for the purpose.-I thought I should have sunk into the earth, when I was addressed with all the insolence that low minds could dictate, and at the same time found myself entirely in the power of those who so cruelly insulted me. To remonstrate was in vain; and at last I assumed sufficient courage to say, "Why do you use such unbecoming lan guage to me, you who, have murdered my brother? I beseech you, therefore, to be merciful, and kill me also." " We murdered your brother!" retorted the inn-keeper; 66 no, no, we be no murderers; we be as honest, ay, by my troth, and honester too, than many that wear surcoats of cendal, and mantles lined with minever." P. 239. The last volume contains a drama, entitled, "Ancient Times," and founded on a supposed invasion of the Danes. We cannot say, however, that Mr Strutt's dramatic poetry, unless on a few occasions, rises much above mediocrity. It is otherwise, however, with the and lyric pieces, interspersed through these volumes. The following is one of the most agreeable hunting songs we remember to have songs met with: Waken lords and ladies gay, On the mountain dawns the day, To track the buck in thicket green; From yonder ever dark and dreary cave, I hear the loud mysterious notes resound! List how the thunder roars along the wave, Or, big with fury, tears the yielding ground! There, darkling see the lofty king appear 'Tis Harold, who explores the book of His magic spells, the airy spirits hear, "Harold," they cry, for others woe Thy conquest far shall spread; Unsheath thy sword, and charge the foe,Mail'd, at thy warrior's head. "Success awaits thy every blow; For thee shall Odin fight; And in the air, a deathless war, And views the host engage. Add fury to the bands.. "The keen sword flashes to the sky; II. CHALMERS'S CALEDONIA. (Continued from p. 283.) 109. When 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed; MR CHALMERS, having brought to You shall see him brought to bay, Louder, louder chaunt the lay, a termination the Roman period, proceeds in Book II. to that of the Picts. Who this people were, whether native or foreign, forms one of the most celebrated controversies connected with Scottish history. By some they they are referred to a Teutonic or Scandinavian origin, while others suppose them to be merely Britons, the natives of the country, and the same who formerly went by the name of Cale donians. This latter opinion is decidedly adopted by our author. He observes that Scotland, at the time of Agricola's invasion, was undoubtedly possessed by a number of British tribes, whom the Romans comprehended under the name of Caledonians. Now, from this period to that in which the Picts begin to be named, there is no account of any foreign settlement or invasion, such as the Teutonic hypothesis necessarily supposes. Yet if such an event had taken place, we can hardly suppose that no mention whatever should have been made of it in the Roman annals. A still stronger proof is drawn from the names of the Pictish Kings, a list of 40 of whom is given from Innes, and which are significant only in the British language. The Pictish topography likewise he endeavours to prove was entirely British. This however cannot be considered as so decisive a proof as the preceding, since, if we admit the original population to be British, we may suppose that their successors merely adopted the names previously imposed. Nor are we disposed to lay much stress on the characters of rudeness and disunion exhibited by the Picts, in common with other Celtic tribes; which are too common to all tribes bordering on the savage state, to be considered as peculiar to any particular nation or race. At the same time, it appears to us that Mr Chalmers, by his other arguments, has established the strongest presumption, if not absolute certainty, on the side of his hypothesis. He has given list of the different writers on both sides of the question, with an estimate (somewhat biassed perhaps by their coincidence with his own opinion) of their talents and qualifications. This list is curious, and will be read with satisfaction, though we doubt whether in a subject, already of such great extent, it does not occupy rather a disproportionate place. The Scottish chroniclers, Fordun and Wyntown, Bocce and Major, trace the Picts "from Scythy to Ireland, and from Ireland to Britain." Buchanan was the first who made a stand against this circuitous derivation ;' still however he adopted the vulgar opinion that either the Picts or Caledonians were migrants from