and Townley. The latter is, I am told, breaking very fast.

When I see you, I shall give you the particulars of my detection of a curious literary forgery of some supposed letters of Brunetto Latini in England, that had been periodically given in the Monthly Magazine.

I wish you might be able to pick up for me any manuscripts of the French poetry or romances.

Adieu! my dear Sir. I shall be glad to hear from you once more before you return; and as soon after as convenient, that I may gratify my impatience to converse with you.

MR. A. AIKIN TO MR. PINKERTON.

Broad Street Buildings, Nov. 13th, 1802.

Nearly the whole of the Geography is ready to be delivered to the printer; but I wish to know whether you would choose to have the printing delayed, in order to wait for the settlement of the indemnities in Germany. From this you will conclude that the printers have hitherto made but very slow advances; and, indeed, though they have had about 300 pages of the manuscript in their possession for several weeks, I have as yet only received one proof-sheet. Their dilatoriness has, however, not induced any relaxation on my part; and I am now within a fortnight at farthest of the conclusion. If, therefore, you determine

not to wait, I shall send, immediately upon receipt of your answer, the whole of the first volume, and about 200 or 300 pages of the second, and shall proceed to the despatch of the rest with all possible expedition.

I hear on all hands high commendations of the quarto;* and the skill shown in disentangling the perplexities of Asiatic geography is much admired. It appears to be the general opinion, however, that the provinces and chief subdivisions of Europe should be detailed more at length. I have also heard it remarked that the continents of America and Africa are treated of too briefly, and especially that the West Indies would admit of a more ample description. I think also that it will be of advantage in another edition to prune almost all the European botany, &c., and be more sparing in the use of Linnean names. There are also some minute errors, or rather inadvertences, which I have made a list of, and will give you when we meet next.

* Nearly at this time, although the book was but just out, Mr. Pinkerton received the most satisfactory assurances of the favor of the public, in a letter from Messrs. Cadell and Co., who say, "We have the pleasure of informing you that the Geography is going on extremely well, and that there have been at least eight hundred sold."

THE ABBE DE LA RUE TO MR. PINKERTON. Caen, Fév. 22, 1803.

J'ai relu avec autant de satisfaction que d'empressement, Monsieur, vos Recherches sur l'Ecosse, et sur-tout votre Dissertation sur les anciens Scythes. Vous avez bien raison de dire que ce dernier ouvrage découvre réellement un nouveau monde aux historiens, en leur faisant connoître la véritable origine des nations de l'Europe moderne. Loin de m'éclairer, Pelloutier† et M'Pherson n'avoient fait qu'embrouiller mes idées sur ces tems anciens; et j'avois relégué parmi les fables tous leurs récits sur les Celtes, parce que je ne voyois

TRANSLATION.

THE ABBE DE LA RUE TO MR. PINKERTON.

Caen, Feb. 22nd, 1803.

I have again read, with equal satisfaction and zeal, your Inquiry into the early History of Scotland, and your Dissertation upon the ancient Scythians. You are assuredly justified in saying that this last work really opens a new world to historians, by bringing them acquainted with the true origin of the nations of modern Europe. Pelloutier and M'Pherson, far from enlightening me, had only confused my ideas with regard to those remote æras. I had made up my mind that all they

* A Memoir by the Abbé De la Rue on the Bayeux Tapestry, will be found in the seventeenth volume of the Archæologia. He also published a History of Caen, in two vols. 8vo. He resided long in England, where he is well known as one of the most laborious and learned antiquaries of the present day, especially in what regards the ancient duchy of Normandy.

+ Pelloutier published Histoire des Celtes, des Gaulois, et des Germains, Paris, 1770, two volumes, quarto. This work was afterwards reprinted with corrections by Chiniac, in 8 volumes,

12mo.

nulle part que cette nation nous eut laissé des monumens capables de la faire distinguer des peuples sauvages. Vous avez seul porté le flambeau dans cette partie de notre histoire; et la république des lettres vous devra beaucoup pour cet important service.

Comme j'ai autant de confiance dans votre obligeance, que dans vos lumières, permettez-moi, Monsieur, de vous consulter sur quelques difficultés qui m'arrêtent dans un travail qui n'est pas étranger au vôtre. Vous savez que la Basse Normandie a fait jadis partie du Littus Saxonicum; et les Saxons n'ont pas descendu sur nos côtes, sans se fixer sur plusieurs points de notre territoire. Grégoire de Tours parle des Saxones Bajocassini vers les années 578 et 590; et postérieurement encore les capitulaires de Charles le Chauve, des années 844 et 854, appellent Otlingua Saxo

said respecting the Celts was fabulous, because I could no where see among the traces of this nation any memorial to distinguish them from other hordes of savages. You first have enlightened this part of our history with the torch of science; and the literary world is infinitely indebted to you for this important service.

Feeling no less confidence in your desire to oblige, than in your talents and acquirements, I trust you will permit me to consult you on the subject of some difficulties that have occurred to me in a work which is not unconnected with yours. You are aware that Lower Normandy formerly made a part of the Littus Saxonicum; and that the Saxons did not land upon our coast without forming establishments on many points of our territory. Gregory of Tours speaks of the Saxones Bajocassini about the years 578 and 590; and, subsequently, the chartularies of Charles the Bald, dated in the years 844 and 854, designate a portion of the diocese of Bayeux by the appellation

nia, une partie du diocèse de Bayeux: enfin des auteurs modernes nomment cette même partie la Petite Sare. Les Saxons y ont donc formé des établissemens.

Parmi eux, je distingue la ville de Caen, dont le nom primitif, Cathem et Cathom, est Saxon. De Cathem, on a fait successivement Cadem, Cahem, Caem, et enfin Caen; comme de Cathom, on a fait Cadom et Cadomus. Toutes ces dénominations sont constantes, par les chartes et par les poésies de nos anciens Trouveurs. Plusieurs des rues de cette ville, et beaucoup de paroisses dans les plaines qui l'environnent, portent des noms tirés de la langue Saxonne: plusieurs même de nos paroisses sont appelés comme celles de l'Angleterre; et nous avons, comme vous, Douvres, Ver, Rye, Ross, Oistreham, Granton, Bures, Bray, &c.

St. Régnobert, évêque de Bayeux, vers l'année 620, convertit à la religion Chrétienne les Saxons

of Otlingua Saxonia. This same place is by modern authors named Little Saxony: consequently, the Saxons must have made settlements amongst us.

Among such settlements I reckon the town of Caen, whose original name, Cathem or Cathom, is Saxon. From Cathem came successively Cadem, Cahem, Caem, and finally Caen as from Cathom have been derived Cadom and Cadomus. All these denominations are proved to have existed by our charters, and by the poetry of our ancient troubadours. Many of the streets of this town, and several of the villages in the surrounding plains, have names taken from the Saxon language. There are even some of the latter which bear the same names as yours in England; as Dover, Ver, Rye, Ross, Oisterham, Granton, Bures, Bray, &c.

About the year 620, St. Regnobert, Bishop of Bayeux, converted the Saxons of his diocese to Christianity, and built.