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Margaet.—You
have mentioned Druids once or twice, what were they really? They
were said to have brought magical charms to the struggle of Conor
with the sons of Uisnach.
O'Keefe.—Your
question brings up long disputes. There are some that speak as if
there never were Druids, as if they were a class conjured up by the
imagination of a few men to whose reveries C2esar gave heed, adding
his own. Nobody uses quite this language, but there is in England an
inclination to depreciate Druids, and men have run to extremes. It
is a wave of commonplace to which there is a desire to reduce all
ages. You have great difficulty in causing ignorant or loutish
persons to believe anything, they always know so much better than a
well-taught man, who is, of course, wider in knowledge, sympathy,
and receptive power, and sees the possible more easily. The most
common of all scepticism is narrowness of view. All must, on serious
thought, allow Druids to have existed somewhere. We cannot
contradict Caesar when, after careful inquiries, he fixes their
principal seat, or, at least, an important seat, in Britain. He may
make mistakes, but he cannot be altogether wrong on the whole
question. The difficulty, however, is great when we attempt to
connect the Druids with modern times and visible remains. Some
authors have decided on seeing remains of temples; they say, and
reasonably, that such an important body would have buildings. It is
difficult to contradict this, but what buildings there were is a
point on which we have simply no information. There were men who
wished to make every cromlech, dolmen, cat-stone, or stone circle, a
llruidical remnant, and perhaps some still remain, and the idea has,
to a great extent, gone into the language, but we know for a
certainty that memorials of burials are the chief object of the
first one, and of nearly all the only object apparently. The
cat-stone means a battle stone, and the stone circle surrounds the
dead. Are there any cases of exception such as Stonehenge or
Callernish? I am quite disposed to think that, for the larger, there
must have been more intentions in the mind of the builders than
commemoration of the dead: the worship of stones was simply the
worship of images before artistic talent was developed. A child puts
down a stone and calls it a house, and idols do not require Greek
art. The story of Crom Cruach and the circle of gods in the
Kjalnesinga Saga have been mentioned, besides many facts known to
rude authentic story, but notwithstanding probability and this
amount of tradition or folk-saws, we must keep to the point that we
arc not authoritatively informed of any existing building, or even
of one solitary existing stone, connected with Druidism. We are
told, but only by later writers, that sacrifices were offered on the
cromlech or flat dolmens. There seems no proof of any such being
made on tombs, although abundant proof that they were made at the
death of important individuals, and perhaps on the stones. The habit
remains in the world. The Suttee is scarcely extinguished, and in
Central Africa worse habits are by no means worn out, whilst the
blood stone is mentioned in Icelandic Sagas, and sacrifices entail
burials as matter of course. Still we know of no Druids in Iceland,
and we are unable to connect the blood stones with remains in this
country and with the Druids.
It is quite certain
that this country has not been free from the sacrificial phase of
thought, and it is unlikely that the inhabitants have always been so
tender-hearted as to confine the act of sacrifice to the lower
animals, and I am quite willing to connect Druids and bloody rites
as Caesar has connected them. The early inhabitants of this island
were never gentle—carelessness of life causing slaughter and
cruelty, along with a wild enthusiasm and romance, growing into
poetry, is the view in the distance, and in some parts it has come
as far as the memory of early tradition. I never reject anything
because it seems too foolish or too horrible for man to do or to
think, but as I reject the idea that Britain was ever the land to
which spirits invisible, but heavy enough to weigh down a vessel,
were conveyed from the Continent, so I am unwilling to believe in
the great advancement of the Druids of Britain in science or in
thought generally. Still there may have been a band of men with a
peculiar advance in a certain civilization, men different from the
ordinary inhabitants, and capable of ruling to some extent, by their
mysterious habits and greater knowledge. Such a band is rarely
wanting in the most savage country, The system of the Druids has
been so often talked of by later writers that we all have heard
something about the opinions, and many references exist in early
authors to confirm the belief in a widely spread band of this
peculiar people.
