1803, 
pore by the fquare ‘than by the compafs, 
with its lines running in long and nearly 
arallel rows. ) 
It was evidently a principle with the 
Britith Bards and Druids, to adopt the 
circular fhape in all their religious, judi, 
catorys military, and domefiic, conftruc- 
tions, At leat I have never met with any 
inftance to the contrary but this at Car- 
mac; and I can {pecify nearly two hundred 
that may beclaffed under the above heads. 
The fingularity, fituation, and feyeral 
collateral circumitances, attending the 
monument at Carnac, render it highly in- 
terefting to the Celtic antiquary, and mutt 
excite his curiofity in proportion as he 
withes to fee this branch of antiquity 
re(cued from bewildering theories, and 
clofet fpeculations. Indeed I feel fo zealous 
in the caule, 
opportunity of vifiting and examining the 
plains of ancient Armorica. Should the fun- 
fhine of peace cheer us another fummer, 
and no dark cloud of accident fruftrate my 
intention, I hope to explore and fketch 
fome of the Druidic and other antiquities 
in the weftern part of France, particu- 
larly ancient Armorica and Normandy, 
When we reflect on the alliances with the 
political and civil conneétions, that fub- 
fifted between thofe diftriéts and England, 
at an early period of the Chriftian era, we 
may reafonably expect to find many an- 
cient relicts, cuftoms and circumftances, 
ftillexifting there, tending .to prove that 
connection, and to illuftrate, or explain, 
fome myfteries in our own hiftory. “This 
expectation is certainly a grand incentive 
to the undertaking ; and it appears very 
extraordinary that no Britih hiltorian, or 
topographer, has deemed it a neceflary 
art of his ftudy. 
The prefent age is peculiarly diftin- 
guifhed by the emulative and inveltigating 
{pirit which characterizes Englifh writers ; 
many of whom poffefs that laudable f{cep- 
tici(m which mutt ultimately lead to truth. 
. This fhould be the polar ftar of inquiry ; 
and, initead of tacitly acknowledging evury 
fpecious theory and plaufible argument, 
we thould feek for probable evidence or 
ftubborn fa&. Had fome of our ancient 
writers adhered more to this principle than 
_the fabulous, we fhould not be fo much 
‘bewildered in the mazes of Druidifm, 
at the commencement of the nineteenth 
(century, Let us, therefore, who know 
) and regret thefe defects, endeavour to 
avoid them, and call forth the talents and 
refearch of man to decypher and explain 
the mutilated memorials of ancient man- 
ners, which time and chance have per« 
4 
Monument at Qarnac. 
that I eagerly wifh for an 
131 
mitted to remain-—Whatever relates to 
the cuftoms and habitudes of the human 
{pecies in remote ages muft excite our in- 
tereft and fympathies : and connected with 
thefe, we recognize the various ftone mo- 
numents of art, which are ufually called 
Druidical. 
Though thefe have been ftigmatized as 
‘¢ fenfelefs blocks’’ by fome romancing 
tourifts, yet they muft awaken extraordi- 
nary curiofty in the mind that can ap- 
preciate the hiftory of nature and art, as 
connected with man. That wonderful 
monument, Stonehenge, is contemplated 
by the illiterate fhepherd with torpid in- 
difference; who fees nothing but huge 
ftones, and thinks of nothing more than 
he fees: but furely the reflecting and cul- 
tivated mind mu feel fome emotion by 
the affociation of ideas which this object 
excites, If then the greateft antiquities of 
the ifland are deferving of inveftigation 
and defcription, let us commence the tafk 
before corroding time and thoughtlefs man 
have annihilated the whole. I have exa- 
mined and drawn many, and will endea- 
your to vifit the remainder; for I know 
of no defcriptive account that can be re- 
lied on. In order to give publicity to, 
and excite inquiry on, the fubject, I pro- 
pofe occafionally to infert fome brief de- 
{criptions and notices in this magazine. 
If others will follow the example, I tru 
we fhall foon be able to obtain a catalogue 
of the primeval monuments remaining in 
England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland ; 
and if we can obtain accounts from the 
{maller iflands, and from Bretagne, Den- 
mark, 8&c. they will prove more interefting 
and fatisfatory. It would be a defirable 
plan to arrange and cla{s thefe monuments 
under different and characteriltic heads ; 
though, I fear, this would not be aa ealy 
tafk ie prefent. The following, which 
immediately occurs to memory, will ex- 
plain my meaning. _ 
sft, Complex, or Cbnpound circles, fuch 
as Avebury and Stonehenge, in Wiit~ 
fhire; Stanton Drew, Somerfetfhire ; the 
Horlers and Botalleck circles, Cornwall, 
&c. 
2d. Circles with appendages. ant at 
Park-place, brought trom Jerfey, Long 
Meg and her daughters, and a circle at: 
Kefwick, Cumberland; Rowlright, Ox- 
faclthace : Bofcawen, Cornwall; the Ar- 
belows, Derbyfhire, &c. 
3d. Simple circles. Several of thefe till 
remain in Cornwall, Wales, Cumberland, © 
&c. 
~ 4th. Cromlechs, with en entrench- 
ments, 6c. One of thefe, called ghee 
ane 