abroad. The Teutonic side of the question was also adopted by Usher, in his Ecclesiastical Antiquities; Stillingfleet, in his Origines Britannica; the Macphersons, John and James, who attempt to disprove the existence of the Picts altogther; Pinkerton in his Enquiry into the History of Scotland; Sibbald, in his Chronicle of Scottish Poetry: and Irving, in his Lives of the Scottish Poets. The first supporter, on the other hand, of the British side of the question, was Camden, the venerable author of Britannia, who in 1586, after an attentive consideration of the subject, declared his opinion," that the Picts were very Britons, indeed, by the demeanour, name, and speech of the Picts." Selden, and Speed, concurred with this opinion of Cainden. Lloyd, in his Account of Church Government, and Lhuyd, in his Archaiologia, supported the same cpinion. It was maintained by Innes, in his Critical Enquiry, with a degree of industry and success surpassing those of any who had gone before hun. Whitaker stood up in opposition to Macpherson, and Ritson to Pinkerton. The last name in this list of True Britons, is Edward King, author of the Munimenta Antiqua. We conclude with observing that Mr Chalmers derives the name Picti from the British Word Peithi, signifying those that are out, also inhabitants of the desart, plunderers. This the Romans changed into a word in their own language, which resembled it, and and which had also a meaning not altogether inapplicable. it British hill-fort, that is of an elliptical form, and is defended by two ditches, and two ramparts of earth and stone.-proceeds, in a south-west direction, a From the Rink-hill, the Picts work ditch cross the Tweed, near the influx of the Howdenpot-burn; and continues its course to a British fort, on the west side of this stream. From this fort, the Pictsworkditch passes Cribshill; and is again discovered, several miles westward, passing along the south cast decli That part of Scotland which lay beyond the Forth was never permanently subdued by the Roman arms; remained chiefly in the possession of the natives. But the Southern part of Scotland, that which lies between Solway and Tweed on one side, and Forth and Clyde on the other, was completely romanized. So long as the Romans continued in Britain, ity of Minchmoor, whence it passes formed the province of Valentia; but when by their departure it was restored to independence, it was called the Cumbrian kingdom, and oftener the kingdom of Strathcluyd. The Ottadine and Gadeni, however, were early expelled by the Saxons from Merse and Lothian, so that the Cumbrian kingdom consisted only of the Middle and Western counties. It included also Dunbartonshire. These more civilized British tribes scem to have borrowed from the Romans the plan of fortifying an extensive tract of country. From the Picts they were defended, so far as such defence could avail, by the wall of Adrian. Afterwards, however, they were exposed to the incursions of a new and still more formidable enemy. The Saxons had established themselves in the north of England, and soon began to make incursions beyond the Tweed. With the view of imposing a check upon these new enemics, the Valentians appear to have formed an extensive line of defence, called the Catrail, or Pictsworkditch, of which Mr Chalmers has collected a very distinct and satisfactory account, which we shall present to our readers. The Pictsworkditch first appears, on the north, at a farm, called Mosalee, a mile westward from Galashields, near the obvious remain of a British fort.From Mosalee, it runs, southward, by the west side of Boghall; and, at the end of two miles, arrives at the Rinkhill, on the summit of which there are the remains, as the name implies, of a Henhillhope, where it is distinctly seen, in its obvious course, for a quarter of á mile. It afterwards clearly appears, as it ascends the Swinebraehill, above Yarrowkirk; and passing the Yarrow river, near Redhawse, it is again observable burn, on the south side of Ettrick river. several miles, southward, near DelorainFrom this position, it has been traced across Coplaw; and thence, southward, by the base of Stanhopelaw, where its singular remains are pretty distinct. For some distance, southward, of Stanhopelaw, it cannot now be traced, owing to the swampiness of the country; but the woody common; whence it proceeds, in Pictsworkditch again appears on Hena south-west direction, across Borthwick water, past a farmstead, called Broadlee, where the remains of it become very distinct, for