The work was swiftly carried out.

Before thirty years were over the bulk of the island had passed beneath the Roman sway and the Roman frontier had been carried to the Firths of Forth and of Clyde.

The work of civilization followed fast on the work of the sword.

To the last indeed the distance of the island from the seat of empire left her less Romanized than any other province of the west.

The bulk of the population scattered over the country seem in spite of imperial edicts to have clung to their old law as to their old language, and to have retained some traditional allegiance to their native chiefs.