The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-02-23
The Ancient Druids.

InC AuClCut DIuluSs
Unfortunately, but few particulars of
such rites have come down to Us,
though we learn from the sixth book of
Caesar s Commentaries good deal
about Druidical privileges. These an
cient Britons of the sacerdotal class
did not pay taxes like the rest of the
community, one reason which might be
urged in favor of revival, objection
able on other grounds. They are said
TO have preferred committing to
memory long strings of verses to EN-
gazing in the frequent eomhats of The
period, and, with the exception OF IL
taste for baking their fellow-creature5
in wicker ovens, were of n mild and
gentle disposition. According to the
great Roman warrior historian, num-
bers of young men were in the habit
of resorting to them for instruction,
and it may be, to avoid the unwel-
come attentions of the early British
taX-gatherer. When the arch-Druid
died the most popular of his followers
succeeded him, provided any one in
dividual had won the hearts both of
teachers and taught: otherwise the
Office was put up to election, and the
Druid who headed the poll became
President, and marched in front of the
procession of mistletoe-cutters, each
armed with his upright Ratchet of
brass. According to Stukeley's me
dallic History of Garausias," the 'most
respectable festival OF the Druids was
called Yule-tide, when mistletoe, which
they named all-heal. was carried in
their hands and laid ON their affairs as
an emblem of the salutiferous advent
of Messiah" The procession of
Druds and bards, armed with their
golden sickles, must have been pretty
sight.
In Hitchins History of Cornwalr'
there is the story of farmer who had
the misfortune to lose large number
of cattle by disease and from other
causes. Finding the local farriers UNI
able to cope with the malady, he be-
thought him of an ancient tradition, of
which he had heard in his youth, as
! having been handed down from genera
ton to generation in the district Con-
! sulting with his ignorant neighbors, he
and they agreed that the only way to
stop the calamity would be by the
burnt-otlering of his best beast. This
stupid old rustic gathered his friends
and acquaintances together one day.
They lighted big fire, and laying hold
of the finest calf on the farm, drove it
into the midst sof the flames. Armed
with pitchforks, they prodded the poor
tortured beast every time he tried vain
~ to escape from the fire. I'm this
state" writes the historian, amidst
the wounds of pixies, the shouts of I'M
feeling ignorance and cruelty, and the
corrosion of flames, the dying victim
poured out its expiring groan, and was
consumed to ashes 1t is scarcely pos
sible to reflect on this instance of super
stitious barbarity without tracing a
kind of resemblance between it and the
ancient sacrifices of the Druds y
The old Halloween bonfire festivities
of Perthshire were clearly. derived from
Druidical customs. The people used
: to make fagots of heath and broom
tied round with flax. A man would
take one of these torches fixed to pole,
and carry it alight round the village.
When it burned out another would be
in readiness, and sometimes a number
of men walked or ran in torch7light
procession. In the same county, on
All Saints eve bontires were burned in
! every village, and the ashes gathered
; together and sprinkled on the grouno
in form of n circle. Then every one
: concerned in making the bonfire places
"a stone in the center of the circle, and
t all 90 home to bed. Next morning they
. are up betimes to see if anything ha'
3 happened, and should it be found tina
5 one or more of the stones is injured OF
4 out of place, he who may be called thu
owner of the stone is always surprised
4 though seldom annoyed, to find him
a self alive and well next All Saints eve
Y To fulfill the superstition properly HI
| should be dead and buried. Now every
/. one who knows anything about thu
: manners and customs of the ancien
e Druids-which no one does--will agrel
: that the custom is mapifestly of Druid
n ical descent. London Telegraph.
a During the year 1882 PIP deaths oc
+ cu,Ted in North Admins, Mass. Tn