OR THK BURNING OF THE DEAD. 107 



the succeeding year *. As the designation of this feast retains 

 the name of Baal or Bel, I need scarcely remark the striking 

 resemblance of this rite to the ancient worship of the false god 

 who was thus denominated by the nations of the East. There 

 is great reason, indeed, to believe, that Baal and Moloch were 

 merely different names for the same idol ; the one word signi- 

 fying Lord, and the other King. For those, who in one place 

 are said to have " built the high places of Baal, — to cause their 

 " sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Mo- 

 " loch f /■' are said, in another, to have " built the high 

 " places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offer- 

 " ings unto Baal J." There can be no doubt that the wor- 

 ship of Baal was that of the sun, who was designed " the lord," 

 and " the king, of heaven." 



The ancient Goths ascribed a similar virtue to this element. 

 When, in their religious feasts, they drunk in honour of their 

 gods or departed heroes, they stood around a great fire in the 

 midst of the temple, and caused the cups, filled with wine or 

 mead, to be passed through the flames ||. 



Pennant takes notice of a singular superstition, which still 

 remains in the Highlands of Scotland, and which must certain- 

 ly be viewed as a remnant of druidical worship. " It has hap- 

 " pened," he says, " that, after baptism, the father has placed 



2 « a 



» " Thus I have seen the people running and leaping through the St John's 

 fires in Ireland ; and not only proud of passing unsing'd, but, as if it were some 

 kind of lustration, thinking themselves in a special manner blest by this ceremo- 

 ny, of whose original, nevertheless, they were wholly ignorant, in their imperfect 

 imitation of it." Toland, ibid. § 7. V. also Borlasb's Antiquities of Corn- 

 wall, p. 130. 



f Jer. xxxii. 35. t «* ER> *i x - 5. 



|| Sturleson, Vit. Haquin. Adalstan. V. Kbysler. Antiq. Septentr. p. 355, 

 356. 



