finer was Inachadan, and he refined the Gold, (or Aphofd) at Foarvior Aphofd, on the East Side of the Laiphi, or River Liffey.

Here we have the word aphoft for Gold; (n) a word unknown to any of the Celtic nations. We know that Ireland never did produce gold, confequently this word is exotic; but, we know, that the Scythians inhabited the River Phasis in Colchis, where Gold did abound; the River was therefore named from this precious metal, and Colchis was the Chavila of Mofes, ubi aurum eft, fays the infpired penman.

Per Chavilam intelligere Colchidem, (fays the learned Reland) propre dictam quæ Phafin fumen a meridie habet, & a feptentrione montes Scythicos, quos varie varii nominant.-Qui enim fine præjudicio vocem in Cholch (unde addita terminatione is) confert cum Chavila, facile videt non adeo magnam effe inter has duas differentiam, quin longe majores admittere debeamus in aliis regionum & urbium nominibus, quæ aut ab incolis, aut ab exteris, a prima pronunciatione detorta funt-Atque ita latiffimum Scythia fpatium Colchis tribuat, fic ut dicamus in ea Aurum præftantiffimum, & Smaragdos & Cryftallos inveniri, quandoquidem generatim de Scythia (cujus partem effe Colchida) affirmant veteres, & aurum & reliqua Mofi, memorata ibi reperiri, & optimæ quidem natæ fuiffe.

(n) The word is Hebrew from 1D phaz. confolidari; whence DID Mouphaz, confolidatum: quod auri optimi Epitheton eft. Hinc Phaz, Aurum & Ouphaz, nomen proprium loci. Jerem. x. v. 9. Alias Ophir dicitur. forfan Ophir & Auphir, ab his pulvifculis aureis Aluminum nomen habet. Nam D Aphir, pulvis eft. (Tomaffin).—

To this learned Author's obfervations, we could add the authority of many Claffic Writers to prove the Phas or Phafts (the n 2 Chron. 30. 15.) was in Scythia, and that this part of Scythia was called Armenia major.-Scythia includitur Phafi fumine. (Juftin. L. 2.)φασις ποταμός ἐςι τῆς Σκυθίας. (Plutarch.)-Apud illos dicuntur torrentes aurum deferre, quod barbari excipiunt tabulis perforatis, & lanofis pellibus, unde ficta eft aurei velleris fa bula. Strabo. Geogr. L. 10. (0)

Phas, or, Aphos was the Scythian name for Gold; this is evident, hence the name of the River of Colchis. When thefe Scythians defcended the Euphrates, and settled in Oman, on the Perfian Gulph, and croffed the Indian Ocean in purfuit of further difcoveries, if they found any River affording Gold or Gold duft, they would certainly give it the fame name. Accordingly we find the Phas in the ifland of Taprobane, (recorded by Ptolemy,) and the Gold brought from thence is named in Scripture DN Auphaz. Dan. C. 1o. 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 fpecies 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 Irish for refined Gold, B and P are commutable Letters, Pearvain may also be the 1 Parvain of the Scriptures, 2 Chron. 3. V. 6. where it is written

(0) Terra Gog vel Magog erit Scythiæ 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

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. Ptolemy.) 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 DN Cim or Sim Silver, ND, or Cearb Arab. Gburb. They brought also 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 y 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 Doinum & Aurum Aurum □ 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 should have been given to several men, because I believe it is derived from py Anak, i. e. Torquatus, a man that wore a Chain of gold as a badge of honour: The Anakims in Phenicia 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. muft have had the knowledge of Letters and of Figures; by their trafficking with the Indians, they probably learned the Indian Numerals, fuppofed 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.

С НА Р.

VI.

The TUATHA DADANN HISTORY.

TH

HE Tuatha Dadann, fays Keating, were the pofterity 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 Inland 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, thefe 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 these Strangers, that they gave them four Cities to inhabit, where they erected Schools. The

names