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

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374 NOTES.Gallic students^ "i^ho resorted to Britain for <strong>the</strong> purpose <strong>of</strong> ^lo^secuting <strong>the</strong>ir studies to perfection. Tacitub-^ in his L'tJ'e <strong>of</strong>Agricola^ (cap. 7. adfaiem) gives us a Tery remarkable passagenearly to <strong>the</strong> same effect. Hortari privathn^ adjuvare pubHce,«f templa, fora, domoa exsirverent^ laudundo promptos^ et castugando segncs, iia honoris aemulatio^ pro necessitate erat. Ita^ero principwn filios liheralibus ariihus erudire, et ingenia Bri"tannorum stadiis Gallorum anteferre^ ut qui modolinguain Romanamabnuebant^eloquentiam concupiscerent— i. e. '^ He exhorted<strong>the</strong>m privately, he assisted <strong>the</strong>m publicly to build temples,courts <strong>of</strong> justice, and houses, by praising <strong>the</strong>industrious, andpunishing <strong>the</strong> indolent, and hence necessarily arose an emulationfor honour. He also instructed <strong>the</strong> sons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nobility tothat degree in <strong>the</strong> liberal arts, and made <strong>the</strong>m so far outstrip <strong>the</strong>Gauls in <strong>the</strong>ir studies, that <strong>the</strong>y who lately despised <strong>the</strong> Romanlanguage, were now in raptures with its eloquence." Prior tothis period, <strong>the</strong> Druids inmost relentless rigour.Britain had Tjeen persecuted with <strong>the</strong>The inhabitants, by repeated injuries,bad been exasperated almost even to madness and desperation,Agricola took a different course, and endeavoured to appease<strong>the</strong>m hy conciliatory measures. He protected <strong>the</strong>ir property^and assisted <strong>the</strong>m to rebuild <strong>the</strong>ir houses, and leligious and judUcial circles {Templa et fora) which had been demolished. Hefur<strong>the</strong>r instructed <strong>the</strong> sons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> nobility in <strong>the</strong> liberal arts, andmade <strong>the</strong>m such adepts in <strong>the</strong> Latin language, that <strong>the</strong>y highlyrelished its beauties and elegance.Will even Pinkarton himself£ay that <strong>the</strong>se noble youths were unacquainted with <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong>Jetters? Will he, in <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> so direct a testimony, say that<strong>the</strong> Cells had no temples? Will he deny <strong>the</strong> distinction I havemade <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Druidical circles into (Templa etfora) temples andcourts <strong>of</strong> justice, when he sees this distinction sanctioned byTacitus himself? Will he still insist that <strong>the</strong> Britons were merejilliterate savages, when Tacitus expressly mys-^ingcnia liritaTunovum studiis Gallorum anieferre— i. e. " He made <strong>the</strong> genius<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Britons excel <strong>the</strong> studies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gauls ?'» The evidence<strong>of</strong> Tacitus is in this instance <strong>of</strong> pii»ary weight, as he was pro-

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