VOLUME I.

HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY.

_SECOND EDITION._

EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS 1886

_All Rights reserved_

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION.

The first volume of _Celtic Scotland_ being out of print, the Author has very carefully revised the text, with a view to a new edition; but he has, after mature consideration, found nothing to alter in the views of early Scottish history expressed in it. He has therefore confined himself to correcting obvious mistakes and misprints, and, with these exceptions, this edition is substantially a reprint.

EDINBURGH, 27 INVERLEITH ROW, _4th September 1886_.

PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

Each volume of this work may be regarded as complete in itself so far as the object of the volume is concerned, and will be issued separately.

The principal aim of the Author in this first volume of _Celtic Scotland_ has been to endeavour to ascertain the true facts of the early civil history. For this purpose the narratives of her early historians afford no available basis. The artificially-constructed system of history first brought into shape by John of Fordun, and elaborated in the more classical text of Hector Boece, must, for the Celtic period of our history, be entirely rejected. To attempt to found a consecutive historical narrative on the scattered notices in the Roman writers and in the Chronicles, which consist merely of lists of kings with the length of their respective reigns, and notices of a few isolated battles, would be merely to produce an unsatisfactory and unreadable book. On the other hand, a succession of general views of the early periods of its history, founded upon a superficial and uncritical use of authorities, or the too readily accepted conclusions of more painstaking writers, however lively and graphic they may be, might furnish very pleasant reading, but would be worthless as a work of authority.

The first thing to be done is to lay a sound foundation by ascertaining, as far as possible, the true facts of the early history, so far as they can be fairly extracted from the more trustworthy authorities. There is, unfortunately, no more difficult task than to substitute the correct ‘sumpsimus’ for the long-cherished and accepted ‘mumpsimus’ of popular historians. All that the Author has attempted in this volume is to show what the most reliable authorities do really tell us of the early annals of the country, divested of the spurious matter of supposititious authors, the fictitious narratives of our early historians, and the rash assumptions of later writers which have been imported into it.

The Author is glad to take this opportunity of acknowledging the valuable assistance which his excellent publisher, Mr. David Douglas, has freely and ungrudgingly given him in carefully revising the proof-sheets. They could have been submitted to no more intelligent supervision.

EDINBURGH, 20 INVERLEITH ROW, _1st May 1876_.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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INTRODUCTION.

PAGE Name of Scotia, or Scotland 1 Ancient extent of the kingdom 2 Physical features of the country 7 Mountain chains 9 The Cheviots 9 The Mounth 10 Drumalban 10 The Grampians 11 The Debateable lands 14 Periods of its history 16 Celtic Scotland 17 Critical examination of authorities necessary 17 Spurious authorities 21 Plan of the work 26