Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, $c. 35 



constructed, belong to the times of paganism, and that the singular style of architecture, which we 

 observe in them, was brought from the East, between which and this country it is certain that there 

 was an intercourse at a very ancient period of time." Eccl. Hist. vol. iv. pp. 406 408. 



In this laboured and ingenious effort to establish a theory on insufficient 

 data, there appears a consciousness of the weakness of the proofs on which it 

 rests. A very few words will, I think, shew that they amount to nothing. 



In the first place, granting even that the Persians at a particular period may 

 have worshipped fire in rotundos of above 30 feet diameter, which might have 

 answered very well for the purpose, it does by no means necessarily follow that 

 the ancient Irish must have done so likewise in towers of nine or ten feet in 

 diameter, which would not be at all adapted to such a purpose. Besides, I must 

 repeat, there is not even a shadow of proof that the Irish worshipped fire at all in 

 towers. " The lower part," he gravely states, " wouldh&ve answered very well 

 for a fire-temple," and, as he adds in a note, "to guard against the objection that 

 might be made of how those covered temples were kept free from smoke, that 

 might easily be contrived by the help of the loop-holes which we find in them, 

 or of the door." Now as the fact is that no loop-holes, or other apertures, are 

 ever found in the lower part of the towers, except the doorways, the latter must 

 have been the only expedient ; and it is one, I confess, so truly Irish, that I am 

 forced to acknowledge the strength of the argument which it furnishes, and ani 

 only surprised that the Doctor did not think of strengthening it by an allusion 

 to the known perpetuation of the custom among the fire-worshippers still re- 

 maining in Ireland. 



Secondly, as to its appearing evident, " that the highest part of the tower 

 was an observatory intended for celestial observations, from the four windows 

 being placed directly opposite to the four cardinal points," it is to be observed, 

 that the four windows do not always face the cardinal points, nor do the win- 

 dows always consist of the number four. In some instances, as shall be here- 

 after shewn, they are fewer than that in number, and in many instances more. 

 Besides, to make celestial observations from windows a foot or two wide in a wall 

 three or four feet thick, would be manifestly impossible. 



Equally incorrect is the assertion, that the doorway in most of the Towers 

 faces the west : on the contrary it most generally faces the east, but it is also 

 sometimes found facing the north-east and south-east, its situation, in fact, de- 



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