under their rule, and a part only remaining independent probably gave rise to the new name of 'Vecturiones.' The 'Attacotti,' we are told, were a warlike nation of the Britons, and the epithet applied to the 'Scoti' of ranging here and there shows that their attacks must have been made on different parts of the coast."--(Skene, _Celtic Scotland_, vol. i. pp. 98-100.) Theodosius, with a powerful army, soon drove back the invaders, and restored the province to its former integrity; but his success was without any permanent result. During the next forty years, till the final withdrawal of the Roman troops in A.D. 410, the provincial Britons, especially those inhabiting the district between the two walls, became a prey to the surrounding hostile nations as often as the increasing demands on the military resources of the Empire at home caused a temporary retirement of its troops. Thus, during the short period here referred to, the portion of the Province was overrun and desolated no less than three different times, and as often restored by the Roman legions. At length, however, a time came when these were destined never to return, and the semi-Romanised Britons were allowed to struggle with the northern barbarians as best they could. What took place in North Britain after this great event, or how the contending nationalities settled the country among them, can only be gleaned by the uncertain voice of tradition; nor was the veil of darkness which thus fell on the country removed till a new source of historical records sprung up by means of the civilising influence of the early Christian Church and her learned emissaries. "When the page of history once more opens to its annals, we find that the barbaric nations whom we left harassing the Roman province till the Romans abandoned the island, had now effected fixed settlements within the island, and formed permanent kingdoms within its limits. South of the Firths of Forth and Clyde we find her containing a Saxon organisation, and tribes of Teutonic descent, hitherto known by the general name of Saxons, in full possession of her most valuable and fertile districts, and the Romans of the old British provincials confined to the mountains of Wales and Cumbria, the western districts extending from the Solway to the Clyde, and the peninsula of Cornwall. North of the Firths we find the barbarian tribes of the Picts and Scots, which had so often harassed the Roman province from the north and west, formed into settled kingdoms with definite limits; while Hibernia or Ireland now appears under the additional designation of Scotia."--(Skene, _Celtic Scotland_, vol. i. p. 115.)