476 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[Dec. 15. 1855. 



rise and sink together, giving at once the idea of 

 such a reptile in a state of motion. But as to 

 any straight line, it is out of the question ; for the 

 rows have only that sort of straightness which one 

 part of a serpent's body would have in following 

 the other. 



Abury was very different from this, and has 

 less of the serpent in its design ; for it consisted 

 of an enormous circle, enclosed by upright stones, 

 and outside of them a trench. Within the area 

 were two other circles of unequal dimensions, 

 called the temples of the sun and moon ; without, 

 and on opposite sides, were two rows of stones 

 (now almost gone), placed in winding lines, it may 

 be, in imitation of a serpent ; but the whole taken 

 together, rather gives the idea of an imitation of 

 the globe with wings, usually placed as an emblem 

 of eternity over the portals of Egyptian temples. 



If, then, a resemblance to what is known to be 

 Egyptian can be observed in the plan of any of 

 these constructions, the additional circumstance 

 that one of them is found still bearing an Egyptian 

 appellation, is a fact which, taken in combination 

 with the other, is not unworthy of consideration. 

 It is to be presumed that those who raised the 

 stones left the name, but who were they ? " The 

 far East " would surely be too distant a point to 

 bring them from. 



My inquiry as to the Druids was simply this — 

 What ancient author (Greek or Latin) mentions 

 the erection by them of temples of unhewn stone, 

 or the worshipping of stones, no such at present 

 occurring to me ; and the practice, if it were 

 theirs, being sufficiently remarkable to have at- 

 tracted notice and observation ? I was really 

 asking for information, and in reply am referred 

 to Toland, Huddlestone, and Higgins, and the 

 authorities there quoted ; and informed in the 

 very next sentence that " it is a mistake to say 

 that Caesar notices the origin of Druidism." His 

 words are these, — 



" Disciplina in Britannia reperta, atque inde in Galliam 

 translata esse existimatur : et nunc, qui diligentius earn 

 rem cognoscere volunt, plerunque illuc, disceudi causa, 

 proficiscuntur." — vi. 13. 



How any man with this passage before him (and 

 the most important words of it were quoted in my 

 last letter), provided only that he can construe it, 

 can assert it to be a mistake to say that Csesar 

 notices the origin of Druidism, is to me incon- 

 ceivable. 



I will not bring up the ghost of Divitianes from 

 the repose to which you have consigned him in 

 your errata, further than to say, it puzzled me to 

 imagine who he could possibly be ; nor enter upon 

 the etymology of the word Druid, having never 

 hitherto written a syllable about it. Enough has 

 been said, I think, Mr. Editor, to show that we all 

 can make mistakes — " Csedimus, inque vicem pra;- 

 bemus crura sagittis" — but even had I fallen into 



No. 320.] 



some gross error, had I been in reality what my 

 signature implies, " Little John Noborlv, who dare 

 not speak," your correspondent should not, as it 

 seems to my mind, have attempted to correct me 

 in the manner he has done. Flat contradiction, 

 and positive assertion, as we have had occasion to 

 see, prove nothing, and can weigh only with weak 

 and ignorant minds ; while it might be expected 

 that literary men, unless they were German critics, 

 should be able to discuss literary subjects with 

 temper and moderation. 



" Tngenuas didicisse fideliter artes, 



Emollit mores, nee sinit esse feros." 



is as true now as in times past. Whether in the 

 points which have been under discussion between 

 us, J. S. s. or myself is right, there doubtless will 

 be found amongst the number of your readers 

 better scholars than either of us, who will be able 

 to judge. OuTis. 



PHOTOGRA.PHIC CORRESPONDENCE. 



The Electridtij of Gutta Perclia Films: Charles A. 

 Long. — I must apologize for troubling you in so trivial a 

 matter, but while experimenting with the gutta percha 

 tilm, produced in my process for the preservation of the sen- 

 sitiveness of the collodion plate, I have been frequently 

 annoyed bv the electrical condition of the coating, after 

 it has been dried and placed between folds of paper in 

 the portfolio. It is perfectly astonishing how easily the 

 electricity is excited, and equally so with what tenacity 

 it adheres to the surfaces of the film ; the mere friction of 

 the hand, in the act of smoothing the negative, bemg 

 quite sufficient to develope a high charge, which renders 

 it impossible to handle the picture with anything like 

 safetv. And as I thinlv it quite possible that others in- 

 terested in the matter may be inconvenienced from the 

 same cause, I venture to prepare a remedy both simple 

 and perfect. It is this : instead of placing the picture, 

 when dry, between folds of paper, enclose it between 

 leaves of tinfoil; which, from its power of conduction, 

 will carry oif any electricity that may be excited by rub- 

 bing or liandling the film, as soon as it is developed. 



Charles A. Long. 



153. Fleet Street. 



Arms of Lord of Blaencych (Vol. xii., p. 383.). 

 — A possible source of information occurs to me in 

 the MS. (jSTo. 1441.), Harleian Collection ; where, 

 in folios 14 — 39., he will find the arms of the pro- 

 genitors of many noble Welsh families. 



Will you allow me to take this opportunity of 

 mentioning that I am about to publish a Catalogue 

 of Arms borne by, or ascribed to, the Bishops of 

 England and Wales ? Though my collections are 

 very abundant, any information which I might 

 obtain from your heraldic correspondents on this 

 subject will be always gratefully received. 



W. K. R. Bedford. 



Sutton Coldfield. 



