CHAPTER IV.

CELTS AND GOTHS.

The same system of Superstition and Priestcraft which prevailed in Asia, existing also among the Celts and Goths of ancient Europe -Everywhere Priests the dominant Caste-In Britain, Gaul, and Germany, their state shown by Cæsar and Tacitus-Notions, Sacrifices, and Superstitions of Scandinavia.

WITHOUT following minutely the progress of original migration, from east to west, through the great Scythian deserts, we will now at once open upon the human family as it appeared in Europe, when the Romans began to extend their conquests into the great forests and wild lands of its north-western regions; and here, again, we behold with surprise, how exactly the nations had preserved those features of idolatrous superstition which I have before stated to be universal, and which we have been contemplating in central Asia.

Part of southern Europe appears to have been peopled by one great branch of the descendants of Japhet, under the name of Sclavonians, and to have maintained their settlements against all future comers; but another great branch, the Gomerians, or Celts, had been followed by the warlike and domineering Goths, and had, in some cases, received from them teachers and governors; in others, had been totally expelled by them, or lost character, language, and every thing in their overwhelming tide. The northern parts of Britain, Ireland, Wales, Gaul, and some other districts, retained the Celtic character; while England, Scandinavia, Germany, Belgium, and some other tracts, became decidedly Gothic. Of these facts, the very languages of the respective countries, at the present day, remain living proofs. But whatever was the name, the language, or the government of the different parts of Europe, everywhere its religion was

essentially the same; everywhere the same Cuthic race of domineering priests. Everywhere, says a sagacious antiquarian, "we find, first, an order of priests; secondly, an order of military nobles; thirdly, a subjugated multitude; and institutions, the spirit of which is that of thrusting the lower orders from all place and authority, and systematically dooming them to an unalterable state of servile depression." Whoever will examine the system of the Druids, as he may in Toland's history of them, in Borlace's Cornwall, or Davis's Celtic Mythology, will be perfectly convinced of its identity with that of Persia, Egypt, and Hindostan. Their triads, their own assumed sanctity of character, their worship of the god Hu, the Buddhu of the east; their traditions of the flood; the ark, which their circular stone temples symbolized; their human sacrifices; their doctrine of transmigration; and other abundant characteristics, are not to be mistaken. Dr. Borlace was so struck with the perfect resemblance of the Druids to the Persian Magi and the Indian Brahmins, that he declared it was impossible to doubt their identity. Mr. Rowland argues in the same manner with regard to the Irish Druids, who as usual, constituted the first of the three classes into which the community was divided. He feels assured that they must have been Magi. Long indeed before our time, Pliny had made the same remark, applying the very term of Magi to them.

In Gaul, Cæsar found precisely the same state of things-the same dominant class; and has left so lucid an account of them, that his representation will at once place before us the actual condition of both Gaul and Britain. "Over all Gaul there are only two orders of men in any degree of honour and esteem; for the common people are little better than slaves, attempt nothing of themselves, and have no share in the public deliberations. As they are generally oppressed with debt, heavy tributes, or the exactions of their superiors, they make themselves vassals to the great, who exercise over them the same jurisdiction that

masters do over slaves. The two orders of men with whom, as we have said, all authority and distinctions reside, are the Druids and nobles. The Druids preside in matters of religion, have the care of public and private sacrifices, and interpret the will of the gods. They have the direction and education of the youth, by whom they are held in great honour. In almost all controversies, whether public or private, the decision is left to them; and if any crime is committed, any murder perpetrated, if any dispute arises touching an inheritance, or the limits of adjoining estates, in all such cases they are supreme judges. They decree rewards and punishments; and if any one refuse to submit to their sentence, whether magistrate or private man, they interdict him the sacrifices. This is the greatest punishment that can be inflicted upon the Gauls; because, such as are under this prohibition, are considered as impious and wicked; all men shun them, and decline their conversation and fellowship, lest they should suffer from the contagion of their misfortunes. They can neither have recourse to the law for justice, nor are capable of any public office. The Druids are all under one chief. Upon his death, a successor is elected by suffrage; but sometimes they have recourse to arms before the election can be brought to issue. Once a year they assemble at a consecrated place in the territories of the Carnutes, whose country is supposed to be in the middle of Gaul. Hither such as have any suits depending flock from all parts, and submit implicitly to their decrees. Their institution is supposed to have come originally from Britain; and even at this day, such as are desirous of being perfect in it, travel thither for instruction. The Druids never go to war, are exempt from taxes and military service, and enjoy all manner of immunities. These mighty encouragements induce multitudes of their own accord to follow that profession, and many are sent by their parents. They are taught to repeat a great number of verses by heart, and often spend twenty years upon this institu

