must be ascribed to the most remote origin, uniformly approximate in character to the earliest vestiges discovered in Britain, where the Celta are known to have been the original settlers. Such are the axes and arrow-heads of stone, or flint, which are strewed so plentifully over the shores of Britain, and every other part of Europe formerly inhabited by Celtic tribes. Those tumuli and carns which constitute the earliest places of burial, agree in form with the same mounds of earth or stone in Britain; and their contents evince similar modes of funeral ceremony. In circles composed of upright stones, or simply of an earthen vallum; in cromlechs, and the various other works often termed druidical, we have also proofs of a coincidence in religious and civil customs between the inhabitants of Ireland and those of Britain, previous to the introduction of christianity, whether those works were actually carried into execution by the original Celta, or by the Belgic tribes which assisted in forming the early population of the island. Further testimony, as to the settlement of the Celtæ in this country, proceeds from the accounts transmitted by antient geographical writers.

Concerning the country whence the first settlers immediately passed into Ireland, several opinions have been formed; and probable conjecture is all that the utmost labours of research and ingenuity can afford. It would appear to be indubitable that the great tide of population flowed from the east of Europe to the west; and as there is fair reason for presuming that early colonists would proceed by land as far as was attainable, before they ventured on the perils of the ocean, many writers have supposed that Ireland received its first inhabitants from the neighbouring coast of Britain.

The aborigines were incapable of maintaining entire possession of the soil. They were disturbed by the BELGE (termed FIRBÓLGS by the Irish) who came from the northern coast of Gaul, and effected in this country, as in Britain, a permanent settlement. The sympathy which we naturally bestow on those who suffer from the incursions of an invading power, should, surely, be extended to this interference with the quiet occupation of those

who first profited by the rich pastures of so fair an island, and were the earliest dwellers amidst its romantic scenery. From the Belgæ or Firbolgs it is, however, probable that the Celta, as was the fact with their kindred tribes in the sister-island, obtained a knowledge of several arts which advance mankind in the scale of civilization, and add value to existence.

The Scors are mentioned by many historians as subsequent colonists, and are described by several writers as a Scythian people." It is conjectured," writes Dr. Ledwich," that the Scots came to our isle two or three centuries before the Nativity; and as to their name, that seems not derived from a city or particular place, or ferocity or eminence in war, but from their original country, Scythia. Usher has shewn that they were distinguished by this appellation from the third to the twelfth century, and of course were the dominant people." We have stated, in our remarks on the various names by which Ireland has been distinguished at different times, that this country was first recognised under the name of Scotia in the fourth century. No such word occurs in the map of Ptolemy, to be hereafter noticed. The difficulty obvious in the temporary cessation of a prevailing name, supposing that the Scots were, as has been usually supposed, a distinct nation, entering the island at the alleged early period, has not remained unnoticed by critical writers. "It is not easy," remarks Lord Lyttelton, " to give a satisfactory reason, why, if the Scots were a people of Scythian extraction, who came into Ireland from any part of Spain, in such very early times, that name which denoted their original country, should have been lost and forgotten during so many ages, and revived about the middle of the fourth century, when (as appears by a passage of Ammianus Marcellinus) they were joined with the Picts in making war on the Britons."

A modern author suggests the following solution of this difficulty. Considering that Tacitus, and other writers previous to Porphyry, who flourished towards the close of the third century, mention nothing of the Scots, though they speak of the tribes inhabiting Ireland, Mr. Chalmers, in the work termed "Caledo

nia," contends that it must be admitted, as a moral certainty, "that the Scottish people had not acquired their appropriate name during the first and second centuries." The Scoto-Irish, he affirms, always spoke Gaelic, as their descendants do at the present time; and, since the lineage of a people is most accurately traced in its language, he believes that the Scots were a Gaelic, and not a Teutonic, race. It is correctly ascertained that Ireland was originally populated by Gaelic tribes; and " as there is no proof, whatever chroniclers may say, that the Scots came from abroad," our author maintains that, "the Scotica Gentes must have acquired, within their original island, a local habitation and a name.' As the inhabitants of Ireland are indiscriminately called by classic writers Hyberni and Scoti, after the fourth century, we may infer that the Hyberni and Scoti were the same people, under different designations." As the Scots were indigenous in Ireland, so probably was their name. "From their own language," continues Mr. Chalmers, "they acquired the appellation of Sceite, which signifies, in the Irish, dispersed, and scattered; and they thus appear to have obtained this characteristic name, from their passion for enterprize during ages of perturbation."