the course of a mile and a half, till it reaches Slatehillforwards, in a south-east direction, across muss. From this position, it proceeds Teviot river, thro' the farm of Northhouse to Dockcleugh-hill, where its remains are very distinct from Dock. cleugh-hill, it continues a south-east course, in a slaunting form, across Allanwater, to a place named Dod, passing two hill-forts on the left. From Dod, where its remains are distinct, the Pictsther British fort, called Whitehillbrae; work ditch proceeds eastward, past anoand it there ascends the Carriage-hill, on which its remains are very perfect. From Carriage hill it proceeds across a rivulet, called Langside-burn; and here, says Gordon, the tourist," it becomes "the land mark betwixt the Duke of Buccleugh's estate, and Sir Gilbert "Elliot of Stobs." From Langsideburn, its remains appear very distinct, as they pass along the northern base of the Maiden Paps to the Leapsteel; and thence passing Robertslin, it traverses a tract tract of boggy ground, called Cockspart: crossing the hills into the upper parts of Lidsdale, the remains of it again appear on Dawsiane burn; and thence passing the Abbey, it goes on to Dawstane-rig: from this position, faint vestiges of it were traced nearly to the Peel-fell, which is one of the chain of mountains that forms a natural barrier between Northumberland, on the south, and Teviotdale, and Lidsdale on the north. The whole course of the Catrail, which has been thus traced, from the vicinity of Galashiels to Peel-fell, is upwards of forty-five miles. The most entire parts of the Catrail show, that it was originally a broad and deep fosse; having on each side a rampart, which was formed of the natural soil that was thrown from the ditch, intermixed with some stones. Its dimensions vary, in different places. This variation may be partly owing to its remains being more or less perfect. In those parts, where it is pretty entire, on the north of the Rink-hill, on Dockcleugh-hill, on Carriage-hill, at Leapsteel, and at the Abbey, the fosse is twenty six, and twenty-five feet broad: in one place, which was measured by Dr Douglas, the fosse was twenty-seven and a half feet broad. But, in those parts, where the rampart has been most demolished, the fosse only measures twenty two and a half feet, twenty, and eighteen, and in one place, only sixteen feet wide. In some of the most entire parts, Gordon found the ramparts, from six to seven, and even nine, or ten feet high, and from eight to ten and twelve feet thick. The accidents of time, and the improvements of tillage, have, how ever, destroyed much of them, and lessened the height of those, which remain, the singular objects of rational curiosity. Of this curious remain, no traces have been ascertained beyond Mosalee, on the north. It is, however, probable, that it may have proceeded, as indeed some antiquaries have supposed, in a north. east direction, across the Gala-water into Upper Lauderdale; and thence athwart the country to the eastern sea.The separate remains of such a work, proceeding eastward to the sea, have been discovered, by different persons, at several times. The very accurate King horn, who surveyed for me the Roman remains, in Lauderdale, during Novem. ber 1803, informed me, that he had tra ced a high earthen rampart, and large fosse, running off from a British fort on a height, near Channel Kirk, on the west, in a north-east direction, across the highest source of Leader-water, for the extent of a mile; and thence eastward through the Lamermoor hills and the inhabitants, on its tract, assured this ingenious surveyor, that the remains of this singular work may be traced, at intervals, throughout Lamermoor, to the neighbourhood of Dunbar. Upwards of fifty years ago, the intelligent John Spottiswoode, the old Laird of Spottiswoode, traced a similar rampart and fosse, from a British strength, called the Haerfaulds, on a hill, two miles north-west of Spottiswoode, throughout the country, to the vicinity of Berwick-on-Tweed. In that age, it was, in various places, very discernible; and was known to the people by the name of Herrit's dyke. In the ascertained track of this ancient fence, there are several British strengths, situated as usual on their several heights. Whether those several ramparts which traversed Berwickshire be the same as the Catrail, is not quite certain: but there cannot be any reasonable doubt, whether they were all made, by the same British hands, for the same purpose of defence, during the same obscure