Country)
have maintain'd, _viz._ That the _Gauls_ commonly used the _Greek
Tongue_, may be refuted by this single Instance which _Caesar_ takes
notice of _lib._ 5. _cap._ 12. That when _Q. Cicero_ was besieged in his
Camp, he dispatched Letters written in the _Greek_ Language, "_Lest (if
they were intercepted) his Designs shou'd be discover'd by the_ Gauls."
But to this some object, what _Strabo_ writes, _lib._ 4. _viz._ "That
all Sorts of good Literature (and especially that of the _Greek
Language_) flourish'd at _Marseilles_ to such a degree, that the
_Gauls_, by the Example of the _Massilians_, were mightily delighted
with the _Greek_ Tongue, insomuch that they began to write their very
Bargains and Contracts in it." Now to this there is a short and ready
Reply: For, in the first place, if the _Gauls_ learnt _Greek_ by the
Example of the _Massilians_, 'tis plain, 'twas none of their
Mother-tongue. Secondly, _Strabo_ in the same place clearly shows us,
that the Fashion of writing their Contracts in _Greek_ began but in his
Time, when all _Gallia_ was in Subjection to the _Romans_. Besides, he
speaks precisely only of those _Gauls_ who were Borderers and next
Neighbours to the _Massilians_, of whom he says, that not only many of
their private Men, but even their Cities (by publick Decrees, and
proposing great Rewards) invited several Learned Men of _Massilia_ to
instruct their Youth.

It remains that we shou'd clear that place in _Caesar_, where he tells us
the _Gauls_, in their publick and private Reckonings, _Graecis literis
usos fuisse_. But let us see whether the word _Graecis_ in that place
ought not to be left out, not only as _unnecessary_ but _surreptitious_.
Since it was sufficient to express _Caesar_'s Meaning to have said, that
the _Gauls_ made no use of _Letters_ or _Writing_ in the Learning of the
_Druids_, but in all other Matters, and in publick and private Accounts,
they did make use of _Writing_: For _uti litteris, to use Letters_, is a
frequent Expression for _Writing_ among Latin Authors. Besides, it had
been a Contradiction to say the _Gauls_ were unskill'd in the _Greek_
Tongue, as _Caesar_ had averr'd a little before; and afterwards to say,
that they wrote all their publick and private Accounts in _Greek_. As to
what many suppose, that the words _literis Graecis_ in that place, are
not to be taken for _Writing Greek_, but only for the _Characters_ of
the _Letters_; I can less approve of this Expl