SHAW contra SHAW.

Extracts from Mr.

Shaw's Analyfis.

All charters, deeds, records, and laws, were now written in Latin or Scots. And the monafteries being pillaged by Edward, whatever was valuable in literatu

Ire

re, was entirely loft.
land, which hitherto was
fubjected by no foreign lord,
nor distreffed by the encro
achments of a neighbouring
ftate, except fome tempora-
ry invafions by the Danes,
quietly enjoyed the ufe of
its laws, language, and li-
berties. It was at this junc-

Extracts from Mr.
Shaw's Inquiry.

We will readily grant, that part of the contefts in Ireland, and the war with Lochlin, is founded in hiftory, because all the an

ture that the Irish Seanachies and annalifts (when nals of Ireland have handed the Scots, having thrown off their extorted allegiance to England, their annals and records being irrecoverably deftroyed by Edward, wifhed to have fome ac

count of their own origin)

it down to us: but the au-, thor, in order to ferve his purpose, wrefts facts as they máy belt ferve his end: and, apprehenfive of a future detection, labours with great zeal to deftroy the credit of

invented their hyperbolic all Irifh hiftory, and, with

SHAW contra SHAW.

Extracts from Mr.

Shaw's Analyfis.

Extracts from Mr.

Shaw's Inquiry.

and incredible Milefian ex- a few bold ftrokes of his

pen, obliterate all the Cel tic learning ever known any where, in order to make way for a new fyftem of Celtic emigration and He

pedition from Egypt and Spain to Ireland, and thence to Scotland by the promontories of Galloway and Cantire. Fordun, having no other materials, at once bridian and Fingalian hiftory, adopted this fyftem, which in the Introduction to the gained univerfally in Scotland, until the ingenious Mr. Macpherson published his Introduction to the Hifory of Great Britain and Ireland. P. viii,

Hiftory of Great Britain and Ireland, of which nothing was heard before. This book was published on purpose, to fupport the impofture of Fingal. P. 35.

No argument can be adduced in favour of Highland

Though there were English colonies in Ireland, the Gael of that country enjoyed learning, from their ancient their own laws and cuftoms, laws; for none, according till the reigns of Elizabeth to Mr. Macpherson himself, and James I. when the Eng- ever exfifted, except the will lifh laws were univerfally of the chieftain, until fome eftablished. This is the rea- partial and faint influences fon, why the Iberno-Galic of it were felt in the reign has more MSS. and books of the latter Jamefes., Prithan the Caledonian. In vate property has not been Scotle

SHAW contra SHAW.

Extracts from Mr.
Shaw's Analyfis.

Scotland there has been a
general deftruction of an-
tient records and books,
which Ireland has escaped.
It enjoyed its own laws and
language till a later date,
whilst the Scots - English ve-
ry early became the establish
ed language in North Bri-
tain. P. ix.

1

The improvement of the country, as well as the minds of the inhabitants, has been ftrangely neglected, in an age when every other country emerges from obfcurity and ignorance; till fome changes were forced upon them by a late law, I fhall not fay how politic, To fee a people naturally capable of every improvement, though once misled by ignorance, ftripped of their ancient habits and cuftoms,

Extracts from Mr.
Shaw's Inquiry.

legally ascertained until very
lately; for the extent of a
chief's territory depended
on the number and valour
of his vaffals and followers.
Hence it is, that few chief-
tains at this day can shew
charters of any confiderable
date, P. 65.

In my tour in the Highlands, a refpectable minifter begged, I'would fet about. a translation of Fingal; and that he and others would undertake to prove it the compofition of Offian, and procure affidavits for that purpose. We need not, the, refore, be surprised to hear the Highlanders confidently talk of their having feen and heard them repeated, although none can produce a fpecimen. But to perfift

and deprived of the Scriptu- in affirming that he has it,

a

SHAW contra SHAW.

Extracts from Mr.
Shaw's Analyfis.

never

Extracts from Mr.
Shaw's Inquiry.

and publishing disfertations
to prove it; to rail and ab-
use all who will not believe
him, is an infult on the
party, and a "degree of
"tubborn audacity, the
"world has hitherto been
"unacquainted with.”
is the laft fubterfuge of guilt.
The Highlanders and Scotch,
very partial to their country
and antiquities, although

It

res in their own tongue; the
right of Chriflians,
denied to the most favage
Indians; is at once a compli
cation of inhumanity and
imprudence. Better flay
their bodies, to fecure their
affections, as Rome was
wont to do with heretics,
to bring their fouls to hea-
ven: than keep them in igno-
rance, with the exfpectation
that, after some generations, the translation might differ
the English manners, langua-
́ge, and improvements, may
begin to dawn. At this day,
there is no equal number
of people in Britain, fo ufe-
ful to the state. Upon every
emergency they supply, our
navy with good feamen, and
our armies with valiant fold-

iers. But frip them of their drefs, language, the name and honour of Gael, and

from what they might have
heard repeated, would not
take the trouble to detect it,
as even that detection might
be understood as an argu
ment against their genuine-
nefs. They were glad of
this new and unknown ho-
nour; and many of the na-
mes of the heroes in the
poems being familiar to their
ears, of which they had of

ten

and they foon degenerate. ten heard mention made in Their habit, language, life, the tales and fables of the and honour, they always kept Highlands in their youthful or parted with at once. The years, and, in fome degree, honour of the name, their at this day, could be easily habit, and a Galic fpeech, led, by a little "Caledonian have always infpired them "bigotry," not only to bemore, than the confecration lieve, but to vouch for their of the colours. Government, being a "literal translation.* by preferving thefe privile- P. 71.

ges, to them facred as their

are foci, might have at leaft one part of the community, of whom they, on any emergency, might fay with the Roman general, "I know, the tenth legion "will not defert me." P. xii.

I am confcious, that

On the Iberno - Galic there have been written gram- without a knowledge of Irish mars by different hands. learning, we can know The Scots and Irifh Galic, nothing of the Earfe as a though not radically differ- tongue, (the Irifh being ent, are two feparate dia- the ftudied language, and lects of the fame language. the Earfe only a diftant proThe words are almost always vincial dialect.) I cannot