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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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OF THE DRUIDS. 137which Hands may be view'd in <strong>the</strong> map <strong>of</strong> Scotland.I must observe on this occasion, that <strong>the</strong>re'sno part <strong>of</strong> our education so difficult to be eradicatedas superstition; which is industriously instill'dinto men from <strong>the</strong>ir cradles by <strong>the</strong>ir nurses,by <strong>the</strong>ir parents, by <strong>the</strong> very servants, by all thatconverse with <strong>the</strong>m, by <strong>the</strong>ir tutors and schoolmasters,by <strong>the</strong> poets, orators, and historians which<strong>the</strong>y read: but more particularly by <strong>the</strong> priests,who in most parts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> world are hir'd to keep<strong>the</strong> people in error, being commonly backed by <strong>the</strong>example and authority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> magistrate. Augurywas formerly one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most universal superstitions,equally practis'd by <strong>the</strong> Greecs and <strong>the</strong> barbarians; certain priests in all nations, pretending,tho' by very contrary rites and observations, tointerpret <strong>the</strong> language, <strong>the</strong> flight, and feeding <strong>of</strong>birds:<strong>of</strong> Apollo *,as Eneas thus addresses Helen <strong>the</strong> priestTrojugena, interpres Divum, qui numina Phoebl,Qui tripodas, Clarii lauros, qui sidera sentis,Et Yolucrum linguas, et praepetis omina pennae.Fare age.Now tocomprehend what deep root superstitiontakes, and how <strong>the</strong> sap keeps alive in <strong>the</strong> stump,ready to sprout forth again, after <strong>the</strong> trunk andbranches have for many ages been cut <strong>of</strong>f; I beg* Virg. AcD. lib. 3.

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