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XXX. A Letter from Governor Pownall to the Reverend Michael Lort, D.D. V.P.A.S. inclosing Mr. Ledwich's Letter on the Ship-Temples in Ireland
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 July 2012
Extract
In the course of my researches after the nature, character, and manners of those ancient northern Pirates the Vics or gWicks, called by the British fVicts, by the Saxon Pheachs and gWights, by the Romans Victi and Victones, and by those of the latter Empire Picti; I was inquisitive to trace their metaphysical notions about the state and the supposed beings, of an existence in a metaphysical world, derobed of gross matter.
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- Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1785
References
page 269 note [a] These are contained in the Second Part of my Treatise of the Study of Antiquities, not yet published.
page 269 note [b] The word Pirate is not here to be understood as a term for an outlawed robber, neither acknowledging nor using, in any degree, the law of nations. Such as it was, these rovers had their form of government; such as they were, these pirates had and observed the laws of nations.
page 270 note [c] See Pl. xix.
page 271 note [c] The humour of converting heroes into Giants, is natural to the half civilized ideas of antient nations: nor is it totally undescriptive of the persons. But the fact here is the word Gigas, analised by strict and fair analogy is Vic, GWic or Wigh as pronounced by modern language. The element at the begining of this word is an aspirated labial pronounced as a W or Suio gothick 'Y aspirated by the Scotch G, which different nations pronounced differently, and the British in particular, as a V aspirated with an F. whence these Vics were with them F Victs, and Fictiad.
page 271 note [d] The plan of this monument exhibits, on the contrary, what I take to be the precise section of one of these ancient Schipps: boats exactly of this form are used in the west to this day, and there is one of this very shape, loaded with gardiners and garden hampers, paddling under my window at this very moment.
page 272 note [e] I am sorry to differ here from my ingenious correspondent. I should not, if the things themselves did not differ toto cœlo. Neither do I conceive this to be a Ship-Temple, but a Vics Naval Monument.
page 272 note [f] The reason of the double-prowed vessels of these Sueïones was derived from the circumstances in which they were used. They were used to run in amidst Vlies and Vilets, wherein they had not room to turn. Their form was peculiar to their peculiar navigation; and therefore they were no models for vessels used in other situations—They were a species of Vlyboats, and not fit for long ships and dea-vessels.
page 273 note [g] Τὸ . Procop. Goth. Hist. l. iv. c. 22.
page 274 note [h] I have always thought that many facts, even in fabulous history and in poetry itself, that seem to be the most groundless, are founded in truth, and may be explained by reference to antient customs. They become incredible and ridiculous by the narratives of future ignorance; yet may be reduced to common sense and plain fact by such reference. Some Pheachs, or Pelasgians, or other sea-rovers, might have, according to usual ancient custom, erected this monument at Corcyra, in the form of a ship. When, then, after the occasion and the very idea of the ancient custom is lost, future ignorance comes and tells the tale of a ship metaorphosed into stone, and putting together the word Pheach with the tradition of Ulysses, make it the very ship that the Phœnicians sent Ulysses home in, a poet, who like Homer, was an antiquary, would profit of this tale. And yet Homer, although in his spirit of poetry he tells the story of the Metamorphosis, describes it in such words, as that those who understand the meaning of a parable, or apologue, must see that he understood this to be only a Naval Monument in the shape of a Ship, , erected like our Irish Naval Monument near the Shore, as a monument for the admiration of future ages:
Observe how near this appellation comes to the appellation Pheachs, by which the Saxons called these Vics. The language of the original Autochthones of Greece and Thrace was the same as that of the northern nations of Europe.
page 275 note [i] I am very sensible to the politeness of my ingenious correspondent's suggestion; but I find my ideas of the mode of the study of Antiquities, and of the use to be made of it, to differ so much from those of gentlemen who aim at, and possess, celebrity in this branch of literature, that I shall never engage myself further than to amuse myself and few friends.
— Otiosum disponere tempus,
Et. verœ pariter vacare vitœ.