consecrated precinct of great magnificence, a temple of corresponding beauty, 
in shape spherical, adorned with numerous dedicated gifts ; also a city sacred 
to the god, the majority of its inhabitants harpers, who, continually harping 
in the temple, sang lyrical hymns to the god, greatly magnifying his deeds. 
The Hyperboreans had a peculiar dialect, and were very friendly-disposed 
to the Hellenes , especially the Athenians and Delians. The moon was not 
far distant from this island, and clearly showed certain earthly emi- 
nences. * 
“ Every nineteenth year the god descends into this island. This was the 
great year of the Hellenes. When the god makes his periodical visit, he 
both plays the harp and dances during the night, from the vernal equinox 
to the rising of the Pleiades, taking great delight in his own successful 
efforts. A family called Boreadse, descendants of Boreas, were the kings 
of this city, and superintendents of the temple, succeeding each other by 
birthright.” 
It is scarcely necessary to remark that our author does not 
speak here from personal observation, but in all probability 
from the reports of Phoenician merchants who had long been 
accustomed to frequent Cornwall for tin. The mention of a 
cycle of nineteen years is remarkable, and shows that these 
Druids were observant of the heavenly bodies. What 
ground they had for supposing the weather was governed by 
changes of the moon I do not know. Certainly the summer 
of 1879 has been a reproduction of the summer of 1860.f The 
worship of Apollo or the sun is identical with that of the 
Druids. I think we may fairly deduce the probable inference 
that in the year b.c. 500 Druidism was in full power in 
England, and that Avebury, or some similar Druidical temple, 
had become known to the Phoenician, and subsequently the 
Grecian traders. Many Greek writers beside Hecateus 
mention the Hyperboreans. 
Beyond this period history will give us no information. All 
is lost in the mists of antiquity, and our only resource is com- 
parison with other nations. 
The records of the Druids have all perished. The most 
sacred of their traditions, being committed to the memory of 
their disciples, who were required, it is said, to learn some 
20,000 verses, could not survive the cruel persecutions of the 
Romans ; who, in their hatred of the liberty of which these 
were supposed to be the upholders, crushed both the masters 
and the disciples. 
* Higgins’s Celtic Druids, p. 118. 
f The period of 19 years is the Metonic cycle or 235 months, in which 
time the lunations return (nearly) and begin as they were before. It takes 
its name from Meton, the Athenian. 
