Mr. Hughes commences his undertaking by a collation of the various names, that have, at different periods, been given to this island, together with their respective etymologies. But it should be observed, that several definitions of the word Britain have either escaped his notice, or have been rejected for their unimportance. Mr. Hughes has selected the following, which are here methodically arranged for the greater convenience of the comparison. Barat-Anak....Land of Tîn....Phænician.. by Bochart. Brith...... .... ... .Variegated .....Welsh Braid-In......Extended Island Gaelic Dr. Barlow, Camden. Macpherson, H. Llwyd. E. Williams, To these it might have been added, that the Triads deduce the name from Prydain, son of Aedd Mawr,-Geoffrey of Monmouth from Brutus the Trojan,-and the Irish etymologists from Brittan, the son of Fergus, to say nothing of numerous other etymologies, which it would be a waste of time to particularize, Of those, which Mr. Hughes has collected, he appears to give the preference to that by Mr. Edward Williams, and which has, indeed, been adopted by most modern writers. Nor is it improbable, that it may be correct; but it is far from being "so demonstrably just, that it cannot possibly admit of the least doubt*." This, however, is not the opportunity for discussing the point; it must suffice to remark here, that Mr. Williams's definition is at variance with the authority of the Triads, in which he appears, on another occasion, to repose so much confidencet. The important question of the first colonization of this country is treated by our author at some length, (p. 15 to 48,) though apparently without arriving at any decided result. Several conflicting opinions are quoted; and it cannot be disguised, that no attempt appears to be made to draw from the whole any satisfactory conclusion. It should likewise be noticed, that fable and history are, in this part of the work, rather injudiciously blended. The romance of Geoffrey of Monmouth, introduced at page 18, * These are the words of Mr. Edw. Williams himself, in his "Lyric Poems,” vol. ii, p. 42, where, in a note on the subject, he defends the etymology in the most triumphant manner, and appears to glory exceedingly in its discovery. "Lyric Poems,” vol ii. p. 217. et seq. can surely have no concern with any historical inquiry into the first peopling of Britain. But, to pass on to more tangible matter, we next find ourselves in the society of the Cimbri, whom there are so many reasons for regarding as our original ancestors. Mr. Hughes, however, appears in one place, (p. 21,) to set them down merely as a branch of the Celta, while, in another, (p. 32,) where he cites a passage from Mr. Owen Pughe's works, he seems to have adopted that writer's opinion, in considering Cimbri as the patronymic appellation, and Celta as a term employed to denote one of its "grand distinctions.". And this, there can be little doubt, is the correct explanation; for the word Cimbri, or Cymry, as observed on a former occasion*, implies the first or aboriginal people, while Celte signifies the inhabitants of the woods or forests†, in opposition to Galli, by which the people of the plains were distinguished. Synonymous with Celte, are the Welsh names, Celtiaid, Celyddon, Ysgodogion, and Gwyddelod, which latter, however, Mr. Hughes observes, p. 59, "properly signifies the aborigines or primitive inhabitants," although in a preceding page he had admitted its genuine meaning. There may be nothing, however, very important in this contradiction, nor in the one previously noticed; nor ought they to appreciate the value of Mr. Hughes's production, exposed, as it naturally must have been, to those contrarieties of sentiment, which would have been avoided by a more artificial arrangement. The whole of the passage, relating to the early colonization of Britain, may be beneficially consulted; and the following judicious remarks on etymology deserve to be here transcribed : "Etymology may be rendered very serviceable in prosecuting our researches into ancient history; but, by placing too great a dependance on verbal criticisms, we are bewildered rather than assisted in our pursuits. The etymology of names may easily prove fallacious, if not grounded on certain general principles, and made to appear consistent with the general truth of history. Linguists and antiquaries, of no mean note, such as Camden, Baxter, and Whitaker, have fallen into very whimsical theories, grounded upon etymological fallacies. Mr. E. Llwyd and Mr. Owen are generally happy in their conjectures: but men of the greatest skill in those studies are not seldom betrayed into erroneous conclusions, by a imisapplication of names and appellative terms, and adhering too rigidly to the literal import of them. It should be recollected, that * CAMBRO-BRITON, vol. i. p. 373. different families of the same tribe were accustomed to adopt certain appellations, arising from their local situation and habits, similar to the terms, by which whole nations and tribes were usually distinguished from each other. It should also be observed, that ancient, or primitive appellations have continued in use, when the reasons for assuming or imposing such names have ceased. Appellations also, in process of time, become more limited in their acceptation; and sometimes the reverse has happened, that the name of one tribe has predominated, and been applied to the whole nation. These remarks are suggested by Mr. Owen's exposition of the appellatives Celyddon and Gwyddel." P. 31. Want of room makes it unfortunately impossible to transfer to these pages all the passages in the first volume of the Hora Britannica, that it would be desirable to transcribe; but space must be found for two or three, which, it is hoped, may induce the reader to cultivate a more intimate acquaintance with the work itself. The following extract gives Cæsar's account of the manners and customs of the Britons in his time. "Cæsar's account of Britain, and its inhabitants, is concise but interesting. The interior of the country and the western coasts he was a stranger to, as he acknowledges. The interior parts of Britain he considered as inhabited by the original occupiers of the country; the sea-coast, (that is the south-eastern,) by those, who, either for the sake of plunder, or from hostile intentions, crossed over from the territories of the Belgæ. The number of inhabitants he makes to be prodigious, and their buildings exceedingly numerous, resembling those of