By the Rev. J. L. Ross, 151 
worship was originally celebrated; and the name ¢emple is derived 
from another Greek word, signifying a place cut off, enclosed, 
and dedicated to sacred use, whether an area, a circle of stones, a 
field, or a grove. These temples were usually encompassed by a 
ditch, which one of the ancient writers, Pollux, terms a Peribolus 
or dyke surrounding the circle. The ancient temples were also 
generally circular, designed to represent in some measure the deity. 
Porphyry, another heathen writer, conceives the circle to be dedi- 
cated to eternity, for which reason he says, “they anciently made 
temples round:” and Pausanias relates that the Thracians were in 
the habit of building their temples circular and open at the top. 
When these ancient temples came to be perverted to Idolatry, 
they were many of them dedicated to the sun, as resembling his 
appearance, and the pyramidal stones set in a circle were designed 
to represent his rays. All the ancient temples in Britain are in a 
circular form, and of a threefold description: 1. Simple round 
temples of upright unhewn stones: 2. Serpentine temples or Dra- 
‘contic (as at Abury, Wilts,) 7.e. with the figure of a snake annexed : 
and 3. Alate or winged, having the appearance of wings annexed 
to the circle. These are supposed to have been the figures or sym- 
bols of the Patriarchal religion, like the symbol of the Cross which 
is regarded by ourselves as an emblem of the Christian Faith. 
CHAPTER II. 
STONEHENGE. 
‘“Deorum gloriosa domus.” 
Stonehenge is supposed to have derived its name from the Anglo- 
Saxon, and literally means the “hanging stones,’’ from the hanging 
parts, architraves, or rather imposts:—pendulous rocks are now 
called Henges in Yorkshire. The Ancient Britons or Welsh termed 
Stonehenge Choir gaur, “which some,” says Dr. Stukeley, “inter- 
pret chorea gigantum, the giant’s dance: I judge more rightly chorus 
magnus, the great choir, round church, or temple.” He proceeds 
to state that the Cymbri or Welsh believed Stonehenge to be a 
sacred place, though they did not profess themselves to be the 
builders; and he considers them to be the remains of a Celtic 
