Page:History of Manchester (1771), Volume 1, by John Whitaker.djvu/241

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  • io THE H i's T OR Y Book I.

notion. Speaking of cups Audited with gems, the- tranflatioiv fays thus, " The blue Water frrembtes on their ftars and feems " to be fparkling Wine™ This fufficieiitly proves the Caledo- nians to have been acquainted with wine, but to have generally drunk a different liquor. What idea however the ingenious tranflator annexed to the words Blue IVater, it is not eafy to conceive. Curmi, the British word for Ak, may fignify alfo Blue Water, Curm meaning Blue and Ui Water. And Curme is now the Highland word for a* Great Feaft (Grit. DiiT. p.329^ This therefore was undoubtedly the word in the original; and the tranflator, not adverting perhaps to the particular meaning of his author, or not acquainted with, the explaining paflages of the antknts, has put down the one fignification for the other* And this. among other reafons. induces one ftrongjy to. wi(h,, that the truly fpirited tranflator would either publifh the originals or depofit them in fome public library. See Preface to vol. I.-— The true word however for Ale (as appears from the names Cael-ia, C5er-ia, Cfer*vifia, and Cur-mi or €ur^-wi)> is compounded of Ui or Uis. Water, and of Cael, Cfer, and Car, all one and the fame word, and' importing Strong; Gar, Ger,- or A-kar flgnifying literally Sharp or Rough: See Baxter in Garionenum, and Ca- talogue under Eager in B. II. ch. vi. f. z. — ,7 Diodorus p. 4, 41 >.. Z42, and 248, and Offian vol. I. p. 74 and 1 1.6,—" B. II. ch. iii., f> 2.. . in:. UPON thefettldmcnt of the neighbouring Sifhmtii in the im- mediate vicinity of the Roman ftation,fuch parts of the wood of Ar- denas dofely.fkirted the fite of the town muft have: been inftant* ly cleajredaway-, This was an employ with which the Mancunian amba&on were fufficiently acquainted^ and for which they were lufficieittly provided with iaftruments. The Britons, as I fliall: fliew; hereafter, had large forges and many artifts employed in them Furnifhed therefore with the req^ifite weapons from the