Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Celtic Review, Vol. 5: July 1908 to April 1909
The Druids were philosophers and teachers of youth. They gave not only lessons in theology and mythology but also spoke much about the course of the stars, about the nature of all things, and the magnitude of the universe.
From all the ethical doctrines of the Druids nothing but a single sentence is preserved (diogen. Laert., proem To be pious against the gods, not to do injury to any one, and to practise bravery.' But their first doctrine was, that after death they passed into another body. So strong was this belief among the people, that bargains were even made with the promise to pay them in the future life. The novices had to learn by heart a large number of verses, and some spent twenty years in learning them. Almost nothing is preserved to us from the tradition of the Gaulish Druids, for they were not allowed to put down their teaching in writing. It was otherwise in Ireland. The author of the Yellow Book of Lecan tells us that St. Patrick burnt a hundred and eighty books of the Druids, and that after his example all Christians did the same, till all Druidical books were de stroyed.
The Druids were also soothsayers and assisted at sacrifices.
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