This voluminous Work, upon the whole, seems well executed, but
like all others of great Length, is very unequal; because written
by persons of different Abilities and Opinions. Gentlemen of great
eminence in the literary World, and of unimpeached Integrity were
engaged; and others, though of acknowledged Abilities, yet, to say
the least, of very suspicious Characters, were employed. Among
the latter, Psalmanazar, who, if he was a Spanish Jesuit, as has
been said, and wrote this article, might be induced by the Amor
Patriæ, to ascribe to his Countrymen the honour of having, first
discoved America. The Author of the above paragraph, whoever he
was, affected to look upon the Tradition concerning Madog, and
the Tale of the two green Children, as equally ill founded, and
unworthy of credit. Whereas in Truth, the one is plainly an idle
monkish Tale, the other a simple Narrative of an Event. One is a
Fact supported by numerous authorities, the other evidently is one
of those prodigies, pretended miracles, and priestly Inventions,
which are to be found in most Authors who wrote during the dark
ages of Popery.

We have above seen, that one has been favourably thought of by
several Writers, at home and abroad, and is confirmed by circumstances
and memorials in America: the other I have not seen mentioned by
any Writer, but by William of Newbury, and by a few who have cited
him.[yy]

[Footnote yy: That the ancient Britons were descended from the
Trojans was asserted by several Writers before Jefferey of Monmouth,
who wrote about the Year 1152. It is alluded to by Taliessyn, who
flourished about the middle of the 6th Century. A Welsh Author,