An essay towards illustrating the ancient history of the Britannic Isles containing an explanation of the names Belgæ, Scythæ, Celtæ, Brittanni, Albanich, Erinnich, Caledonii, Siluri, &c., &c. : Intended as a preface to a work entitled, A vindication of the ancient history of Ireland / By C.V. [ie. Charles Vallancey].

  • Vallancey, Charles, 1721-1812.
Date:
1786
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay towards illustrating the ancient history of the Britannic Isles containing an explanation of the names Belgæ, Scythæ, Celtæ, Brittanni, Albanich, Erinnich, Caledonii, Siluri, &c., &c. : Intended as a preface to a work entitled, A vindication of the ancient history of Ireland / By C.V. [ie. Charles Vallancey]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    met with a good reception in the learned world, yet their works are full of fabulous narrations, wonders and incredibilities: they not only deal in fictions, but difcover a moll remarkable ignorance in Chronology® Yet thefe faults have not fo far prejudiced the learned againit them, as to think them in no particular de- ferving of credit. The Authors of the Englilh Uni- verfal Hiilory declare the ignorance of the Arabian writers, in chronology, even when they treat of Events that happened not many centuries before the Hejra ! And Niebuhr who lately travelled in Arabia* with advantages that fall to the ihare of few of our modern travellers (being both a fcholar and a Philofopher), informs us, that the Arabs were ut¬ terly ignorant of the ancient hiilory of their own country. The Greeks, to whom we are much indebted, are Hill more fabulous: they knew little of the Geogra¬ phy of the Globe ; and the Romans lefs. To ufe the expreffion of a learned Orientaliil they were like a fine luftre in a large hall : they might diffufe their rays a great way around : but they could not illuminate all the extremities : they could not throw light into every dark recefs. The judicious Quin¬ tilian thought he palled not too fevere a cenfure when he wrote, Greeds hi/loricis pier unique poetic eejimk lein effe licentiam. And Strabo is yet more fevere. iS Though the Greek hiilorians have pretended to ci give a hiftory of Cyrus, and his particular Wars with thofe who were called Mej] age tee: yet no- “ thing precife and fatisfadlory could ever be ob- tained : not even in refpedt to the war. There is (< the fame uncertainty with regard to the ancient hiilory of the Perfians, as well as that of the Medes * Richardfon’s Differtation on Eaftern Lang. p?.*$ i * A 3 “ and