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78 THE HISTORYliad the particular inspection of morals, but Cicero,who was well acquainted with one of the primeDruids, remarks, that their predictions were asmuch grounded on conjecture*, as on the rulesof augury: both equally fortuitous and fallacious.For the saying of Euripides will ever hold true,that the best gtiesser is the best prophet ]\ He thatis nearly acquainted with the state of affairs, thatunderstands the spring of human actions, and,that judiciously allowing for circumstances, comparestlie present time with the past: he, I say,will make a shrewd guess at the future. By thistime, my lord, you begin to perceive what is to bethe subject of the history I intend to write;which, tho" a piece of general learning and greatcuriosity, yet I shall make it ray business so todigest, as to render it no less entertaining thaninstructive to all sorts of readers, without exceptingthe ladies, who are pretty much concern d inthis matter; throwing, as I told you before, all mycritical observations, and disquisitions aboutwords, into the margin, or the dissertation annextto the history. As to what I say of the ladiesSo are Drusi, Drushles^ and Drusiades for Druides: as likewiseVardi, from the British and Irish oblique cases of Bard.*Siquidem & in Gallia Druides sunt, c quibus ipse DivitiajiumAeduum, hospitem tuum laudatoremque, cognovi (inquit Quin.tas) qui & natur;e rationem, quam physiologiani Gra^ci appellant,iiotam esse sibi profitebatur; & partim Auguriis, partim conjeetura,quae essent futura dicebat, Dc Dhinct^ lib, I. cap, 41.