4. The last point of difference between the Celts and the Cloths, is their language. It is not to be denied, however, that in ascertaining this point of difference, considerable obstacles present themselves. It is not easy to procure correct specimens of any ancient lan guage, and even when correct specimens have been obtained, it is not easy to determine whether the lan guage be pure. With the exception of tribe', debarred by physical circumstances, time is, perhaps, no instance upon record, of a people living a very of time in utter seclusion from the rest of the world, re taining their original language, in all its purity, and their tnanners in all their characteristic features. Intercourse must always take place, in a greater or less degree, among contiguous tribes. Their very hostilities lead to intercourse ; and wherever intercourse is supposed, characteristic features, either of language or of man ners, will gradually pass away. Besides, if there be any truth in the opinion of Sir William Jones, that the Celts and Goths, though differing exceedingly from one another at the periods to which the Greek and Roman historians refer, were nevertheless, originally, or with regard to their present stock, the same people, we must expect to find the same elementary words in the speech of both nations. However diversified in its general ap pearance, the substratum of their language will be the same ; traces of the native tongue will be discoverable in both ; just as in the various languages of Europe which have been derived from the Latin, sufficient indi cations of a common origin may still be perceived.
In their state of comparative advancement, however, the language of the Celts appears to differ very obvious ly from that of the Goths. We have specimens of both tongues, as well as of their kindred dialects, given by Dr Percy in his Preface to the work of M. Mallet, a work which, together with the Preface now mentioned, has so often been quoted and referred to by authors on this subject. Indeed the means of deciding the question of the identity or diversity of the languages alluded to, do not appear to be very remote or inaccessible. There is a Gothic Version of the Evangelists, which has fre quently been published (by Junius, 4to, 1665, and by Lye at Oxford, 1750.) And since the year 1750, a fragment of the Epistle to the Romans, likewise in the Gothic tongue, has been discovered at Wolfenbuttel, and published by the Rev. F. A. Knittel, archdeacon of that place. The versions of the New Testament into the Gaelic or Erse language are sufficiently numerous. See Cluverii, Germania Antigua ; Pelloutier, Histoire des Celtes ; Edinburgh Review, vol. ii.; Mallet's Intro duction to the History of Denmark, translated by Bishop Percy, and published under the title of Northern Anti quities ; Pinkerton's Enquiry into the History of Scotland, and Dissertation annexed. (/i)