206 



same race, the same modes of worship were common to both coun- 

 tries ; or where the same customs were followed by the second as 

 well as the first family of settlers. Several differences are observ- 

 able between the remains of the two countries, besides that of the 

 lofty fire-temple and the low fire-house. One of the most remark- 

 able of these, is the total want of letters on the British Druidical 

 monuments, while in Ireland there have been found several inscrip- 

 tions in the Ogham, that singular character, hitherto not satisfacto- 

 rily explained, but which we may now hope to see decyphered, if 

 indeed a key to the Persepolitan cunieform letters has already been 

 discovered, for Sir William Jones has declared them to be of the 

 same family. 



Some evidence, which is not without weight, may be permitted to 

 lend its aid in support of the above idea. The names of many of 

 the places where towers stand bear a reference to fire.* 



One tower is said by Mr. O'Flaherty to be still called Teample- 

 na-Grein, the temple of the Sun.-j- 



The object for which the towers were built is distinctly menti- 

 oned in the ancient history called the Psalter of Cashel, and that of 

 Tara to be for the preservation of the sacred fires of Baal, " the Baal- 

 Theine." It is stated in the Psalter of Tara, that in the year A. D. 

 79, there was a solemn convocation at Tara, where it was ordained 

 that the sacred fire should be exhibited from the tower of Thlachtga 

 in Munster, and from all other fire repositories, on the thirty-first of 

 October; and that if by any accident the holy flame had been 

 extinguished, it should be relighted from thence. It was also en- 

 acted that a tower for fire should be built in each of the other pro- 



* Collect. Reb. Hib. vi. p. 147. 



t Transactions R. I. A. XIV. p. 105. 



