, 1874-08-10

/ L.. London correspondent Of the Edinburg
scotsman, writing undor recent date, says:
formed of remarkable spootaclo that waH Wit;
messed on nidsunmors morning ut Stona-
hcngo. am not aware that in airy work on
these megalitAio circles ia roforence made,
however remotely, to What am now about to
mentlon. On the morning in question d party
Of AmericanB,. Who had left London. for the
pnrnoso, vlsitod 6tonoleuga for the purpose OF
witnessing tho sunrise on this particular morn
Ing. They % wero not littlo sqrprisea to ilul
to thenselyeu, as they Ind oxpootod,
countryside, principally belonging. to tho
poorer classos, woro already assou,bIed on tho
spot. Inquiries falod to elicit any iuteligiblo
reason for thus extraordinary early turnout Of
tho population, except tnia, that tradition,
which t,hd tricklctl down through my number
OF generations, told thom that at 6toneheugo
something, unusual was to 10 seen at HunrlBo on
tho morning at the summer eolst!ce. This
pieco Of rustic Information put my informant,
who 10 OF an antiquarian turn Of mind, OH tho
qui yiyo. stonehengo may roughly be de-
ecribodas composing Hoven-oighthB Of q circle,
from tho opon oudB Of which there r1uu cast
ward an ayenue having hugo upright stoucs Oh
lsIo eithor ado. At somo distauce beyond this
axsne gs sasrs II ro1t sf"n. line th It's centre
in front OF which, but at q considerable
distance. ~ an emiuonce or III l. Tho
point Of ebsorvntion chosen by tho excur-
dtou NY hae tuo btolo khul6 OF altaf near tho
hcad Of and within the cirolo directly looking
down the aYenuo. The morning was unfayor-
able. but fortunately just Oh the sun was be-
ginning to appear over the top OF the hill, tic
n'ista disappeared, and then fol few moments
tho onlookors stood amazed at the phenomenon
presented to viow.. While it lasted, the nr,n,
like an Immense bail, appeared actually to rest
on tho isolated stone OF which uontion ias
been nRdo Or, to quote tho quaint though pro-
enic description Of ona present. it was like d
huge pudding placed on the top of tho stone L
Another very important fact mentioned by MI
etdorly gentleman who hnd resided for many
yenrs In tho nolghborhood, was that ut tho sot-
ting Of tho sun at the winter solstice similar
pl'anomonon was observable in the direction Of
certain other etonoH to tho westward,
Here. then, is the very remarkable fact
that tho. axis Of tho avonuo of Stoueheuge
accurately comedies with tho ann's rising at Lie
summer aoIstico, and TINT another lino laid
down In tho arrangement Of tho etonos ooin-
cidos with tho setting sun at tic winter Hol-
at1co. Unloas it ia conceivable that this nice
oriontation is the result Of chanoo-whicL
would be hard to believe-she inforonoo ia iug. |
tttiable that tho builders Of stonehengo aud
other rude stone monuments Of d like descrin-
tlon had special design or object In vow in
erecting these oromlochs or circles, OF What
that thoy arc really the manifestations OF the
baaliato or sun worship profossed by tho early
inhabitants Of Groat Britain, 3 BpecioB Of idol
atry at ono time also universal in ireland, aud
to which tho round towers Of that ' country W
amply testify. This, Of course, il returning to
tho opinion originally entertained M to tho uao
and purposes OF those carly mid widely -scatter-
etl monuments, and Ia at total variance with the
opinion OF so groat an authority as hlr. James
Ferguson, who, in Lis work entitled s.Rudo
Stone Monumenta in all Countries and Ages"
dtsposes alike Of tho geologic antiquarian theory
Which c0nBlderH these stone monuments as All
ovidouoo Of the progressive development Of man
from wrtnlcyal sayage1ola, ~ we'll as TINT which
aacrlbed thr origin to tho Druids, whose temples
thoy were supposed to be. It, according TO Mr.
phies Of victurios, and set up Ly people wholiye.
tn the ycEy darkest epoch Of onr Listory-yiz.:
from 400 A. D. to 900 a. D.--not Tie leaBt
extraordinary characteristic, then, which Stone.
hongo possossoa is tlo marvellous precision
OF its oriontatlon. Ono cannot help wondering
how ind der sueh circumstances, this could hayo
happened.