But we are making a
Highland holiday, and we shall not go for knowledge to Greece, to
Rome, or to ancient Gaul, and we shall only try to obtain the idea
of Druidism as it existed in traditions decidedly Gaelic, and these
are chiefly from Ireland.
Loudoun.—It is
said that there never were Druids in Scotland. The word is common
enough, but we find no certain organized system of Druidism in
Ireland or Scotland, and no proof of great advance in knowledge
amongst the individuals. We learn, however, that the Druids
frequently rose to great power, and their authority seems to have
wavered along with that of the bards, probably according to the
character of the professing Druid or consulting or maintaining
chief.
O'Keefe.—It is
certainly an old tract that speaks of Cathbar the Druid giving
instructions in Druidism in Emania, and is good evidence, even if
not before the first century. Dathi, a king, is said to have lived
in the fifth century, and to have consulted Doghra, the chief of the
Druids, as to his destiny for a year. By appointment, the king and
nine nobles met the Druid at Rath Archaill, "where the Druid's
altars and idols were," says O'Curry. So I suppose it is in the
original. At the rising of the sun in the morning, the Druid
repaired to the King's bedroom and said, "Art thou asleep, O King of
Erinn and Albain?" "I am not asleep," said the King; "but why have
you made an addition to my titles? for although I have taken the
sovereignty of Erinn I have not yet obtained that of Albain." "Thou
shalt not be long so, for I have consulted the clouds of the men of
Erinn," &c. Here Doghra speaks as a prophet, or rather a
fortune-teller, since the prophecy does not rise high, and was not
even correct ; and it is to be remarked that the Druid takes also
the position of a priest, and it is also as a priest that he is met
by St. Patrick. This account of the king is from the Book of
Leinster. (See O'Curry's Lectures, p. 284.)
Cormac Mac Airt, when
fighting with the King of Munster, consulted his Druids, and they
thought the best way to conquer was to deprive the enemy of water,
and by their spells and incantations they dried up or concealed all
the rivers, lakes, and springs of the district, so that both men and
cattle were dying of thirst all around them. The King of Munster
sent to Dairbrd, now called Valencia, to Moth Ruith, the most famous
Druid of the time, and lie promised relief for a great reward in
land. On the promise being made he shot an arrow into the air,
telling the men of Munster that water would arise wherever the -
arrow should fall. This occurred, and the well is called Ccann Moir,
or the great head. (O'Curry, p. 272.) One of the verses describing a
great house having Druids in it has already been quoted (p. 91).
A mound of the Druids
is spoken of as at Tara.
I have already told
you of Aoife who changed the children of Lir into swans by a
metamorphosing Druidical wand. In the absurd tale "The Fate of the
Children of Tuireann" we find men transformed into hawks in order to
enable them to steal apples from the garden of the Hesperides. The
king's three daughters turned themselves into ospreys and pursued
the hawks into the sea, and also scorched them with lightning, but
Brian struck himself and his two brothers with a Druidical wand and
became swans and went into the sea, and the ospreys went off.
The Druids are said
to have fought hard against St. Patrick, and brought on an intense
darkness for three days and three nights. This was a favourite mode
of attack.
An old life of
Columba mentions that a Druid was his first teacher.
There was an ancient
Irish Druid, said to have lived 600 years B.C., who pronounced
incantations on a wisp of straw or hay, and threw it into the face
of anyone, causing him to dance, run, jump, or flutter about in a
lunatic manner. This mode of performance seems to have been
externally very simple.
We are told of a very
innocent man, Comgan, who became suspected by a Druid, who forthwith
struck him with the grass, over which he had made incantations, and
Comgan was at once covered with blotches, his hair fell off, his
intellect decayed, and he soon became a bald, senseless, and
wandering idiot.
Eithne, Queen of
Cashel, was desirous of obtaining the friendship of the Druid Dill,
who was an enemy to her people the Deisi, and she sent her maid, who
was a daughter of Dill, to offer him presents. "Is it true," said
he, "that you are attached to that hateful Queen Eithne." "It is
true, but I am come to offer you wealth." "I will not accept it.
