The Ancient And Mysterious Order Of The Druids.

Eubates , more deeply considering nature , made attempts to discover her highest arcana and most secret workings ¦ and amongst these the Druids were of more polished parts , affecting formed societies , gave themselves wholly to the

contemplation of divine and hidden things , despising all worldly enjoyments , confidently affirming the souls of men to be immortal . Mr . Valencey says the Yates , or Prophets , the last order of Druids , Avere called Baidh , Yaith ,

Yaithoir , or Phaithoir . The first was written Yaedh by the Arabs , and by the Greeks Ouateis . Baid is the Chaldean ~ bada . The Irish Faithoir is { b . e Hebrew « = a p * j | ptr , to solve an enigma . Pezron says , " The Avord Baid in the Celtic

language means poet . The Avord Bard , often Avritten Barth , probably comes from the HebreAV-or Ohaldee word , 13 7 ^ V > to sin 8 '* T ] aey sun S ' to tlie harp . Leaving this part of our subject , let us

consider the following observations , which are very curious , to say the least of them . Among the arcana of nature which our Druids were acquainted Avith , there are many presumptive , if not positive , proofs for placing the art of making gunpoAvder , or

artificial thunder and lightning ; thoughlikeall other mysteries they kept the invention of it a secret . Some learned men alloAV that the priests of Delphos ¦ were in possession of this art , though for the service of their God , and the interest of their order ,

they kept it a mystery . The storm of thunder and lightning , which in three several attempts made to rob their temple , kindled in the face of the invaders as they approached it , and drove back with loss and terror , both Xerxes and

Brennus , cannot be imagined any other than this . Providence cannot be supposed to have taken such concern in the preservation of that idolatrous edifice , as to work a series of miracles so very reasonably in its favour . Whoever reads the accounts which we have of the celebration of the

mysteries of Ceres , will plainly see that it was this secret which constituted the most Avonderful part of them . The probationers who were to be initiated , were led into a part of the temple that was full of darkness and horror . Then all on a

sudden , a strong light darted in upon them . This quickly disappeared , and Avas followed by a terrible noise like thunder . Fire again fell down like lightning , which , by its continual flashes , struck terror into the trembling spectators . The cause of this artificial thunder and lightning is plain .

And if the priests of Delphos , or the lazy monks- , of later times , could find out such an art which , the old Chinese philosophers are said to have beert . acquainted with , and which seems to have been a , part of the mystery of the Egyptian In ' s ,

whymay we not suppose that those great searchers into - nature , the Druids , might also light upon the seciet ? We may observe in Lucan ' s satiricaldescription of the Drnidical grove near Marseilles ,. , a plain evidence of this invention . " There is a .

report , " says he , " that the grove is often shaken , and strangely moved , and that dreadful soundsare heard from its caverns ; and that it is sometimes in a blaze without being consumed . ( In ., order to produce fire from heaven , they mig ht ,

grind cobalt and oil together , though this is a- , thing that would not ahvays answer . ) In the- > poem of Dargo , the son of the Druid Bel , phenomena of a somewhat similar nature are

mentioned . ISTo ordinary meteor Avould have been somuch noticed by the poet , nor so much dreaded , by the people . The Gallic word lightning , is . De'lan or De'lanacJi , literally the flash or flame of " God ; and Drui'lan or- Drui'lanach , the flame ov

flash ofthe Druids . And in a well-knoAvn fragment of " Ossian , " in Avhich he speaks of some-, arms fabricated by Luno , the Scandinavian Yulcan ,. the SAVord of Oscar is distinguished by this , epithet , and compared to the flame of the Druids ,,

Avhich shows that there Avas such a flame , and that , it Avas abundantly terrible . Dr . Smith says very , truly : " Everything Avithin the circle of Drai ' - eachd , or magic , or to speak more properly ,, within the compass of natural experimental philosophy , Avas the study of the Druids ; and the .

honour of every wonder that lay Avithin that verge , Avas always allowed them . " By a comparison of the alphabets of different-, nations , it is proved that the Celta and Druids , must have come to this country more than 150 Q

before Christ . I shall now proceed to prove , from ., the remains of the festivals of the Druids , still observed in' Britain , that they must have been , here at a much earlier period . The Eev . Mr ... Maurice , in his learned Avork on the antiquities o £

India , has shoAvn in a Avay which it is impossible : to contradict , that the festival and the May-pole of . Great Britain , with its garland , & c ., knoAvn to us all ,., are the remains of an ancient festival of Egypt and India , and probably of Phoenicia , Avhen these ,-nations , in countries very distant , and from times ; very remote , have all Avith one consent , celebrated ; .