age of hostile intrusion. P. 239. In this kingdom, at the beginning of the sixth century, reigned the celebrated Arthur, who has been so much the theme of ancient history and song. He appears to have been raised to the throne by the favour of his countrymen, and their powerful chiefs, at a time when the exigencies of the nation required a strong hand to guide it. This renowned chief has left many traces of his fame in North Britain, various places and natural objects in this country having derived their name from him. The castle of Dunbarton, anciently Alcluyd, and the metropolis of the Cumbrian monarchy, went by the name of Castrum Arthuri. Arthur's seat, which has ced by Mr Chalmers to a very high been supposed a modern name, is traantiquity. The Strathcluyd Britons were as distinguished for learning as for for valour. In this period, flourished the celebrated names of Aneurin and of Merlin, or Myrrdin; the last of whom appears to have been Pictish by birth. Living in an age of misfortune, their muse indulged chiefly in plaintive strains. They sung the calamities of their country, and the havock of foreign invaders. The inhabitants of Valentia, pressed on one side by the Saxons, and on the other by the Caledonians or Picts, sustained a succession of defeats and disasters, which gradually annihilated their political importance, and subjected them to the neighbouring kingdoms, into whose territory they were finally incorporated. From the romanized Britons, Mr Chalmers proceeds to the "Saxons in Lothian" The first irruption of a Gothic people into Scotland, took place in the year 449. At that period, the Angles, with a body of their confederates, landed in the Frith of Forth, in the Ottadinian country.This territory was then so much disunited, that it could oppose no powerful resistance. The Saxons, however, rather overran, than subdued it: they then retired, without making any lasting settlement. They do not seem to have repeated their descents upon this coast, but to have been attracted by the nearer and more fruitful territory of England. In 547, Ida Janded in Northumberland, and founded the kingdom of Deira. He then turned his arms northwards against the Ottadini, and notwithstanding the gallant efforts of Dutigern their chief, carried his victorious arms to the Forth. The Saxons then formed a permanent establishment in Merse and Lothian. In this war probably took place the battle of Cattraeth, celebrated and lamented by Aneurin, who shared its misfortunes. The Northumbrian kings continued to extend their conquests to the west and north. In 685, Egfrid crossed the Forth, and invaded the country of the Picts. He then crossed the Tay, and entered Angus. The But at Dun Nechtan, now Dunnichen, he was encountered by Bredei, the Pictish king, and after an obstinate battle, was de eated and slain. Picts being afterwards encouraged by this success to invade the Northum brian territories, were themselves defeated, and their king slain. Northumberland having fallen into a state of anarchy, and being afterwards governed by Earls in subordination to the English crown, ceased to give any disturbance to its neighbours; the Saxons remained in Lothian, and the Picts in the north; while the Strathcluyd Britons divided the wester parts with some tribes which had recently come over from Ireland. The Orkney islands, there is reason to believe, were early inhabited by Celtic planters. They are suppo. sed, however, to have become uninhabited, and are so described by Solinus. This does not appear to us a very probable circumstance; and it may easily be supposed that the report of their being wholly destitute of inhabitants, might arise from navigators, who found particular parts of them in that condition. The Celtic possessors were doubtless few, and were completely supplanted by the Scandinavian rovers, who early began to haunt these islands, and who gave names, from their own language, to almost all the objects which they presented. Very few Celtic names have been retained; and the former existence of that people is chiefly proved by arms and druidical monuments. In Shetland, every thing is completely Scandinavian; probably, therefore, these islands were never inhabited till the arrival of that people. The Hebrides appear to have been planted, partly by the Scoto-Irish, or Gaelic people, and partly by the Scandinavians: the interior range, Mull, Jura, &c. chiefly by the former; the exterior, Lewis, Harris, &c. chiefly by the latter. Very few traces remain of a British origin. After |