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

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NOTES. 313eeption. mutilated and injured. I have examined above fiftyDruidical temples, but never found one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m in all respectsintire. This is easy to be accounted for. The temples beingdedicated to <strong>the</strong> purposes <strong>of</strong> religion, fell a sacrifice to tbe persecutingfary <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Romans, and <strong>the</strong> blind zeal <strong>of</strong> christians.In <strong>the</strong> south <strong>of</strong> Scotland, where <strong>the</strong> religious circles are denomi,nated Kills or Temples, <strong>the</strong> judicial circles are iJenominatedGirths, These Girths are numerous, such as Auld Girth, AppleGirth, Tunder Girth, Girthon, Girthhead, &c. &c. In <strong>the</strong> Hebrides<strong>the</strong>se Girths are still more numerous, and <strong>the</strong> traditionrespecting <strong>the</strong>m is, that people resorted to <strong>the</strong>m for justice, andthat <strong>the</strong>y served nearly <strong>the</strong> same purpose among <strong>the</strong> Celts, that<strong>the</strong> cities <strong>of</strong> refuge did among <strong>the</strong> Jews. In all stages <strong>of</strong> society,but more so in a savage state, man is prone to avenge his owawrongs; and we cannot sufficiently admire <strong>the</strong> address <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Druids, who appointed <strong>the</strong>se Girths, or judicial circles, in <strong>the</strong>vicinity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir temples, where <strong>the</strong>ir transcendant power wassufficient to protect <strong>the</strong> injured, and check, or overawe <strong>the</strong> mostdaring and powerful.Dr. Smith, in his <strong>History</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Druids, says <strong>the</strong> Highlanderscall <strong>the</strong> rocking stones Clacha Breath— i. e. <strong>the</strong> stones <strong>of</strong> judgment.But this must be a mistake ; for as no two rorkingstones are ever found toge<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> Highlanders would not apply<strong>the</strong> plural Ciacha (stones) to a single stone ; bat as <strong>the</strong> rockingstones formed an appendage to <strong>the</strong> Clacha Breath, or judicialcircles, it is not improbable that <strong>the</strong> Highlanders may have includedboth under this general denomination.In <strong>the</strong> parish <strong>of</strong> CouU <strong>the</strong>re is a judicial circle, which <strong>the</strong>writer <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> statistical account terms Tamnavrie, and translates<strong>the</strong> hill <strong>of</strong> worship. This is ano<strong>the</strong>r striking instance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>folly and absurdity <strong>of</strong> reckoning all <strong>the</strong> Druidical circles places<strong>of</strong> worship. The writer thought he could not err in renderingthis circle <strong>the</strong> hill <strong>of</strong> worship, because all Druidical circles were,according to <strong>the</strong> common opinion, places <strong>of</strong> worship. But th«fact is, <strong>the</strong> real name is Tom.na^vraij, being <strong>the</strong> common pronunciation<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> G-ktWz Tom^na^Bhraith^ which signifies tjiehill

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