he earliest notice of Britain is in Herodotus (B.C. 480-408); but he
mentions the Tin Islands (Scilly Islands and Cornwall), only to
confess his ignorance about them. More important is a passage in
Aristotle (B.C. 384-322), who (writing a century later) is the
earliest author who mentions the British Isles by name, as he does in
the following passage: "Beyond the Pillars of Hercules (the Strait of
Gibraltar) the ocean flows round the earth, and in it are two very
large islands (Nesoi Britannikoi), called in British Albion and
Ierne, lying beyond the Keltoi." The application of the name
Britannia to denote the larger island, is due to Julius Caesar (B.C.
100-44), who is the first _Roman_ writer to mention Britain. The name
itself may be derived from Welsh, _brith_, mottled, tattooed, or from
_brithyn_, cloth, cloth-clad, as opposed to the skin-clad Celts.

The history of Britain would be a very long one if we only knew it.
It is clear that a considerable interchange of commerce was carried
on between the south-eastern parts of the island and Gaul, and that
even the remoter regions of the Mediterranean were largely dependent
upon Britain for their supplies of tin from the Cornish mines, of
lead from Somerset, and of iron from Northumberland and the Forest of
Dean.

Politically, Britain consisted of a number of independent bodies,
united in a federation of the loosest kind, in which the lead was
taken by that tribe which happened at the time to be the most
powerful or to have the bravest or most astute leader.

About B.C. 56 Caius Volusenus was sent to this country by Julius
Caesar to examine the coast preparatory to an invasion. The step was
threatened, because it was alleged that the Britons had aided and
abetted some of the Gaulish tribes in their resistance to the Roman
domination. On August 26th, B.C. 55, Caesar himself set sail from
Portus Itius, near Boulogne, with two legions, and effected a
landing, presumably near Deal. A good deal of discussion has taken
place relative to this point, and much has been said as to the action
of the winds and tides in determining his landing place. Probably he
would have made a feint at Dover and one or two other places, under
cover of which the main body would land at a spot weakly defended. At
all events, the resistance offered by the British was soon overcome,
easy terms being imposed on their submission. Soon after, Caesar
left, but early in the following summer he again inv