vi.] ADDRESS. 173 



sanctity of which is attested, not only by its own evi- 

 dence, but by the tumuli which cluster reverently round 

 it. At old Sarum he would for the first time come 

 across real and written history. Lastly, at Salisbury he 

 would see one of our most beautiful Cathedrals, and an 

 excellent Museum, which we owe to the liberality of Dr. 

 Blackmore, while for the admirable arrangement of it we 

 are indebted to Mr. Stevens. 



The question naturally arises, " To what age do these 

 monuments belong ? " " When and by whom were Stone- 

 henge and Abury erected ? " As regards the latter, his- 

 tory is entirely silent. Stonehenge, with the exception 

 possibly of an allusion in Hecatseus, is unmentioned by 

 any Greek or Roman writer ; nor is there any reference 

 to it in Gildas, Nennius, Bede, or in the Saxon Chronicle. 

 Henry of Huntingdon, in the twelfth century, alludes to 

 it with admiration, but expresses no opinion as to its date 

 or origin. 



In the same century, Geoffrey of Monmouth, who/ in 

 the words of Dr. Guest, " is everywhere found darkening 

 the pure light of our early history," gave to the world 

 that which some call an historical account of Stonehenge, 

 namely, that it was erected in the fifth century, to com- 

 memorate the treacherous murder of the British by 

 Hengist. 



The stones are said to have come from Africa, whence 

 they were transported by giants to the plains of Kildare ; 

 and from thence, by the enchantments of Merlin, carried 

 to Salisbury Plain. The question has been well dis- 

 cussed by one of our members, Mr. Long, in his recent 

 work on " Stonehenge and its Barrows," in which he has 

 usefully brought together our present information on the 



