Note 1 — Chapter I · GROWTH OF THE KINGLY POWER.
Reading edition
There is not much positive evidence on this subject: but perhaps the following considerations may appear of weight. The distinctive names of Water in the two principal Keltic languages of these islands, appear to be Aber and Inver: the former occurs frequently in Wales, the latter never: on the other hand, Aber rarely, if ever, occurs in Ireland, while Inver does. If we now take a good map of England and Wales and Scotland, we shall find the following data.
In Wales:
Aber-avon, lat. 51° 36´ N., long. 3° 47´ W.
Abergavenny, lat. 51° 49´ N., long. 3° 2´ W.3° 2´ W.
Abergwilli, lat. 51° 52´ N., long. 4° 17´ W.
Aberystwith, lat. 52° 25´ N., long. 4° 4´ W.
Aberfraw, lat. 53° 12´ N., long. 4° 28´ W.
Abergele, lat. 53° 20´ N., long. 3° 38´ W.
In Scotland:
Aberlady, lat. 56° 0´ N., long. 2° 52´ W.
Aberdour, lat. 56° 3´ N., long. 3° 17´ W.
Aberfoil, lat. 56° 20´ N., long. 4° 21´ W.
Abernethy, lat. 56° 19´ N., long. 3° 18´ W.
Aberbrothie (Arbroath), lat. 56° 33´ N., long. 2° 35´ W.
Aberfeldy, lat. 56° 37´ N., long. 3° 51´ W.
Abergeldie, lat. 57° 3´ N., long. 3° 6´ W.
Aberchalder, lat. 57° 6´ N., long. 4° 46´ W.
Aberdeen, lat. 57° 8´ N., long. 2° 5´ W.
Aberchirdir, lat. 57° 34´ N., long. 2° 37´ W.
Aberdour, lat. 57° 40´ N., long. 2° 11´ W.
In Scotland:
Inverkeithing, lat. 56° 2´ N., long. 3° 23´ W.
Inverary, lat. 56° 15´ N., long. 5° 4´ W.
Inverarity, lat. 56° 36´ N., long. 2° 54´ W.
Inverbervie, lat. 56° 52´ N., long. 2° 21´ W.
Invergeldie, lat. 57° 1´ N., long. 3° 12´ W.
Invernahavon, lat, 57° 1´ N., long. 4° 9´ W.
Invergelder, lat. 57° 2´ N., long. 3° 15´ W.
Invermoriston, lat. 57° 12´ N., long. 4° 40´ W.
Inverness, lat. 57° 28´ N., long. 4° 13´ W.
Invernetty, lat. 57° 29´ N., long. 1° 48´ W.
Invercaslie, lat. 57° 58´ N., long. 4° 36´ W.
Inver, lat. 58° 9´ N., long. 5° 10´ W.
The line of separation then between the Welsh or Pictish, and the Scotch or Irish Kelts, if measured by the occurrence of these names, would run obliquely from S.W. to N.E., straight up Loch Fyne, following nearly the boundary between Perthshire and Argyle, trending to the N.E. along the present boundary between Perth and Inverness,Inverness, Aberdeen and Inverness, Banff and Elgin, till about the mouth of the river Spey. The boundary between the Picts and English may have been much less settled, but it probably ran from Dumbarton, along the upper edge of Renfrewshire, Lanark and Linlithgow till about Abercorn, that is along the line of the Clyde to the Frith of Forth.