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“ Derwydd, a Druid, compounded of r/wdd, a wise man, and derm , the 
oak. Der-lwyn and llwyndern , an oak grove, are among the commonest 
names of places in Wales. Derw is evidently cognate with the Greek root 
8pv, as seen in Spvoq, an oak. Hence the Greek word compounded from cpv 
and gwdd took the form of Spv-id-ijq ; in Latin, Druida.” * 
“ Bran the blessed,” the father of Caractacus, is said to have learned a 
different mode at Rome, where he was detained as a hostage, and brought it 
with him to Britain, where he taught it to the Cyrnry, as well as the dressing 
of the skins of kids and goats, so as to be suitable for written letters. This 
latter became customary, so that the old method was only preserved by the 
bards for secret communication, and for the preservation of their knowledge 
when it became prohibited. 
According to this system, the commencement of writing was the making 
known the ineffable name of God. 
“ When God pronounced His name, with the word sprang the light and 
the life, for previously there was no life except God Himself. And Memo 
the aged, son of Menwyd, + beheld the springing of the light, and its form 
and appearance not otherwise than thus — 
in three columns, and in the rays of light the vocalization — for one were the 
seeing and the hearing, one unitedly the form and sound.'’ 
“ Memo, on hearing the sound of the voice, obtained the three letters, and 
knew the sign that was suitable to one and other of them. Thus he made in 
form and sign the name of God, after the semblance of rays of light.” 
“ It was from the three primary letters that were constructed every other 
letter, which is the principal secret of the bards of the Isle of Britain." 
The sense of 0 was given to the first column, the sense of I to the second 
column, and the sense of V to the third. 
“That is to say, it was by means of this word that God declared His 
existence, life, knowledge, power, eternity, and universality. And in this 
declaration was His love ; that is, co-instantaneously with it sprang like 
lightning all the universe into life aud existence, co- vocally and co-jubilantly 
with the uttered name of God, in one united song of exultation and joy.” 
“ It was thus then that God made the world, namely, He declared His 
name and existence.” 
“No man ever heard the vocalization of His name, and no one knows how 
to pronounce it.” 
“Formerly signs were employed, namely the three elements of vocal 
etters ” (vowels). However, to prevent disrespect and dishonour to God, a 
Bard is forbidden to name Him except inwardly and in thought. 
These signs being cut on wood, were called llythyrau (letters). Sixteen 
letters were constructed out of the principal columns, and two were after- 
wards added, and other two completing the sacred number^ of twenty. 
“ They were first made on trees : that is, wood was hewn into four-sided 
staves, on each of which were cut small notches, and it was by means of as 
# Gomer. By Archdeacon Williams, p. 105. 
t “ The words memo and menved, which are here used as proper names, 
signify the source of intellect and happiness, the mind or the soul, being 
derived from men, an active principle:” compare mens, Xoyoc. Man also 
comes in here as originally a being possessing mind . — Manuscha, Sanscrit. 
X “ In Awen.” — Taliesin. 
