and from the current Traditions of the Country. We have no regular
History of the period in which this Prince emigrated, but this
History of Caradoc, and of Llwyd's, and Dr. Powel's additions. I
think that Dr. Robertson cannot produce better Authority for any
Facts, equal in Antiquity; I am sure none, for Ossian and Fingal.

The Manner in which Dr. Robertson mentions the Verses published,
by Hakluyt and others, is rather observable. "Later Antiquarians,
indeed, appealed to the Testimony of Meredith ab Rhees, a Welsh
Bard, who died in 1477; but he cannot be considered of much more
credit than Powel." This passage implies a severe Reflection on Dr.
Powel. His Evidence is of no weight; it is not worthy of belief;
and, indeed, Sir Meredith ab Rhys, is no better. However I must
beg leave to differ very much, _indeed_, from the Doctor on this
Head, though I much admire him as a Writer and Historian; because
I think their Evidence is not only equal, but much superior to
his, concerning an Event which took place between two and three
hundred Years nearer to their Times than to his.

I should be very sorry to suspect that Dr. Robertson took notice
of Sir Meredyth ab Rhys, only because he could not well avoid it.
However, as if he wanted to destroy his Authority, he speaks of
him with great Indifference, with a formal, _indeed_.

He adds, "But if we admit Powel's Story; (Humphry Llwyd's) it does
not follow that the unknown Country which Madog discovered was any
part of America: it is much more probable that it was Madeira,
or some of the Western Isles." With submission, this is altogether
improbable. It is very little farther from North Wales to some
parts of America, than to the Madeiras; and, upon the whole, it is