To this learned Author's obfervations, we could add the authority of many Claffic Writers to prove the Phas or Phafts (the D 2 Chron. 30. 15.) was in Scythia, and that this part of Scythia was called Armenia major.-Scythia includitur Phafi fumine. (Juftin. L. 2.) φάσις ποταμός ἐςι τῆς Σκυθίας. (Plutarch.)-Apud illos dicuntur torrentes aurum deferre, quod barbari excipiunt tabulis perforatis, & lanofis pellibus, unde ficta eft aurei velleris fabula. Strabo. Geogr. L. 10. (0) any Phas, or, Apbos was the Scythian name for Gold; this is evident, hence the name of the River of Colchis. When these Scythians defcended the Euphrates, and settled in Oman, on the Perfian Gulph, and croffed the Indian Ocean in purfuit of further discoveries, if they found River affording Gold or Gold duft, they would certainly give it the fame name. Accordingly we find the Phas in the island of Taprobane, (recorded by Ptolemy,) and the Gold brought from thence is named in Scripture in Auphaz. Dan. C. 10. V. 5. Cantic. 5. V. 11.-the word is tranflated Obrizum by Montanus and others. Taob or Taop in Irish and Taph in Arabic, fignifies the banks of a River, (p) the Sea Shore. Orban is a species of Gold in Irish; Taoporbán will express the banks or Shore producing Gold, and probably is the meaning of Taprobane: Bearvain, we have feen, is Irifh for refined Gold, B and P are commutable Letters, Pearvain may also be the "Parvain of the Scriptures, 2 Chron. 3. V. 6. where it is written (0) Terra Gog vel Magog erit Scythia pars circa Caucafum quam Colchi & Armeni. Bochart. Here then is enveloped the Story of the Golden Fleece. (p) Ar gac aon taobh na Banna. Upon the Banks of Banna. Parvaim (q) i, e. Syra & Phænicia flexione Parvaiin; (Bochart.) which fome have idly imagined was Peru in the new world. Some of these Colchi fettled in India, between Calcutta and the Promontory of Cory; the Country is now called Cochin. Colchi Canancina (Caftal). Al Cochin urb. & Empor: Indiæ citer, in Ora urbs Regia fub Lufitanis inter Calecutum ad Bor. 19. & Cory promont. ad Auftr. 36. L. (Arrian. Prolemy.) See Ferrarius.-They were great Voyagers, fay the Irish Records. Mor an muirriuch im trath tonn i. e. they trafficked much by Sea. (Liber Lecanus, p. 18.) From Taprobane, they brought Aphofd Gold IN Cim or Sim Silver, ND, or Cearb Arab. Gburb. They brought alfo Deudan Boirre, or Deudan File, Elephants Teeth or Ivory, in Arabic Dundana Fil. The proper name of an Elephant in Irish is Fil, i. e. the Sagacious. Boir or Boirr is a word they must have learned from the Indians. Elephants are not Animals of the cold Climates, therefore they could not have a Scythian name for them. Barro, Elephas Indis ita dicitur, tefte Ifodoro. (Reland de veteri lingua Indica. p. 211.) Bochart derives this name from ya Baar, a fool, homine ftulto & bruto, quod etymon minime convenit Elephantibus, quorum ingenium celebratur, fays Reland. Ut enim alia praeteream tutiffime etymon nominis inde ducitur unde res ipfae ortae funt. Apud Indos Voce Barro vocatur, unde & vox ejus barritus dicitur, barritus pro fono ejus & ni fallor, Ebur. (Reland de Ophir. p. 182.) We are told by the Greek hiftorian, that Gold was first wrought by Indus a King of Scythia: In(q) Et texit Domum & Aurum Aurum D Parvaim. dus dus may be a corruption of our Artift's name Inachadan: the word implies a maker of Inach's, by which I understand py Anak or Enak, any thing made of Gold. Bishop Cumberland in his Sanchoniatho p. 267. proves Pofidon or Neptune to have been the grandchild of Nereus or Japhet, and from Apollodorus, he proves Pofidon or Oceanus to have been the Father of Inachus. And it is no wonder, fays he, that the title of Inachus fhould have been given to several men, because I believe it is derived from pɔy Anak, i. e. Torquatus, a man that wore a Chain of gold as a badge of honour: The Anakims in Phanicia long after were called fo on the fame Account. The learned Bishop has mistaken the wearer of the Golden Chain, for the fabricator of it; Anach in Irish fignifies a Merchant or one that trades in Gold &c. or manufactures it. Our Scythians being Merchants, and dealers in Gold duft, &c. must have had the knowledge of Letters and of Figures; by their trafficking with the Indians, they probably learned the Indian Numerals, supposed to have been brought by the Arabs into India, and fo to Spain. A plate of the Irish Numerical Figures, compared with the Indian, was given in the Collectanea, No. XII. If all these proofs are not fufficient to convince the readers of the truth of this very extraordinary history of the ancient Irish, and of the great importance of their ancient Records, in the general history of the Western World, I confefs, I know not what can be fatisfactory to fuch Readers. CHAP. СНАР, VI. The TUATHA DADANN HISTORY, TH HE Tuatha Dadann, fays Keating, were the posterity of those who followed the third Son of Numad out of Ireland, (Eirin) when the Fomoraigh (Giants) had ufurped the Kingdom, and enflaved the inhabitants. This people rather than bear the heavy oppreffions of those Pyrates. left the Ifland under the command of Jarbaniel Faidh, a Son of Numad and fled, fome to Bæotia, and others to Athens, and fettled near Thebes: but the trueft account is, that they landed in Achaia. Here the Tuatha Dadann learned the Art of Necromancy and Enchantment, and became fo expert in Magical knowledge, that when the City of Athens was invaded by the Affyrians, these Sorcerers, by their diabolical Charms, revived the dead bodies of the Athenians, and brought them next day into the field, which forely vexed the Affyrians. The force of their Enchantment being deftroyed by the Skill of an Affyrian Druid, they fled, wandering from place to place till they came to Norway and Denmark, where they were much admired for their skill in Magick. Their principal commander was Nuadhah Argiodlamh. The Danes being a very barbarous and illiterate Nation, entertained fuch a regard for thefe Strangers, that they gave them four Cities to inhabit, where they erected Schools. The names names of these Cities were Falias, Gorias, Finnias, and Murias. Morfhios taught in Falias, Arias in Finnias, Erus in Gorias, and Semias in Murias. They removed from Norway and Denmark, and fettled in the North of Scotland, near Dobar and Jar-dobhar. From the four Cities of Norway, they brought four great Curiofities. The firft was the Leug Fail, or Lia Fail: this Stone was poffeffed of a wonderful Virtue, for it would make a strange noife, whenever a Monarch of Ireland was crowned upon it. It was called the Fatal Stone, and gave the name of Inis Fail to Ireland, that is, the Ifland of Destiny. In whatever Country this Stone fhould be preferved, a Prince of the Scythian Race fhould undoubtedly govern according to this Verfe. Cineadh Scuit Saor an fine, munab breag an thaifdine Mar abhfuigid an Leug fail, dlighid flaithios do ghabhail, or, as Hector Boetius has tranflated Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quocunque locatum Fergus the great having fubdued Scotland, fent for this Stone, and received the Crown of Scotland upon it it was preserved with great veneration in the Abby of Scone, till Edward the firft of England, carried it away by violence, and placed it. under the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abby. The |