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7723 Antzquztzet of I R E L A N D. 125'
But the Druid: thought it unlawful to commit their Myfteries to writintr in
any way whatfoever; but as they were handed down to them by Tradiiiion
from their Anceftors, fo they left them in like Manner to their Pollerity
Such kind of Tradition the Jews called by the Name of Crzbbala . though in:
deed their vain Cabalz]Iiml Art was far from being a Caabaizz -, for’ it co,‘.’med
of the Numbers and Tranfpolitions of Letters (like a Riddle) the Inverlion of
Words, Allulions, ambiguous Speeches, and e uivocallixprefiion-s. Cajzvr and
Diodoru: Simlzls afcribe the Opinion of :2 pyl zzgariml Yraizfnzigraliolz of Soul;
after Death to the Druidiml Seft. Lumn (k) mentions their D051,-inc of E
fecond long Life, and another World, but has not one VVord of this Pythae
gorical Opinion of the Metempfycolis or Tranfmigration of Souls.
‘ Volzix aufiaribus urnbrze
Non tarilas Erebi hdes, Ditzfque profumii
Pallidzz regmz petum‘: Regit idem Spirim: arlur
Orbe alia, lmzgze, Ctznitis W cognita, 'vz'ta:
Mar: Media eji
If dying Mortals dooms they ling aright,
No Ghofts defcend to dwell in dreadful Night.‘
No parting Souls to grifly Pluto ‘go,
Nor feek the dreary lilent Shades below:
But forth they fly immortal in their kind,
And other Bodies in new VVor1ds they find.
Thus Life for ever runs its endlefs race,
And, like a Line, Death but divides the Space,
A Step, which can but for a Moment lalt,
A Point between the Future and the pail‘. Rowe.‘
With whom agree Pomponiu: Mela (I), and Ammianus Marcellinur (m). Lalily
the Drz1idJ computed their Time by the Courfe of the Moon, and not by
the Revolutions of the Sun; as is manifelt from 1’lin.)-(n). '
SECT. III. E are come now to the Bums. They were P01: Ts, as appears
from Slrabo (0), and according to Pompeiu: Fejlus, a Bard in the
Gaulzfb Language (ignilies “ Cantorem, a Singer, who celebrates in Verfe the Praifes
“ and Exploits ofvaliant Men.” Diodoru: Siculus (17) calls a Bard Fafiorem Canti-
anum,s- a Maker of Songs, ' and Lawn, (4) gives him the Appellation of a
Port or Prophet.
Va: qurque qui forte: .4m'ma:, ielloque peremptos,
Laudibu: in longum, water, dimittiti: aewzm,
Plurima jkcuri fudijiis Carmina Bzzrdi.
You too, ye Bards, whom facred Raptures fire, -
To chaunt your Heroes to your Countries Lyre,
Who confecrate in your immortal Strain,
Brave Patriot’s Souls in righteou’s Battles [lain ;
Securely now the tuneful Talk renew, 9 .
And nobleit Themes in deathlefs Songs purfue. ROWE-
[Thefe Bard: were in high Efteem among the antient Irzjb, and called Filed,’
and Fear-Dana. They had great Immunities, and Seats and Suffrages in the ge-
neral Conventions of the State, together with Revenues allotted fig! their
upport
u) Lib. -. 1 Lib. . . ; gm) Lib. :5: ('2) Lib: .t7.Cap-195.1‘
I’) Geozr-‘W 4- ( ) (2) I3-iii;-as’-2 .. (7) I:“’- 1:
yot. II,’ ' I I