ncerning a new edition of Gildas Nennius's Eulogium
Brittanniae, with notes, from ancient British MSS. This old British
writer has been shamefully mangled by Dr. Gale, his editor, in the
Scriptores Brittannici; and not much mended by Mr. Bertram in his late
edition of it at Copenhagen.

Whether the ancient British language can be so far recovered as to
understand the most ancient British writings now extant, is, I think, a
consideration by no means beneath the notice of a society of
Antiquarians, and of all learned men in general. There has been, it is
true, an attempt of this nature made by the very learned Mr. Edward
Llwyd, of the Museum, and in part laudably executed in his Archaeologia
Britannica, which reflects honour on those worthy persons who supported
him in his five years travels into Ireland, Scotland, Cornwal, Basse
Bretagne, and Wales. But as his plan was too extensive to bring every
branch of what he undertook to perfection, I think a continuation of the
same, restrained within certain limits, might still be useful.--Natural
history is itself a province sufficient to engross a man's whole
attention; but it was only a part of this great man's undertaking: and
the learned world is abundantly convinced of the uncommon proficiency he
made in natural philosophy; and how industrious he was in tracing the
dialects of the ancient Celtic language. But still it must be
acknowledged that he did very little towards the thorough understanding
the ancient British Bards and historians. And indeed he owns himself
that he was not encouraged in this part of his intended work, as appears
by his proposals. Far be it from me to censure those very learned men
who generously contributed to support the ingenious author in his
travels, and dictated the method he was to persue. But, after all, I
cannot help lamenting that he did not pay more attention to the old MSS.
and compile a glossary to understand them. What he has done of this
nature is very imperfect, few words being added to what there are in Dr.
Davies's Dictionary, and those chiefly from writings of the fourteenth
and fifteenth century. Indeed it appears he had not seen the works but
of one of the Bards of the sixth century, and that in the red book of
Hergest, in the Archives of Jesus's College, Oxon. He complains he could
not procure access to the collections at Hengwrt and Llan Fordaf, and
without perusing those venerable remains, and leisure to collate them