobtainedbytheirlandjourneysinsearchofamber。]
[Footnote104:QuinetAremoricuspiratamSaxonatractusSperabat；cuipellesalumsulcareBritannumLudus；etassutoglaucummarefinderelemboSidon。inPanegyr。Avit。369。
ThegeniusofCaesarimitated，foraparticularservice，theserude，butlightvessels，whichwerelikewiseusedbythenativesofBritain。Comment。deBell。Civil。i。51，andGuichardt，NouveauxMemoiresMilitaires，tom。ii。p。41，42。TheBritishvesselswouldnowastonishthegeniusofCaesar。]
[Footnote105:ThebestoriginalaccountoftheSaxonpiratesmaybefoundinSidoniusApollinaris，l。viii。epist。6，p。223，edit。Sirmond，andthebestcommentaryintheAbbeduBos，Hist。CritiquedelaMonarchieFrancoise，&c。tom。i。l。i。c。
16，p。148—155。Seelikewisep。77，78。]
[Footnote106:Ammian。xxviii。5justifiesthisbreachoffaithtopiratesandrobbers；andOrosiusl。vii。c。32moreclearlyexpressestheirrealguilt；virtuteatqueagilitateterribeles。]
[Footnote107:Symmachusl。ii。epist。46stillpresumestomentionthesacrednameofSocratesandphilosophy。Sidonius，bishopofClermont，mightcondemn，l。viii。epist。6，withlessinconsistency，thehumansacrificesoftheSaxons。]
II。ThefabulouscoloniesofEgyptiansandTrojans，ofScandinaviansandSpaniards，whichflatteredthepride，andamusedthecredulity，ofourrudeancestors，haveinsensiblyvanishedinthelightofscienceandphilosophy。^108Thepresentageissatisfiedwiththesimpleandrationalopinion，thattheislandsofGreatBritainandIrelandweregraduallypeopledfromtheadjacentcontinentofGaul。FromthecoastofKent，totheextremityofCaithnessandUlster，thememoryofaCelticoriginwasdistinctlypreserved，intheperpetualresemblanceoflanguage，ofreligion，andofmanners；andthepeculiarcharactersoftheBritishtribesmightbenaturallyascribedtotheinfluenceofaccidentalandlocalcircumstances。^109TheRomanProvincewasreducedtothestateofcivilizedandpeacefulservitude；therightsofsavagefreedomwerecontractedtothenarrowlimitsofCaledonia。Theinhabitantsofthatnorthernregionweredivided，asearlyasthereignofConstantine，betweenthetwogreattribesoftheScotsandofthePicts，^110
whohavesinceexperiencedaverydifferentfortune。Thepower，andalmostthememory，ofthePictshavebeenextinguishedbytheirsuccessfulrivals；andtheScots，aftermaintainingforagesthedignityofanindependentkingdom，havemultiplied，byanequalandvoluntaryunion，thehonorsoftheEnglishname。ThehandofnaturehadcontributedtomarktheancientdistinctionsoftheScotsandPicts。Theformerwerethemenofthehills，andthelatterthoseoftheplain。TheeasterncoastofCaledoniamaybeconsideredasalevelandfertilecountry，which，eveninarudestateoftillage，wascapableofproducingaconsiderablequantityofcorn；andtheepithetofcruitnich，orwheat—eaters，expressedthecontemptorenvyofthecarnivoroushighlander。Thecultivationoftheearthmightintroduceamoreaccurateseparationofproperty，andthehabitsofasedentarylife；buttheloveofarmsandrapinewasstilltherulingpassionofthePicts；andtheirwarriors，whostrippedthemselvesforadayofbattle，weredistinguished，intheeyesoftheRomans，bythestrangefashionofpaintingtheirnakedbodieswithgaudycolorsandfantasticfigures。ThewesternpartofCaledoniairregularlyrisesintowildandbarrenhills，whichscarcelyrepaythetoilofthehusbandman，andaremostprofitablyusedforthepastureofcattle。Thehighlanderswerecondemnedtotheoccupationsofshepherdsandhunters；and，astheyseldomwerefixedtoanypermanenthabitation，theyacquiredtheexpressivenameofScots，which，intheCeltictongue，issaidtobeequivalenttothatofwanderers，orvagrants。Theinhabitantsofabarrenlandwereurgedtoseekafreshsupplyoffoodinthewaters。Thedeeplakesandbayswhichintersecttheircountry，areplentifullysuppliedwithfish；andtheygraduallyventuredtocasttheirnetsinthewavesoftheocean。
