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

:OF THE DRUIDS. 197wards invented from the mere sound) becauseCronos, or Saturn, was inchanted in Ogygia, aniland west of Britain ;which is fabulously reportedby Plutarch* and other writers, who have hithertobeen inconsiderately follow'd by every body.wonder they do not affirm after them, since theymay do so with equal reason, that some of thewest and north Brittish ilands are possest by heroesand departed souls f The northern sea, even.before one comes to the icy part, and perhapsmost properly, may be term'd slow and dead, byreason of the Rousts, or meetings of contrarytides;whose conflict is sometimes so equal, thafethey are a great impediment to the boat or ship'»way: nay somtimes, tho' under sail, they can makeno way at all; but, are very often impetuouslywhirl'd round, and now and then quite swallow'dup. This kind of shipwrack is no less naturallythan elegantly describ'd by Virgil, when he relatesthe fate of Orontes who commanded a ship underEneasTpsius ante oculos ingens a vertice pontusIn puppim ferit;Volvitur in caput:excutitur, pronusque magisttrast illam ter fluctus ibidemTorquet agens circum, et rapidus Torat aequore TorteJ.Ann. lib. \,^ De facie in orbs Lunce: de Defectu Oraculor, Videudi«tiam Orpheus in Argotiauticis, Plinius, Soliaus, Isaaclus Tzetzesin Lycophronis Alexandrani, &c.+ lidem consulendi, quor m in Annotatione pragcedenti m^niio:nee noa in Iloratii Eoodam 16 commentantes legendi.KbI