They are a bad swarm who have planted themselves on the borders of
Cashel, but they shall depart to-morrow. I am preparing
incantations, the Inneoin (a town) shall be burnt to-morrow. I shall
be on the west side of the hill and shall see the smoke; a hornless
red cow shall be sent past them to the west; they shall raise a
universal shout, after which they will fly away, and they shall
never occupy the land again." "Good," said the daughter, "sleep now
when you please." The daughter stole the enchanted straw and gave it
to the queen, who now wanted only a hornless red cow to turn the
destruction on the plotter. One of the Druidesses said that she
would turn into such a cow and be slain, if her children were made
free. This was done; the fire was lighted, the cow passed from the
east and was killed, and the Deisi (Decies or Deasys) were
victorious. Their enemies, the descendants of Bresel Belach, were
called Ossorians (ossairghe, from os, a wild deer). The word Ossory
comes from this (see as before). We can scarcely imagine a wilder
story.
Illumination by the
palms of the hands was an old ceremony performed by a Druid or bard.
He chewed a bit of red flesh of a pig, a dog, or a cat, and retired
with it to bed behind the door, where he pronounced an oration upon
it and offered it to his idols. He was expected to receive
illumination in this state, and if not he placed his two hands on
his two checks and fell asleep. He was watched so as not to be
interrupted, and revelation came in two or three days. (O'Curry and
Sullivan, vol. II., p. 208.)
Brindsley the
engineer went to bed when he had a difficulty.
The power of satire
we have already seen when speaking of the bards. I could tell you of
many more enchantments.
I have told you some
of the. doings of the Druids among the Irish, being very ignorant of
the customs of the Scottish, but I suppose they were both the same.
And now what shall we conclude? 1st, We cannot prove well that the
Druids in Ireland formed a priesthood. 2nd, The words of the old
writers refer to an old worship and idols ; there certainly was a
religion. 3rd, The probability is that either the religion or
Druidical system of Britain and Gaul had either been dimly
represented in the outskirts of the Celtic nation as in Ireland, or
that it had decayed before we hear of it from Irish sources. 4th,
That in its decay it had become a species of wilful deception,
fortune-telling, and witchcraft, with a variety of tricks and
coercion of mind by mysterious words. 5th, That this had engendered
a great variety of superstitions in the people. 6th, That these have
been the foundation of many wild and romantic tales. Druidheachd
means enchantment.
The power of the
Druids in Ireland seems to have arisen partly from the talent of the
individual, partly from the influence of the class. Some were poor,
some rich. Some kings gave heed to the Druids, some not. We do not
see the power of a hierarchy clearly expressed, although there are
traces of it. The result has been that magic is equal to Druidism;
the Druids are sometimes called Magi, and some are said to have
learned their art in the east.
Now comes the
question. During the Roman domination did any breakdown of the
Celtic centres further the introduction of these ideas from Britain
or Gaul? The Romans themselves heard of them as from afar; they
could introduce nothing; but Ireland is so easily approached from
Wales that we require no other reason either in peace or war. A
certain organization of Druids we must allow in Britain: did it come
less organized to Ireland? The question as to the time of
introduction even of the slight waves is left to conjecture. It is
probable that the Druids passed very early, and would find in
Ireland an excitable people ready to receive impressions, but not to
organize, either from difference of character or because the amount
of knowledge that passed over was insufficient for a profound
impression. If we do allow a regular organization, we cannot believe
that an esprit de corps could be wanting.