Gaul. Their herds of cattle were numerous and large, as they subsisted chiefly on them or their milk, more than on corn, of which they sowed but little. Their traffic in tin was famous; but they were little acquainted with the vast stores of iron and copper, for which certain parts of the island are become so famous. They used iron rings for money; and of that metal they forged various implements of a rude kind, for the purposes of war and husbandry. Ossian affords us the best description of the old British and Irish warriors, as to their preparations for the battle, the nature of their conflicts, and the use they made of their victories. "Cæsar describes the people of Kent as the most civilized of all the Britons within his knowledge. From his own information he inferred, that the inland inhabitants, in general, sowed no grain, but lived on milk and flesh, and were clothed with skins. But it appears improbable, that the Dobuni and the Silures, on the banks of the Severn and the Wye, were utterly unacquainted with the arts of agriculture. Strangers to luxury and even to what are now deemed the necessaries of life, their wealth consisted in their cattle. These, in the summer, ranged over the hills, or the open downs; and in the winter were brought to situations where they could be housed and sheltered from the cold and the storm, and be convenient for the use of the r families, when they chose to slaughter them. Their diet was generally simple and parsimonious; chiefly milk, butter, and cheese, and perhaps oatmeal, which they were acquainted with, probably, before wheat was introduced among them. At their fests they indulged themselves with animal food, with cerevisia, or malt-liquor, with cyder and metheglin. They seldom had fixed meals, but ate more or less frequently, according to their convenience; and, when they became rather more polished, two meals a day formed their seasons of repast. "When Cæsar met the Britons in battle, their appearance was fierce, and their courage undaunted. In order to strike terror into their enemies, they painted, or rather tattooed; their bodies; which, when their hug, or plaid, was thrown off, they presented naked to; the assault of their invaders. The painting of their bodies with, woad, with the marks which they inscribed on their skin, arose partly from superstition, and was partly adopted as a defence against the weather, as well as designed to terrify their enemies." P. 51. From the "manners and customs" of the early Britons the writer makes a transition to their civil government, under which head we have the following succinct view of the ancient principles: of jurisprudence, upon which the famous code of Hywel, com-monly called Hywel the Good, was afterwards founded. "The laws of Prince Hywel, in the tenth century, refer to certain general principles of law recognized in more remote ages. The estates of the country, and the principal clergy, were called together; and out of them certain persons were selected for the purpose of drawing up a code of laws, founded upon the law of the land and ancient usage. These refer to the regulation of the royal household, the claims of the king, the distinctions of rank, the courts of law and the modes of proceeding in them, and the general police of the country. Certain baronial and manorial courts are acknowledged; but in matters of inheritance, and disputes respecting territory, the verdict of the king's court must be resorted to. The prince is acknowledged as the supreme head, but not possessing any autho-; rity over particular lordships. The common people, as Cæsar says respecting the Gauls, were but in servorum loco; and the fine for, killing a slave was, according to his value, like an ox or a sheep. "Murder was generally punished by a fine, which amounted to a fixed sum of money, according to the rank of the person; and, if. this were not paid, any of the family had a right to avenge the death VOL. II. S of their kinsman. The disgrace of any crime attached to the whole family of the person who had been guilty. "In various cases they had their juries; and these differed in number according to the occasion. In general, the oaths of fifty substantial freemen were requisite to form a verdict; but in some cases a greater number were required. "No offence was capital, unless it was deemed to amount to a hundred pounds, so that their laws were lenient to an extreme." P. 74. The author passes from this subject to the "languages of the ancient Britons," and their first acquaintance with letters, both which topics he discusses briefly, without adding any thing to the stock of knowlege before common respecting them. To this, succeeds a view (from p. 85 to 142,) of the Roman-British period, which is, of necessity, a compilation from the Latin historians, and those who have borrowed from them; yet the narra➡ tive is conducted with much ease and perspicuity. The account concludes with an enumeration of the ancient divisions of Britain, and the names of its various tribes, extracted from the second volume of the Cambrian Register, and which brings to a close the first part of the Hora Britannica. The second part, which occupies the remainder of the volume, is devoted, as before noticed, to the discussion of the religion and learning of the Druids, and in the course of which Mr. Hughes has contrived to amass a considerable fund of learning, native and foreign. The writers of Greece and Rome, as well as our own bards, are freely consulted. Yet most, if not all, of the authorities have been previously quoted on various occasions, though they may never before have appeared in the same company. The following remarks on the rank and functions of the Druids are generally correct : " This order of men were in the greatest fame for their knowledge; and, being the ministers of religion, and frequently, if not generally, exercising the highest offices in the community, their power and influence could not fail of being very extensive. The account given by Cæsar abundantly confirms this. According to the great Roman, the Druids had not only the charge of the public sacrifices, and the various ceremonies of religion; but to them the education of youth was entrusted. They presided in the courts of justice, and all litigated causes were brought before them. In all causes, both criminal and civil, their decision was final; and if any person, however eminent, refused to abide by their sentence, he was interdicted the public sacrifices, and treated as an outlaw; his |