In addition to the aboriginal Celta, and the Firbolgs, or Belgæ, whose settlement in Ireland is ascertained with sufficient precision, Camden reasonably believes that, after the extension of the Roman empire, and the revolutions consequent on such encroachments, great numbers fled to this country from Spain and other districts, and here found an asylum.

The earliest foreign source of intelligence, respecting the distribution of the different tribes which composed the antient population of Ireland, is found in the table, or map, of Ptolemy, who flourished about the middle of the second century. The statements of Ptolemy, together with the modern names of places noticed by him, according to the suggestions of Sir J. Ware and other respectable antiquaries, are mentioned in future pages of this work, descriptive of the counties into which Ireland is at present divided.

Richard of Cirencester has bequeathed to posterity a map and description of Ireland, differing considerably from the table of the Egyptian geographer. Positions widely dissimilar are ascribed to several of the tribes, or nations. It remains to be ascertained whether these variations proceeded from a want of due information in the more recent writer, or whether internal wars had really effected vicissitudes so conspicuous in territorial possession. Many Irish historical manuscripts are now under a course of more attentive examination, amongst able Gaelic scholars, than they have hitherto experienced; and it will be a source of much interest with the antiquarian part of the public, if any of those writings should be found to convey intelligence illustrative of the geographical delineations of Ptolemy and Richard. As the work of the latter author has not been introduced to general notice in Ireland, a brief analysis of the part which relates to this country may not be unacceptable.

Ireland, according to this writer, was " formerly" inhabited by twenty tribes, of whom fourteen lived on the coast. This, in the opinion of Richard," is the true country of the Scots, who, emigrating from hence (Britain) added a third nation to the Britons and Picts in Albion." He proceeds to observe that he cannot agree with Bede, who affirms that the Scots were foreigners, but" conceives that they derived their origin from Britain, passed over from thence, and obtained a settlement in this Island. It is certain that the Damnii, Voluntii, Brigantes, Cangi, and other nations were descended from the Britons."

In what is termed by Richard" a description of the island

Richard, usually termed Richard of Cirencester, from the place of his birth, was a monk of St. Peter's, Westminster, and lived in the fourteenth century. His work, entitled De Situ Britanniæ, contains an Itinerary of Britain, which he states to have been collected from antient records, now lost. In his map of Ireland he profits by the later intelligence he possessed, and introduces the "Scotti," which word does not occur in the map of Ptolemy. But it will be observed that he considers the Scoti as a distinct people, having a determinate position amongst the other tribes, or nations, of Ireland, though he is desirous of deriving their origin from Britain.

and the most remarkable places," he asserts that the tribe called Rhobogdii "occupied the coast next to the Deucalidonian sea," or that which washes the northern side of Ireland. The metropolis of this tribe was named Rhobogdium. In the eastern part of their territories was situated the promontory of the same name; in the western the Promontorium Boreum, or northern promontory. "Towards the south, mountains separated them from the Scotti."

On the coast, between the northern and Venicnian promontory, (probably the North Cape, south-east of Tory Island, county of Donegal) and as far as the mouth of the Rhebeus, dwelt the Venicnii, "to whom the contiguous islands owe their name." Their capital was Rheba, (supposed to have been seated on the river Barrow). The Nagnatæ dwelt " below the Rhebeus, as far as the Libnius, (the bay of Sligo) and their celebrated capital was called after them. The Auterii lived in a recess of the bay of Ausoba,* towards the south, and their chief city was, also, named after them. The Concangii occupied the lower part of the same region, near the southern confines of which flowed the river Senus, (the Shannon) a noble river, on which was situated their chief city, Macobicum. Hybernia in this part being contracted, terminates in a narrow point. The Velatorii inhabited the country near the southern promontory by the river Senus; their metropolis was Regia, and their river Durius. The Lucani were situated where the river Ibernus (the river Kilmare, in the county of Kerry) flows into the ocean."

The southern side of the Island he describes as lying between the Promontorium Austriacum, or Southern Promontory, (probably. the present Mizen Head) and the Sacred Promontory, (probably Greenore Point). "Here lived the Ibernii, whose metropolis was Rhufina. Next was the river Dobona, and the people called Vodiæ, whose promontory of the same name lies opposite to the Promontorium Antivæsteum, in England, at about the distance of one hundred and forty-five miles. Not far from thence is the river Dabrona, the boundary of the Brigantes, who have also the

* The Ausoba, or Ausona, is described by Ware as" a river which takes its rise out of Lough-Curb (Lough Corrib), and washes Galway."