tion; for it is deemed unlawful to commit their statutes to writing, though on other matters private or public they use Greek characters. They seem to have adopted this method for two reasons, to hide their mysteries from the knowledge of the vulgar, and to exercise the memory of their scholars. It is one of their principal maxims, that the soul never dies, but after death passes from one body to another. They teach likewise many things relative to the stars, the magnitude of the world and our earth, the nature of things, and the power and prerogative of the immortal gods.

"The other order of men is the nobles, whose study and occupation is war. Before Cæsar's arrival in Gaul, they were almost every year at war, offensive or defensive; and they judge of the power and quality of their nobles, by the vassals and number of men they keep in pay.

"The whole nation of the Gauls is extremely addicted to superstition, whence, in threatening distempers, and the imminent danger of war, they make no scruple to sacrifice men, or engage themselves by vow to such sacrifices; in which case, they make use of the ministry of the Druids; for it is a prevalent opinion among them, that nothing but the life of man can atone for the life of man, insomuch that they have established even public sacrifices of this kind. Some prepare huge Colossuses of osier twigs, into which they put men alive, and setting fire to them, those within Expire among the flames. They prefer for victims such as have been convicted of theft, robbery, or other crimes, believing them the most acceptable to the gods but when such are wanting, the innocent are made to suffer.

“The Gauls fancy themselves to be descended from the god Pluto, which it seems, is an established tradition among the Druids; and for this reason they compute time by nights, not by days.

"The men have power of life and death over their wives and families; and when any father of a family

of illustrious rank dies, his relations assemble, and upon the least ground of suspicion, put even his wives to the torture, like slaves. Their funerals are magnificent and sumptuous, according to their quality. Every thing that was dear to the deceased, even animals, are thrown into the fire; and formerly, such of their slaves and clients as they loved most, sacrificed themselves at the funeral of their lords."

In this valuable account, the striking resemblance of the Druids to the Brahmins must impress every one, not the least their funeral rites, and doctrine of metempsychosis. But there are some other things equally curious. We have here the BAN,-that tremendous ecclesiastical engine, which the Romish church most probably borrowed of the Goths; and which we shall find it hereafter wielding to such appalling purpose. The tradition of the Druids, that they are descended of Pluto, is, too, a most remarkable circumstance; agreeing so perfectly with the theory of Bryant that they were Cuths, the descendants of Ham, the Pluto of mythology.

Cæsar proceeds to give Roman names to Gallic gods. This was the common practice of the Romans; a fact which, as it is known from other sources that the Druids never gave them such names, only proves that the Romans named them from their obvious attributes; again confirming Bryant's theory, that however the ethnic gods be named, they are essentially identical. Cæsar also adds, that the Germans differed widely from the Gauls, having no Druids, and troubling not themselves about sacrifices: but Tacitus, who is better evidence than Cæsar, where the Germans are concerned, assures us that they had priests and bards. That "jurisdiction is vested in the priests; it is theirs to sit in judgment on all offences. By them delinquents are put in irons, and chastised with stripes; the power of punishing is in no other hands." adds, "to impress on their minds the idea of a tutelar deity, they carry with them to the field of battle certain images and banners, taken from their usual deposito

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