UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 231 



vations of that kind of words are in general only 

 fanciful guesses. By some, Druid has been de- 

 rived from a Greek word drus, signifying oak ; 

 and by others from an old British word dree, 

 which has the same meaning. It has also been 

 supposed to come from a Saxon word dryth, 

 which means magician ; and, according to others 

 from a Celtic word druis, a doctor or learned 

 man. There is a curious circumstance which 

 seems to corroborate its derivation from oak, 

 namely, that in every country where the worship 

 of the sun has prevailed, the oak has been vene- 

 rated. It is also singular that the two names by 

 which that tree is still known in Persia and India, 

 had the same meaning in the ancient British and 

 in Irish, gaur and bahk." 



The conversation was interrupted by our arri- 

 val at this inn, where my uncle has determined 

 on passing the night, as we were occupied a 

 much longer time than he had expected,, in ex- 

 amining the magnificent chain bridge, lately sus- 

 pended across the straits of Menai. I have made 

 a little sketch of it for yon, dear mamma, which 

 shall be accompanied by as good a description as I 

 can give ; but in the mean time I must tell you, 

 that this " wonderful piece of work," as my 

 uncle calls it, is almost two hundred yards long 

 from pier to pier, and so high above the water, 

 that large vessels pass under it with all their 

 sails set. 



X 2 



