Irish Druids and Old Irish Religions

34 Irish Druids,
The mystical, but accomplished, Massey tell us, ''An
Irish name for Druidism is MaitJiis, and that includes the
Egyptian dual Thoth called Mati, which, applied to time, is
the Terin or two Times at the base of all reckoning"
" likely that the Druidic name is a modified form of Tru-
Hut.''— " In Egypt TeriU signifies the two times and before,
so the Druidic science included the knowledge of the times
beforehand, the coming times."
Toland, one of the earliest and most philosophical
Irish writers on this subject, thus spoke of them in his
History of the Druids—'' who were so prevalent in Ireland,
that to this hour their ordinary word for magician is
Druid (Drai), the art magic is called Druidity (Druidheacht),
and the wand, which was one of the badges of the
profession, the rod of Druidism (Slatnan Druidheacht)."
Windele, in Kilkenny records, expressed this view :—
" Druidism was an artfully contrived system of elaborate
fraud and imposture. To them was entrusted the charge
of religion, jurisprudence, and medicine. They certainly
well studied
the book of Nature, were acquainted with the
marvels of natural magic, the proportions of plants and
herbs, and what of astronomy was then known ; they may
even have been skilled in mesmerism and biology." He
thought that to the Druid " exclusively were known all
the
occult virtues of the whole materia viedica, and to him
belonged the carefully elaborated machinery of oracles,
omens, auguries, aeromancy, fascinations, exorcisms, dream
interpretations and visions, astrology, palmistry, &c."
As this may demand too much from our faith, we may
remember, as Canon Bourke says, that " the youth of these
countries have been taught to regard
the Pagan Druids as
educated savages, whereas they had the same opportunity
of acquiring knowledge, and had really possessed as much
as the Pagans of the Peloponnesus." We should further