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A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

A new edition of Toland's History of the druids: - Free History Ebooks

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142 THE HISTORY\vitli a smeill variation, are good Irish: but <strong>the</strong>things quite difterent from those real stone-chestsor c<strong>of</strong>fins (commonly <strong>of</strong> one block and <strong>the</strong> lid) thatare in many places found under ground. Thevulgar Irish call <strong>the</strong>se altars Dcrmot and Grania*sbed^. This last was <strong>the</strong> daughter <strong>of</strong> KingCormac Ulfhada, and wife to Fin mac Cuilf;from whom, as invincible a general and championas he's reported to have been, she took it in herhead (as women will sometimes have such fancies)to run away with a nobleman, call'd Dermot0»DuvnyJ: but being pursu'd every where, <strong>the</strong>ignorant country people say, <strong>the</strong>y were intertainVla night in every quarter-land §, or village <strong>of</strong> Irelandwliere <strong>the</strong> inhabitants sympathizing with <strong>the</strong>ir affections,and doing to o<strong>the</strong>rs what <strong>the</strong>y wou'd bedone unto, made <strong>the</strong>se beds both for <strong>the</strong>ir restingand hiding place. The poets, you may imagine,have not been wanting to imbellish this story: andiience it appears, that <strong>the</strong> Druids were planted asthick as parish priests, nay much thicker: Wherever<strong>the</strong>re's a circle without an altar, 'tis certain<strong>the</strong>re was one formerly; as altars are found where<strong>the</strong> circular obelises are mostly or all taken awayfor o<strong>the</strong>r uses, or out <strong>of</strong> aversion to this superstition,or that time has consum'd <strong>the</strong>m.froin <strong>the</strong> bones, which are <strong>of</strong>tenaltars and circlesThey, who,found near those(tho' seldom within <strong>the</strong>m) will;* Leaba Dhiarmait agns Ghraine. + Finn mhac Cubhaill,.; Di^rmait O Duibhne. ^ Seisreack Sf Ccathramhack,

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