island altered; even the surrounding ocean bore witness to the change which had occurred: for, instead of the light British coracles, borne like cockles on the restless waves, and the many oared Roman galleys, creeping like huge caterpillars through the billowy plain, vessels, such as the world had never yet seen, light and beautiful as spirits of the deep, crowded every port, bearing his own cross-embroidered banner, like some Heaven-signed passport, through the world of waters, to which all who haunted the seas did homage. While the sleaping seer gazed with rapture on the scene, these winged messengers seemed changed into doves, laden with branches from the sacred tree which he had planted: and verily, the leaves of that tree appeared for the healing of nations; since how barbarous soever was the shore to which they were wafted, they no sooner sprang up, than they produced the same happy effects which had made our own island 'a praise and a rejoicing on the whole earth!'

Such was the dream of the venerable counseller, foreshadowing, as it appears to me, the progress of that kingdom which shall have no end; and against which the Roman eagle made war in vain, only adding to its extension

and purity, by its tenfold persecutions! The fate of the seven churches in Asia Minor, there prefigured, has been awfully realized; and it only remains to hope that the vision of Britain's glory may also be fulfilled!

ESSAY ON DRUIDISM.

Primordia gentis,

Terrarumque situs, vulgique edissere mores,
Et ritus, formasque Deûm ; quodcunque vetustis
Insculptum est adytis profer, noscique volentes

Prode Deos.

LUCANI PHARS. LIB. X, 177.

VOL. 111.

M

ESSAY ON DRUIDISM.

ALMOST all the information which we possess relative to the Druidical institution is derived from Cæsar. His description has been adopted by subsequent classical writers as the basis of their histories; and they have rather amplified it by their commentaries, than augmented it by the addition of any new materials. Cæsar is supposed to have acquired his knowledge from Divitiacus, a Druid, and prince of the Ædui, with whom he was on terms. of intimacy; and who we may reasonably infer was a proficient in the mysteries of his own sect, as he is celebrated by Cicero,† to whom he was personally known, and at whose brother's house he was a guest, for his know

* See Davies's Mythology of the Druids. Cic. de Divinatione, lib. 1, c. 41.