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veiling the mysteries of Druidism, while it was the predominant 

 religion, there could be none when it was crushed under the heel of 

 persecution. The veil was then torn in pieces, and we are led by all 

 historical analogy to conclude, that so far from concealing, it would 

 be the object of its enemies to expose it to desecration. Though Dru- 

 idism has been abolished by Christianity, some striking vestiges of 

 that ancient superstition are extant at the present day. Doctor 

 Graham falls into the same line of argument as Macpherson, and 

 pursues it with more caution, but no better success : 



" It would seem," says he, " that the silence which prevails in these poems with regard 

 to the higher mysteries of religion, instead of furnishing an argument against their authenticity, 

 affords a strong presumption of their having been composed at the very time, in the very cir- 

 cumstances, and by the very persons to whom they have been attributed. Indeed, had there 

 been any account given in these poems of the secret rites and horrid immolations of the 

 Beltein and the Samhin, there might have been some ground to question their authenticity." 



We might suppose from the mode in which the learned Doctor 

 speaks of the higher mysteries, that the poem contained something 

 relative to the minor rites of religion, though equally silent as to them 

 all. Why might not the Celtic poet have described one of the 

 " horrid immolations," as readily as a Spanish poet might describe 

 an auto dafe, or a proselyted inquisitor the tortures of the inquisi- 

 tion ? Granting, however, that they were strictly forbidden to speak 

 of immolations and other rites which must have been well known to 

 the whole nation, surely a poet might have borrowed an image from 

 the Beltein and Samhuin fires, kindled as they were on every moun- 

 tain, and in every district of the country.* 



* " Macpherson easily foresaw that this omission of the religious machinery would create 

 mistrust, and unfortunately enhances our suspicion, by a most silly effort to account for it. 



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