OGHAM. 
cireumftance did sot fuit Mr. O’Flanagan’s hypothefis to 
mention or app It may be added, that had the com- 
page| yi cartied to its legitimate length (allowing it 
well founded), fifty readings inftead of five might 
Se been made out of ae infcription 
oted, Mr. O’ Flanagan ftates a fa&t 
bet. been more ancient, it would naturally have 
been ada to the more ancient alphabet, though after 
the introduction of the more modern one, it occalionally, 
radically founded on the modern gar aee: while it only does 
& the ancient one, its date onfidered as con- 
temporary elas at ee igheft, bu ea more re obably pofterior 
to that a 
e. 
The high oe "and even the Druidic origin of the 
s of their alphabet, is contended for 
The Druids, it is 
to which we can trace this order of men; their iceere 
were formed upon the fyftem of fymbolical {prigs, which 
ftill be traced in the virgean Ogum, and Beithluifnuin 
ate: of the Irifh. Ofthis alphabet, O’Flaherty, in his 
Ogygea, gives a particular pus age «¢ Each ee or- 
rowed its appellation from t The Luc 
Trifh estiquare i 
is 
121, 12 2) eee the following account = number, 
order, and nam 
B. 1 Beithe, the birch-tree 
f.. 2. Luis, commonly Caerthean, the wild afh. 
F. 3. Fearn, the ii of which fhields are made. 
S. 4. Sail, the willov 
- Nion, ey Unfiown, the afh-tree of which 
{pears are made. 
Huath, ae. See; white-thorn, or thorny 
buthes, that grow on he 
. 7. Duir, vulgarly Cuileaun, the {carlet oak, broom, 
holm, or holly. 
. Linne. eae of this letter is not given. 
C. g. Coll, t ale. 
Q. 10. Qucirt, rage Abboll, the apple-tree. 
M. 11. Muin, vulgarly Fineamhuin, the vine-tree. 
G. 12. Gort, sale Fidbeaun, the ivy. 
Ng. 18. pis edal, a ied Gilcach, or Raid, the reed. 
> Dae ec. Thereis no explanation of this. 
15. Zea niga Dean: the floe-tree. 
. 16. Ruis, vulgarly Zrom, the alder-tree. 
. 17. dilm, ae Gius, the fir-tree. 
18. Onn, vulgarly Aiteann, furze. 
U. 19. Ur, vulgarly Frach, heath or ling. 
eee 
E. 20. Eadhadh, wilgarly Crancriothach, the afpen-, 
ree. 
I. 21. Idho, or Idbad, vulgarly Ibhar, the yew-tree. 
Ea. 22 hadh, vulgarly Criothach, the afpen-tree. 
Oi. 23. ‘Oir, vulgarly Feords ; the {pindle-tree, or prick- 
Woo 
i r. 24. Uillean, vulgarly Eadblean, woodbine, or honey- 
ckle. 
Io. 25. Iphin, vulgarly Spirian, or T/pin, the goofe- 
berry-tree 
X. 16. " Ambancholl. The explanation of this letter is not 
given 
Before proceeding to a direét and formal examination of 
the Druidic antiquity and origin of this alphabet, one remark 
may be offered, which, of itfelf, independently of other 
proof, is fufficient, in the minds of calm and rational en- 
quirers, to create confiderable doubts on this point. It 
primitive Irifh word, and not a "derivative from the Latin 
ales. 
But we have a dire€t and pofitive evidence that the 
ded did not make wfe of letters, at leaft for the a 
Czefar exprefsly fays, “ neque fas effe exiitim 
is has by many critics been fuppofed to be an interpola- 
- but it would appear without fufficient authority. 
. Aftle remarks, « ic the ancient Gaulifh letters are 
ace from the Gree 
coin of Cunobeline, 
e Jews, Origen i in aie denied that 
were any writings of the D a i 
nial he would hardly have made had 
for their oe and w se as the Trith and other Celtic 
etymologifts would ae us t 0 OF 
Nor are 
may add that our letters 
in aan times were called Feadha, alluding to wood: our 
Ogum, or hierographic character, is to this day called Ogum 
were on the ta ce of eee 
colleGted pieces Taibhle-Fileadh, or Philofophical Tablets, 
It was to this cuftom undoubtedly that Horace uded, 
on wood, leges incidere lign 
read this proof of the origieality of the Irifh characters, 
without 
