THE

BRITISH CRITIC,

For JANUARY, 1808.

"Numquid æger laudat medicum fecantem? Tacete, favete, et præbete vos curationi.”

SENECA.

Does the fick man feel pleasure in the medical hand that performs an operation ?-Be filent, be patient, and fubmit to the

means of cure.

ART. I. Caledonia: or, an Account, Hiftorical and Topographic, of North Britain; from the most ancient to the preJent Times: with a Dictionary of Places, Chorographical and Philological. By George Chalmers, F. R.S. and S. A. Vol. I. 4to. 31. 3s. Cadell and Davies. 1907.

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IN a work fo extenfive as the prefent, and where the repu tation of the author is fufficiently established to be looked up to with respect and curiofity, it should seem that we cannot more effectually demonftrate our duty to him and to our readers than by giving a fair analyfis of the publication, fpecimens of its execution, and a general opinion of its

merits.

Mr. Chalmers has had a difficult and laborious office to perform; he has had to diftinguifh fable from falfehood, to investigate and ascertain facts in a multitude of difcordant and contending writers, which in the examples of For dun, Wyntoun, Boece, and Buchanan, tended to bewilder the moft fagacious, and intimidate the most perfevering. This author, however, is not of a character or difpofition to be easily diverted from his purpose. He collected his do

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BRIT, CRIT, VOL, XXXI, JAN, 1808.

cuments,

cuments, formed his plan, and has thus far advanced to wards its accomplishment.

The firft volume commences with a preface, in which the candid reader is informed of what he has to expect, the difcoveries which have been made, the doubts which have been cleared, the difficulties which have been removed. It is expreffed in a clear and manly ftyle, with no arrogance, but with a proper confidence in the author's juft claims to refpect and attention. We then come to the Table of

CONTENTS.

"Book I. The Roman period-80 A. D. 446.-Chap. I. Of the Aborigines of North Britain. Chap. II. Of the North British Tribes; their topographical Pofitions; and fingular Antiquities. Chap. III. Of Agricola's Campaigns. Chap. IV. Of the Tranfactions of Lollius Urbicus. Chap. V. Of the Campaign of Severus. Chap. VI. Of the Treaty, which Caracalla made with the Caledonians; of the Picts; of the Scots; of the Abdication of the Roman Government.

"Book II. The Pictish Period-446 A. D. 843.-Chap. I. Of the Picts; their Lineage; their Civil Hiftory; their Lan. guage, with a Review of the Pictifh Queftion. Chap. II. Of the Romanized Britons of the Cumbrian Kingdom, in North Britain. Chap. III. Of the Saxons, in Lothian. Chap. IV. Of the Orkney, and Shetland Ifles. Chap. V. Of the Western Ifles, or Hebrides. Chap. V. Of the Scots. Chap. VII. Of the Introduction of Christianity.

"Book III. The Scotish Period-843 A.D. 1097.-Chap. I. Of the Union of the Picts and Scots. Chap. II. Of the Extent and Names of the United Kingdoms. Chap. III. Of the Orkney, and Shetland Ifles. Chap. IV. Of the Hebrides, or Weftern Hies. Chap. V. Of Cumbria, Strathclyde, and of Galloway. Chap. VI. of Lothian, during this Period. Chap. VII. Of the Civil Hiftory of the Scots and Picts from 843 to 1097 A. D. Chap. VIII. Of the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, during this Period. Chap. IX. Of the Laws during this Period. Chap. X. Of the Manners, Cuftoms, and Antiquities, during this Period. Chap. XI. Of the Learning, and Languages, during this Period.

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"Book IV. The Scoto-Saxon Period, from 1097 to 1306 A. D.-Chap. I. Of the Saxon Colonization of North Britain, during this Period. Chap. II. Of the Civil History, during this Period. Chap. III. Of the Ecclefiaftical Hiftory, during this Period. Chap. IV. Of the Law, during this Period. Chap. V. Of Manners, during this Period. Chap. VI. Of Commerce, Shipping, Coin, Agriculture, during this Period. Chap. VII. A Supplemental View of fubfequent Times."

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