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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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17STHE HISTORYinstance shall be taken from a woman, whosefrailty and perfidiousness will serve as a foil tothose learned Druidesses, and o<strong>the</strong>r illustriousheroines, which I frequently mention in my history.I introduce her in a passage I have occasionto allege, when I am proving, that wherever<strong>the</strong> Gauls or Britons are in any old author simplysaid to <strong>of</strong>fer sacrifice (without any fur<strong>the</strong>r circumstancesadded) this never<strong>the</strong>less isbe done by <strong>the</strong> ministry <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Druids ;understood toit havingbeen as unlawful for any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Celtic nations tosacrifice o<strong>the</strong>rwise, as it was for <strong>the</strong> Jews to do sowithout <strong>the</strong>ir priests and Levites." The Druids,"j>;ays Julius C^sar*, "perform divine service, <strong>the</strong>y<strong>of</strong>fer <strong>the</strong> public and privatesacrifices, <strong>the</strong>y interpretreligious observances:" and even when particularpersons would propitiate <strong>the</strong> Gods, for <strong>the</strong>rontinuing or restoring <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir health; *' <strong>the</strong>ymake use <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Druids,*' adds hef, *' to <strong>of</strong>ferthose sacrifices."*''Tis <strong>the</strong> establish'd custom <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> Gauls," says Diodorus Siculus J,*'to <strong>of</strong>ferno sacrifice without a philosopher," which is tosay, a Druid: and Strabo so expresses it,aflirming,that " <strong>the</strong>y never sacrifice without <strong>the</strong>Druids §."This unanswerable pro<strong>of</strong> being pre-* Illi rebus diTinis intersunt, sacrificia publica ac privata procurant,religionesinterprctantur.De Bello GaJUco^llh. d.cap. 12.+ Administrisque ad ea sacrificia Druidibus utuntur. lljicJ,) e6cc i'^tfciToic t

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