ThevicinityoftheHebrides，soprofuselyscatteredalongthewesterncoastofScotland，temptedtheircuriosity，andimprovedtheirskill；andtheyacquired，byslowdegrees，theart，orratherthehabit，ofmanagingtheirboatsinatempestuoussea，andofsteeringtheirnocturnalcoursebythelightofthewell—knownstars。ThetwoboldheadlandsofCaledoniaalmosttouchtheshoresofaspaciousisland，whichobtained，fromitsluxuriantvegetation，theepithetofGreen；andhaspreserved，withaslightalteration，thenameofErin，orIerne，orIreland。
Itisprobable，thatinsomeremoteperiodofantiquity，thefertileplainsofUlsterreceivedacolonyofhungryScots；andthatthestrangersoftheNorth，whohaddaredtoencounterthearmsofthelegions，spreadtheirconquestsoverthesavageandunwarlikenativesofasolitaryisland。Itiscertain，that，inthedecliningageoftheRomanempire，Caledonia，Ireland，andtheIsleofMan，wereinhabitedbytheScots，andthatthekindredtribes，whowereoftenassociatedinmilitaryenterprise，weredeeplyaffectedbythevariousaccidentsoftheirmutualfortunes。Theylongcherishedthelivelytraditionoftheircommonnameandorigin；andthemissionariesoftheIsleofSaints，whodiffusedthelightofChristianityoverNorthBritain，establishedthevainopinion，thattheirIrishcountrymenwerethenatural，aswellasspiritual，fathersoftheScottishrace。ThelooseandobscuretraditionhasbeenpreservedbythevenerableBede，whoscatteredsomeraysoflightoverthedarknessoftheeighthcentury。Onthisslightfoundation，ahugesuperstructureoffablewasgraduallyreared，bythebardsandthemonks；twoordersofmen，whoequallyabusedtheprivilegeoffiction。TheScottishnation，withmistakenpride，adoptedtheirIrishgenealogy；andtheannalsofalonglineofimaginarykingshavebeenadornedbythefancyofBoethius，andtheclassiceleganceofBuchanan。^111
[Footnote108:Inthebeginningofthelastcentury，thelearnedCamdenwasobligedtoundermine，withrespectfulscepticism，theromanceofBrutus，theTrojan；whoisnowburiedinsilentoblivionwithScotathedaughterofPharaoh，andhernumerousprogeny。YetIaminformed，thatsomechampionsoftheMilesiancolonymaystillbefoundamongtheoriginalnativesofIreland。
Apeopledissatisfiedwiththeirpresentcondition，graspatanyvisionsoftheirpastorfutureglory。]
[Footnote109:Tacitus，orratherhisfather—in—law，Agricola，mightremarktheGermanorSpanishcomplexionofsomeBritishtribes。Butitwastheirsober，deliberateopinion:"InuniversumtamenaestimantiGalloscicinumsolumoccupassecredibileest。Eorumsacradeprehendas……ermohaudmultumdiversus，"inVit。Agricol。c。xi。Caesarhadobservedtheircommonreligion，Comment。deBelloGallico，vi。13；andinhistimetheemigrationfromtheBelgicGaulwasarecent，oratleastanhistoricalevent，v。10。Camden，theBritishStrabo，hasmodestlyascertainedourgenuineantiquities，Britannia，vol。i。Introduction，p。ii。—xxxi。]
[Footnote110:InthedarkanddoubtfulpathsofCaledonianantiquity，IhavechosenformyguidestwolearnedandingeniousHighlanders，whomtheirbirthandeducationhadpeculiarlyqualifiedforthatoffice。SeeCriticalDissertationsontheOriginandAntiquities，&c。，oftheCaledonians，byDr。JohnMacpherson，London1768，in4to。；andIntroductiontotheHistoryofGreatBritainandIreland，byJamesMacpherson，Esq。，London1773，in4to。，thirdedit。Dr。MacphersonwasaministerintheIsleofSky:anditisacircumstancehonorableforthepresentage，thatawork，repletewitheruditionandcriticism，shouldhavebeencomposedinthemostremoteoftheHebrides。]
