The Ancient And Mysterious Order Of The Druids.

. 'times they planted groves as temples for worship , . and in hot countries this Avas done as Avell for convenience in summer season , as well as for magnificence . Abraham , we read , " dwelt long at Beersheba , where he planted a grove , and called

upon the name of the Lord . " And in these groves were also erected temples of stone . The patriarchal mode of Avorship passed over all the western world , and is supposed to have been introduced into this country by the neighbouring Celtas

¦ or Gauls , or by the Phoenicians , Avho traded hither Iii tin . However this may be , when the Romans Invaded Britain , they found the Druids presiding -over and conducting the worship of the country ; acting as judges and arbiters in all differences and

disputes , both public and private . It is from Cassar and other Roman Avriters , that most of the Information Ave have respecting them is derived ,

for they had no Avritfcen rules or regulations , either ar to their religion , their science , or their laws . The accounts , therefore , furnished by these historians of the religion and customs of the Druids , written principally from mere report and under an

hostile impression towards them , are not altogether 'to be relied upon ; indeed the barbarities ascribed to them in the ceremonial of their religion , are so much at variance Avith their high and acknowledged character in learning and general science , that one

cannot but imagine them to be highly exaggerated , if not altogether fabulous . The constitutions of the order of Druids was , in some respects , like that of the Monastic orders , on-s general of the order , as he might be called in

each country , Avas at the head of them , and from Mm all authority in the order rested . Although £ he Gallic Druids Avere in the habit of sendina '

their youth to Britain for education , and of requiring from its seminaries information upon difficult points , there is no evidence to justify that , the Arch Druid of Britain possessed any authority sout of his oivn country like that of the Pope . It

¦ Is said by some authors , that the order of Britain ws . s governed hy tAventy-five Plameus , over Avhom 'were placed three Arch Plamens , but this is disputed by Dr . Borlais . However , as the Doctor justly observes , there is authority to remove all

. doubt of the existence of au annual assembly for the administration of justice in Gaul , and it is not very probably that Britain , to Avhich the Gauls looked up as a pattern , should have been without ; a similar institution . Cassar states this assembl y rSo have been held in the middle of Gaul in the

country of the Carnates , betAveen the Rivers Loir © ancl Seine , Avhere they approach nearest to each other . Here there Avas a place consecrated to that purpose , to Avhich all persons having controversies which could not be otherwise decided , came to have them determined .

The meanings given to the word Druid are very numerous , but not more numerous than nonsensical . The Greeks , as every one IOIOAVS , derived it from Apvs , an oak , from the Avord Druid having a similarity to the Greek word Aei « , and from their

having their worship in groves , of oaks , trees Avhich they Avere said to consider Avith profound reverence , and to Avhich they are supposed to pay a IOAV species of adoration . But how absurd to derive a Avord of an ancient lanp * uaa * e from a modern one ! Besides this the Avord has been

supposed to mean a revenger , cruel , valiant or hardy , dear or precious it has also been thought to be derived from the Celtic trews , that is , faith , or from drut , a friend ; others from the Hebrew , derussim , drussim , or drissim , that is , people of

contemplation ; ancl the learned Keysler says that draoi , in the plural number draioith , signifies a magician or enchanter . Magic was in fact very little more than the knoAvledge of astronomy . Druwydd , Drudau , Drudion , Drudon , and

Der-Avyddon , Avere equally names of the Druids . ( Borlase ) . Mr . Valencey says Welsh drud , a Druid , i . e . the absolver or remitter of sins ; so the Irish drui , a Druid , most certainly is from the Persio duru , a

good and holy man . Onsely says , " In the Arabic , deri , means a Avise man , which in Persian is dctru , AA'hence English Druid . " The Avord Druid being : ' in substance found in all these languages is very striking , and I trust you will not forget it .

Strabo divides the Druids into three orders , Druids , Yates or Prophets , and Bards . Armianus Marcellinus makes the same division . He says , " afterivards amongst the rude unpolished people grew up the knowledge of arts ancl sciences begun

and set up by Bards , Euyates , and Druids . " Diodorus , Siculus , ancl Cicero have named another order of men , called Saronides . But Bochart and other critics have shown that Druids and

Saronides , being Greek synonymes , Avere anciently taken to express the same thing . Of these , Ammianus , the president of Marseilles , in Gaul , Avho could not help knowing the truth , says , "The Bards sung in well-made compositions on their harps , the heroic acts of men ; the Euvates or