10 2 
S T O N E-H E N G E. 
They fay alfo thcfe flones are the ruins of a temple of the 
druids. — You know the druids were pagan priefts, in whofe 
hands the eccleflaftical power was lodged, and as being perfons 
the mod: diftinguifhed for their learning, they were fubmitted 
to, in thofe early times, with a more implicit obedience than 
lome chriftians now fubmit to papal authority : though it may 
be aiked, if an antient briton could pay more refpedt to a druid 
than a romanist when he profeffes to believe in tranfubftantia- 
tion ? The druids believed the immortality of the foul. They 
likewife offered the facrifice of beads, after the manner of the 
chofen people of the almighty ; but as thefe lighted their altars 
to the great maker of the world, their king, their parent, and 
their god ; the druids burnt incenfe to mercury, and other 
imaginary deities to whom they blindly aferibed the attributes 
of the one fupreme. 
The punifhment inflidled on thofe who refufed to fubmit to 
the deciflon of thefe priefts, was excommunication : this was fo 
dreadful in its confequences, and held as fo great a misfortune, 
that they became in fome meafure mafters of the civil, as well as 
the ecclefiaflical power. Their influence extended fo far, that 
they have even fometimes prevented the calamitous effects of 
war, and ftept between armies on the point of engaging. 
Thefe priefts fpread themfelves over Germany as well as many 
other countries ; at what period of time it is not eafy to dis- 
cover ; but the CvElti, who came from Greece, peopled gaul 
(or France) and thence tranfplanted themfelves into this deli- 
cious ifland. I am told, that the welch, and inhabitants of 
2 BRITANY, 