[Footnote111:TheIrishdescentoftheScotshasbeenrevivedinthelastmomentsofitsdecay，andstrenuouslysupported，bytheRev。Mr。Whitaker，Hist。ofManchester，vol。i。p。430，431；andGenuineHistoryoftheBritonsasserted，&c。，p。154—293Yetheacknowledges，1。ThattheScotsofAmmianusMarcellinusA。D。
340werealreadysettledinCaledonia；andthattheRomanauthorsdonotaffordanyhintsoftheiremigrationfromanothercountry。2。Thatalltheaccountsofsuchemigrations，whichhavebeenassertedorreceived，byIrishbards，Scotchhistorians，orEnglishantiquaries，Buchanan，Camden，Usher，Stillingfleet，&c。，aretotallyfabulous。3。ThatthreeoftheIrishtribes，whicharementionedbyPtolemy，A。D。150，wereofCaledonianextraction。4。ThatayoungerbranchofCaledonianprinces，ofthehouseofFingal，acquiredandpossessedthemonarchyofIreland。Aftertheseconcessions，theremainingdifferencebetweenMr。Whitakerandhisadversariesisminuteandobscure。Thegenuinehistory，whichheproduces，ofaFergus，thecousinofOssian，whowastransplantedA。D。320fromIrelandtoCaledonia，isbuiltonaconjecturalsupplementtotheErsepoetry，andthefeebleevidenceofRichardofCirencester，amonkofthefourteenthcentury。Thelivelyspiritofthelearnedandingeniousantiquarianhastemptedhimtoforgetthenatureofaquestion，whichhesovehementlydebates，andsoabsolutelydecides。
Note:ThiscontroversyhasnotslumberedsincethedaysofGibbon。WehavestrenuousadvocatesofthePhoenicianoriginoftheIrish，andeachoftheoldtheories，withseveralnewones，maintainsitspartisans。Itwouldrequireseveralpagesfairlytobringdownthedisputetoourowndays，andperhapsweshouldbenonearertoanysatisfactorytheorythanGibbonwas。]
ChapterXXV:ReignsOfJovianAndValentinian，DivisionOfTheEmpire。
PartV。
SixyearsafterthedeathofConstantine，thedestructiveinroadsoftheScotsandPictsrequiredthepresenceofhisyoungestson，whoreignedintheWesternempire。ConstansvisitedhisBritishdominions:butwemayformsomeestimateoftheimportanceofhisachievements，bythelanguageofpanegyric，whichcelebratesonlyhistriumphovertheelementsor，inotherwords，thegoodfortuneofasafeandeasypassagefromtheportofBoulognetotheharborofSandwich。^112Thecalamitieswhichtheafflictedprovincialscontinuedtoexperience，fromforeignwaranddomestictyranny，wereaggravatedbythefeebleandcorruptadministrationoftheeunuchsofConstantius；andthetransientreliefwhichtheymightobtainfromthevirtuesofJulian，wassoonlostbytheabsenceanddeathoftheirbenefactor。Thesumsofgoldandsilver，whichhadbeenpainfullycollected，orliberallytransmitted，forthepaymentofthetroops，wereinterceptedbytheavariceofthecommanders；
discharges，or，atleast，exemptions，fromthemilitaryservice，werepubliclysold；thedistressofthesoldiers，whowereinjuriouslydeprivedoftheirlegalandscantysubsistence，provokedthemtofrequentdesertion；thenervesofdisciplinewererelaxed，andthehighwayswereinfestedwithrobbers。^113