Loudoun.—If we
examine the literature of Ireland and of Wales we find a remarkable
difference. It is probable that the earliest books of both countries
are of nearly equal age, and yet it is impossible to avoid observing
that each proceeds from quite independent portions of the mind; the
initial object is different, and the mode of carrying out the ideas
is different, notwithstanding many points of similarity. To one not
familiar with the originals of either Welsh or Irish it is still
easy to judge of style of thought. The Welsh is sentimental, often
melancholy, metaphysical, and religious. There is great mysticism,
which shows itself in the indefinite descriptions, so that one does
not know the places referred to, one can scarcely understand what is
meant to be described, and the similes also are often beyond
comprehension. The Irish writings are very clear; they treat of
events and are full of rapid action, minute description of persons,
and very exact accounts of houses. There is little sentiment, little
religion, and no metaphysics or mysticism, although there is an
unbounded exaggeration and tendency to turn the most common events
into romance. This exaggeration would require a long lecture to
explain, so I will not attempt it. The fundamental feeling that one
meets is not Christian, devoted as the Irish churchmen were; we see
a perfectly independent, or, as one may say, a perfectly heathen
character of thought and motive of action. This is speaking outside
of the avowedly ecclesiastical literature, and where we might have
expected to see more than we do of the influence of clerical and
Christian thought. The activity of the Irish did, however, show
itself among those who entered the Church to such an extent that
they can speak of their labours over that continent itself which
sent them missionaries, and no more earnest men have been found in
the world than the preachers and saints of Ireland. The severance of
the usual literature from the Church literature is, however,
remarkable, and makes me believe that the great body of the people
were ruled by traditions and habits of life begun before
Christianity entered the island, and that the devotees and preachers
were a class very much separated in life as well as in
feeling—perhaps a different tribe, race, or mixture. It is
marvellous how different from us may be the men who live next us;
and savages exist still in England, how much more readily in a
country difficult of access. I knew a small cottage, three miles
from one of the greatest cities in England, where a man and his wife
had lived till they were seventy years old, and they had only twice
been in the town.
O'Keefe.—You
seem to be defending the idea that Druidical learning may have long
existed, and pre-Christian ideas have ruled the Gaelic literature of
Ireland.
Loudoun.—Not
learning, so far as I know, but ideas. If in Ireland how much more
in Wales, a seat of Druidism. It seems to have tinctured the Welsh
mind, and one probably sees it in the Welsh character still, being
as peculiar as the fine bodily activity and liveliness of spirit in
Ireland. The present people are like the ancient, and the groundwork
of their minds is the same. The Welsh boys at Holyhead, a port of
entrance, are still afraid, or were lately, of the Gwyddel or Irish,
being a remembrance of differences in olden time.
O'Keefe.—But
surely Christianity had driven out all the previous religion long
before the existence of most of the writings, even the oldest, of
our country.
Loudoun.—This
is fancy. Our lowest superstitions refuse to be driven out for
generations, and we keep them now in the most learned society. The
only way to drive the effects of Druidism out of England was to
drive out the population. This has been done greatly, and even there
some of its fancies remain. No - wonder greater than this exists in
Wales where the strange Neo-Druidism has arisen. In its attempts at
restoration I fear the fragments of Druidism were found too broken
to lead to any success, and the earliest writings we have may
contain as little of the really ancient Druidical ideas as the
present, all three, however, having a similar psychological
character. If the moderns had allowed us to seek the remnants as
chance left them, we should have had more promising results, but
when new ideas attach to the old a restoration becomes hopeless. We
may expect only to see some pieces as of broken statues found among
broken bricks, and cemented together to make a modern wall, as in
Rome. I do not, therefore, draw any of my inferences from anything
said by the professed modern Druids further than this, that the
literature shows a mind allied to that which produced the earliest
Welsh remains and probably early Druidism.
We may as well remark
also that this difference in the Briton and the Gael shows how
different people may be who are still called Celts. The difference
is in body and mind, and clearly explains the hopelessness of the
attempt, so fashionable of late, to make all the Celts to be the
same ; much less hopeful is the effort of that school that makes the
same people of Celts and Germans.
Well, men may laugh
or rave about Druids, but I conclude that their history has not been
written, and if you read Frickius and the Irish writings, you may
leave out almost all the rest.
The word Druid and
its compounds occur abundantly in Gaelic; and the Druidical ideas as
held by the Gael, if the witchcraft alluded to is worthy of the name
of ideas, tincture all their superstitions. |
