The aborigines of Britain of Celtic origin-passed over from Gaul-memory of a common origin long preserved. The Romans invade Britain-penes trate into Caledonia-defeat the natives-discover Britain to be an island. Policy of Agricola-his recall and death.
Ir is probable that the aborigines of Britain were a colony of the
Celta, who are generally admitted to have been the first inhabitants of Europe. The original impulse which had been given to mankind, after the Deluge, colonized the British isles during the succeeding ages, while only one race of men existed in Europe, and before a second impulse had induced another migration of the Asiatic tribes.
As, during those early ages, the current of civilization flowed from east to west, and as the islands were necessarily peopled from the neighbouring Continents, the aborigines of Britain must have passed over from Gaul. From the coast of Kent to the extremity of Caithness and Ulster, the memory of a Celtic origin was distinctly preserved for many ages, in the perpetual resemblance of language, religion, and manners; and the peculiar character of the British tribes may be naturally ascribed to the influence of accidental and local circumstances.
South Britain was invaded by the Romans, fifty-five years before the Christian æra. Cæsar and Tacitus corroborate the identity of the religion, the manners, and the language of Gaul and Britain at that period.