reason and genius? What was this Religion, but a rude and indigested system, wholly compofed of fuperftitious ceremonies, directed by blind fear, without any fixed principles, without a single view for the good of humanity, without rational confolations, which, although in some circumstances it might arreft the hand, wholly abandoned the heart to all its weaknesses ? Who can be afraid of finding among the most savage nations ideas of Religion more disgraceful to human nature, than these? But perhaps the Grecian Mythology may have been studied, in order to discover the origin of many customs still exifting in Europe! It cannot indeed be denied, but that it is often neceffary to recur thither, in order to explain some peculiarities of our manners, of which it is easier to discover the cause, than to afcertain the reafon. But doth not a knowledge of the Religions professed by the ancient Celtic ' and "Gothic' nations lead to discoveries of the same kind, and perhaps to others ftill more interefting? One generation imitates the preceding; the fons inherit their fathers sentiments, and whatever change time may effect, the manners of a nation always retain traces of the opinions profefsed by its first founders. Most of the present nations of Europe derive their origin' either' from the the Celts or Goths,' and the sequel of this work will show, perhaps, that their opinions, however obsolete, still subsist in the effects which they have produced. May not we esteem of this kind (for example) that love and admiration for the profeffion of arms, which was carried among us even to fanaticism, and which for many ages incited the Europeans, mad by system and fierce through a point of honour, to fight, with no other view, but merely for the fake of fighting? May not we refer to this fource, that remarkable attention and respect which the nations of Europe have paid to the fair sex, by which they have been so long the arbiters of glorious actions, the aim and the reward of great exploits, and that they yet enjoy a thoufand advantages which every where else are referved for the men? Can we not explain from these Celtic and Gothic' Religions, how, to the aftonishment of pofterity, judiciary combats and ordeal proofs were admitted by the legislature of all Europe ; and how, even to the present time, the people are still infatuated with a belief of the power of Magicians, Witches, Spirits, and Genii, concealed under the earth or in the waters, &c. ? lous with which our ancestors filled their. Romances, a system of wonders unknown. to the ancient Claffics, and but little investigated even to this day; wherein we fee Dwarfs and Giants, Fairies and Demons acting and directing all the machinery with the most regular conformity to certain characters which they always sustain. 6 What reason then can be affigned, why the study of these ancient Celtic and Gothic Religions' hath been so much neglected? One may, I fancy, be immediately found in the idea conceived of the Celts ' and ' Goths' in general, and especially of the Germans and Scandinavians. They are indiscriminately mentioned under the title of Barbarians, and this word, once spoken, is believed to include the whole that can be faid on the fubject. There cannot be a more commodious method of dispensing with a study, which is not only confidered as not very agreeable, but also as affording but little fatisfaction. Were this term to be admitted in its strictest sense, it should not even then excuse our intire disregard of a people, whose exploits and institutions make so confiderable a figure in our history. But ought they, after all, to be represented as a troop of favages, barely of a human form, ravaging and destroying by mere brutal instinct, and totally devoid of all notions of religion, religion, policy, virtue and decorum? Is this the idea Tacitus gives us of them, who, though born and educated in ancient Rome, professed that in many things ancient Germany was the object of his admiration and envy. I will not deny but that they were very far from poffeffing that politeness, knowledge and taste which excite us to search with an earnestness almost childish, amid the wrecks, of what by way of excellence, we call ANTIQUITY; but allowing this its full value, must we carry it fo high, as to refuse to bestow the least attention on another kind of Antiquities; which may, if you please, be called Barbarous, but to which our manners, laws and governments perpetually refer ? The study of the antient Celtic ' and 'Gothic' Religions hath not only appeared devoid of bloffoms and of fruits; it hath been supposed to be replete with difficulties of every kind. The Celtic Religion, it is well known, forbad its followers to divulge its mysteries in writing *, and this prohibition, dictated either by ignorance or by idleness, has but too well taken effect. The glimmering rays faintly scattered among * So Cæfar relates of the British Druids, " Neque fas effe existimant ea " (Carmina fcil.) Litteris "mandare."--De Bell. Gall. lib. 6. 13. the the writings of the Greeks and Romans, have been believed to be the fole guides in this enquiry, and from thence naturally arose a distaste towards it. Indeed, to say nothing of the difficulty of uniting, correcting and reconciling the different passages of ancient authors, it is well known that mankind are in no instance so little inclined to do justice to one another, as in what regards any difference of Religion. And what fatisfaction can a lover of truth find in a course of reading wherein ignorance and partiality appear in every line ? Readers who require folid information and exact ideas, will meet with little fatisfaction from these Greek and Roman authors, however celebrated. Divers circumstances may create an allowed prejudice againft them. We find that those nations who pique themselves most on their knowledge and politeness, are generally those, who entertain the falsest and most injurious notions of foreigners. Dazzled with their own splendor, and totally taken up with felf-contemplation, they easily perfuade themselves, that they are the only fource of every thing good and great. To this we may attribute that habit of referring every thing to their own manners and customs which anciently characterized the Greeks and Romans, and caused them to find ‡ |