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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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:74 THE HISTORY<strong>the</strong> panegyrics <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gallic Bards did not ah\ay.^want wit no more that flattery;and particularlyan instance out <strong>of</strong> A<strong>the</strong>neus, who had it from Pcsidonius<strong>the</strong> stoic, concerning Luernius*, a Gallicprince, extraordinary rich, liberal, and magniiicent.He was <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r <strong>of</strong> that same Bittus, whowas beaten by <strong>the</strong> Romans. Now this Lnernins^saysf my author, ** Having appointed a certain*'****day for a feast, and one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> barbarous poetscoming too late, met him, as he was departing;whereupon he began to sing his praises and to**extol his grandeur, but to lament his own un-***'happy delay. Lueraius being delighted, cairdfor a purse <strong>of</strong> gold, which he threw to him, as**he ran by <strong>the</strong> side <strong>of</strong> his chariot: and he taking*' it up, began to sing again to this purpose; That" out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tracks )iis chariot had plow'd on <strong>the</strong>" oroiuid, sprung up gold and blessings to man-'' kind.'' As some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Gallic Bards were trulyingenious, so were many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m mere quiblersand among <strong>the</strong> bombast <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> British and IrishBards, <strong>the</strong>re want not infinite instances <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> truesublime. Their epigrams were admirable, nor do* Whe<strong>the</strong>r it be Luernius, or as Strabo writes it Luerius, <strong>the</strong>name is frequent ei<strong>the</strong>r way in <strong>the</strong> antientegt Irish writers, asLoarn, and Luire or Luighaire.t A

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