others must determine: "If I come to the green plain of t boar, he will compose, he will decompose, he will form language the strong-handed darter of light is he styled." The studies and mode of living adopted by the Druids do no considerably differ from those pursued by the Brahmănas. Bot Cæsar and Plutarch observe, that they cast into the pile at thei funerals, every thing in which the deceased delighted; that no merely brute animals formed a part, but that favorite servants slaves, and even near relatives, cast themselves into the flames, in hopes of being happy with them hereafter.. The Indian paralle is sufficiently known; and Herodotus affirms of the Thracians, ἔχει γυναῖκας ἕκαστος πολλὰς, ἐπεὰν ὧν τὶς αὐτέων ἀποθάνῃ, κρίσις γίνεται μεγίστη γυναικῶν, καὶ φίλων σπουδαὶ ἰσχυραὶ περὶ τοῦδε, ἥτις αὐτέων ἐφίλετο μάλιστα ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρός; ἡ δ ̓ ἂν κρίθῃ καὶ τιμήθῃ ἐγκωμιασθεῖσα ὑπό τε ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναίκων, σφάζεται ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ὑπὸ τοῦ οἰκηϊοτάτου ἑαυτῆς· σφαχθεῖσα δὲ συνθάπτεται τῷ ἀνδρί· αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι συμφορὴν μετ γάλην ποιεῦνται· ὀνεῖδος γάρ σφι τοῦτο μέγιστον γίνεται. This naturally brings back to our recollection the Inferiæ of the classic writers; and Procopius remarks, that the same practice prevailed among the Germans: Tacitus, however, says of them: "Funerum nulla ambitio: id solum observatur, ut corpora clarorum virorum certis lignis crementur. Struem rogi nec vestibus nec odoribus cumulant: sua cuique arma, quorundam igni et equus adjicitur: sepulchrum cespes erigit." Brotier observes that the funeral of Childeric, king of the Franks, was such; and the same custom is recorded of the Scythians. Pietro Martire asserts, that the servants and familiar friends, amongst the savage Indians, are frequently buried alive at their funerals; and Oviedo in "su Relacion sumaria de la Historia Natural de las Indias" declares, that many killed themselves at the death of the cacique of their province; and that it is usual to bury their effects with them, and those things in which they mostly delighted. Thus, with the pagan Arabs, the camel was a victim to his deceased master, being intended by the survivors to transport him to the other world. In the magic rod of the Druids, we discern the sacred staff of the Brahmănas :-both possessed consecrated beads, both made almost endless lustrations, both wore linen tiaras; and Mr. Maurice remarks, that the circle, Brahma's symbol, and the crescent, that of Siva, were both Druidical ornaments. For their vices corresponding with those of ancient Persia, and other eastern countries, we must refer the inquirer to Aristotle, Athenæus, Theodoret, Strabo, Plato, and Cæsar. The transmigration of the human soul from one body to another, through different stages of existence, appears to have been, at one time, received by the greatest proportion of mankind. Diodorus "As throwing aside his old garments, Go to other newer animals." 1 In the Puránas, the cessation from transmigration is denominated true knowledge, beatitude, and absorption into the Divine Essence; for, when a person is re-united to the Supreme Being, he is never born again; for which reason, the Ascetics exercise themselves in long Tapasya, and those (as Capt. Wilford observes) who worship the Deity at Ro'DANA-STHANA, enjoy heavenly bliss, without being subject to any future transmigration. The Metempsychosis expresses the immortality of the soul ἐν παραβολῇ ; and the following curious translation of Colebrooke shows one meritorious way of obtaining release from it: "As the snakebearer forcibly drags the serpent from his earth, so bearing her husband from hell, she (the faithful widow, who burns herself,) shall enjoy heavenly bliss:" i. e. MUCTI, subject to no future transmigration. The Druids conceive the soul to be a lapsed intelligence, and since the extremity of ANNWN is the lowest point of existence, the soul, to regain its former state, was forced to pass through all the intermediate; and many of the Druidical ideas on this subjec wonderfully accord with those of Védantis and Sufis, who conceive, that human souls differ in degree in infinitum, but not at all in kind, from the Divine Spirit, of which (to use Sir Wm. Jones's words) they are particles, and in which they will ultimately be absorbed. We read in one of the Triads, that "the soul is an inconceivably minute particle of most refined matter, necessarily endued with life, and never dies: but at the dissolution of one body it passes into another, either higher or lower in the scale of existence." The Brahminical ideas on this subject are of the same nature, excepting, that nothing material is imputed to the sout: Atman (the soul) proceeded from God by emanation, wherefore BRAHM, as the source of all things, is named Mahan Atma, the great soul. The Egyptians maintained corresponding doctrines; the Egyptian Theonoe, according to Euripides, averred, that the soul, (Nous) γνώμην δ ̓ ἔχει ̓Αθάνατον, εἰς ἀθάνατον αἰθές ̓ ἐμπεσών. The transmigration of souls was connected with the oxy xóoμou, more or less, as is evident from the 6th neis of Virgil, and in the accounts of that infinite spirit, whom they denominated plàs HW, and Kvoüçı, XHÓTчI, or 15 HOTчI, the same sentiments may clearly be traced. Closely connected with this branch of our disquisition, are the following Triads : "There are three circles for states of existence; the circle of infinity, where there is nothing but God, of living or dead, and none but God can traverse it; the circle of inchoation, where all things are by nature derived from death; this circle has been traversed by man and the circle of felicity, where all things spring from life; this, man shall traverse in heaven. Animated beings have three states of existence; that of inchoation in the great "Et vos, barbaricos ritus, moremque sinistrum Pallida regna petunt; regit idem Spiritus Artus Mors media est," &c. &c. &c. &c. From some of the Triads translated by Mr. Edward Williams, it appears, that they had some obscure ideas of a future judg ment and the FLACHAMNA, or heaven of heavens, of the Irish Druids, floating in NEAMHAGAS, answers to that of the TRIMURTTI, which floats in AKASS, or celestial æther. Mr. More's Hindu Pantheon will furnish numerous resemblances among the Indians, the Greek writers among the Egyptians, and the Edda amongst the Gothic tribes; the Celta, particularly, believed that warlike exploits were a sure title to future happiness, as Pelloutier well observes: "Aussi, lorsque les Irlandaises étaient accouchées d'un fils, priaient-elles Dieu, qu'il fît la grâce à cet enfant de mourir à la guerre, et les armes à la main.” 62 PERSII SATIRE. "Persius" [ed. Rob. Steph. Lut. M.D.XLIIII.] "collatus est cum codice MSto, annorum 300, in bibliotheca Regia, Londini. 25. Sulfure: Sulpure 36. Nunc Licini in: Tunc L. i. 41. Poscis opem :-cit opem 52. incusaque pingui: incussaque pingui e 53. sudes, et pectore: sudas e. p. 54. Excutias guttas, lætari prætrepidum: Excuties g. 1. per trepidum 55. auro sacras quod : sacras auro quod 58. fitque illis aurea: sitque illis aurea 69. in sacro quid in sco quid SATIRA TERTIA. 10. bicolor positis: positis bicolor 12. Tunc querimur: nunc queritur 14. Dilutas querimur: Dilutas queritur 16. teneroque columbo,: teneroque palumbo |