Theoppressionofthegood，andtheimpunityofthewicked，equallycontributedtodiffusethroughtheislandaspiritofdiscontentandrevolt；andeveryambitioussubject，everydesperateexile，mightentertainareasonablehopeofsubvertingtheweakanddistractedgovernmentofBritain。ThehostiletribesoftheNorth，whodetestedtheprideandpoweroftheKingoftheWorld，suspendedtheirdomesticfeuds；andtheBarbariansofthelandandsea，theScots，thePicts，andtheSaxons，spreadthemselveswithrapidandirresistiblefury，fromthewallofAntoninustotheshoresofKent。Everyproductionofartandnature，everyobjectofconvenienceandluxury，whichtheywereincapableofcreatingbylabororprocuringbytrade，wasaccumulatedintherichandfruitfulprovinceofBritain。^114A
philosophermaydeploretheeternaldiscordsofthehumanrace，buthewillconfess，thatthedesireofspoilisamorerationalprovocationthanthevanityofconquest。FromtheageofConstantinetothePlantagenets，thisrapaciousspiritcontinuedtoinstigatethepoorandhardyCaledonians；butthesamepeople，whosegeneroushumanityseemstoinspirethesongsofOssian，wasdisgracedbyasavageignoranceofthevirtuesofpeace，andofthelawsofwar。Theirsouthernneighborshavefelt，andperhapsexaggerated，thecrueldepredationsoftheScotsandPicts；^115
andavalianttribeofCaledonia，theAttacotti，^116theenemies，andafterwardsthesoldiers，ofValentinian，areaccused，byaneye—witness，ofdelightinginthetasteofhumanflesh。Whentheyhuntedthewoodsforprey，itissaid，thattheyattackedtheshepherdratherthanhisflock；andthattheycuriouslyselectedthemostdelicateandbrawnyparts，bothofmalesandfemales，whichtheypreparedfortheirhorridrepasts。
^117If，intheneighborhoodofthecommercialandliterarytownofGlasgow，araceofcannibalshasreallyexisted，wemaycontemplate，intheperiodoftheScottishhistory，theoppositeextremesofsavageandcivilizedlife。Suchreflectionstendtoenlargethecircleofourideas；andtoencouragethepleasinghope，thatNewZealandmayproduce，insomefutureage，theHumeoftheSouthernHemisphere。
[Footnote112:HyemetumentesacsaevientesundascalcastisOceanisubremisvestris；……insperatamimperatorisfaciemBritannusexpavit。JuliusFermicusMaternusdeErroreProfan。
Relig。p。464。edit。Gronov。adcalcemMinuc。Fael。SeeTillemont，Hist。desEmpereurs，tom。iv。p。336。]
[Footnote113:Libanius，Orat。Parent。c。xxxix。p。264。ThiscuriouspassagehasescapedthediligenceofourBritishantiquaries。]
[Footnote114:TheCaledonianspraisedandcovetedthegold，thesteeds，thelights，&c。，ofthestranger。SeeDr。Blair'sDissertationonOssian，volii。p。343；andMr。Macpherson'sIntroduction，p。242—286。]
[Footnote115:LordLytteltonhascircumstantiallyrelated，HistoryofHenryII。vol。i。p。182，andSirDavidDalrymplehasslightlymentioned，AnnalsofScotland，vol。i。p。69，abarbarousinroadoftheScots，atatimeA。D。1137whenlaw，religion，andsocietymusthavesoftenedtheirprimitivemanners。]
[Footnote116:Attacottibellicosahominumnatio。Ammian。xxvii。
8。CamdenIntroduct。p。clii。hasrestoredtheirtruenameinthetextofJerom。ThebandsofAttacotti，whichJeromhadseeninGaul，wereafterwardsstationedinItalyandIllyricum，Notitia，S。viii。xxxix。xl。]
[Footnote117:CumipseadolescentulusinGalliaviderimAttacottosorScotosgentemBritannicamhumanisvescicarnibus；
etcumpersilvasporcorumgreges，etarmentorumpercudumquereperiant，pastorumnatesetfeminarumpapillassolereabscindere；ethassolasciborumdeliciasarbitrari。SuchistheevidenceofJerom，tom。ii。p。75，whoseveracityIfindnoreasontoquestion。
Note:SeeDr。Parr'sworks，iii。93，wherehequestionstheproprietyofGibbon'stranslationofthispassage。ThelearneddoctorapprovesoftheversionproposedbyaMr。Gaches，whowouldmakeoutthatitwasthedelicatepartsoftheswineandthecattle，whichwereeatenbytheseancestorsoftheScotchnation。Iconfessthateventoacquitthemofthischarge。I