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64 THE HISTORYbe as slenderly grounded as that of the Druids,if their miracles be as fictitious and fraudulent, iftheir love of riches be as immoderate, if their thirstafter power be as insatiable, and their exercise ofit be as partial and tyrannical over the laity, thenI am not only content they should be touched,whether I thought of them or not, but that theyshould be blasted too, without the possibility ofever sprouting up again. For truth will but shinethe brighter, the better its counterfeits are shewn:and all that I can do to shew my candour is, toleave the reader to make such applications himself,seldom making any for him; since he that isneither clear-sighted, nor quick enough of conception,to do so, may to as good purpose read theFairi/ Talcs as this history.YI. Besides this impartial disposition, the competentknowledge I have of the northern languages,dead and living, (though I shall prove that noDruids, except such as towards their latter endfled thither for refuge, or that went before withCeltic invaders or colonies, were ever among theGothic nations) I say, these languages will not alittle contribute to the perfection of my work, fora reason that may with more advantage appear inthe book itself. But the knowledge of the ancientIrish, which I learnt from my childhood, and ofthe other Celtic dialects, in allwhich I have printedbooks or manuscripts (not to speak of theirvulgar traditions), is absolutely necessary, these