Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-13
DRUIDISM.
The Theory That the Rites Were or
Turanfan Origin.

The Theory That the Rites were OF
Turanian Origin.
From the Gentlemans Magazine. .-..
That the Druldic rites as practiced In
Ireland and Scotland were neither Celtic
nor Semitic but Turan:an in origin, ap'
pears to be highly probable The belief In
Druidism has undergone some violent nue.
tuations. Two hundred years ago 1t was
rampant Toland and his wild theories were
received with open arms. A hundred years
ago a complete reaction set in, and some
critics refused to accept the Druids at any
price: no such organization, they argued
ever existed. In modified degree this Is
the modern attitude, but the modification
ia of some Importance 1t is generally &C
cepted as a settled point that the so-cailed
Druidic circles were by origin grave lnclo-
sures but it Is also freely admitted that at
a subsequent period Druidic or other reli-
rious rites may have been performed with
in some at least of the groups Of standing
stones.
The Roman historians distinctly affirm the
prevalence of Drudism In Britain, and
irish and Highland traditions alike appear
to offer confirmation of their accounts, 80
far as Ireland and Scotland are concerned.
1t Is quite reasonable to give some degree
of credence to these evidences, without &C.
cepting the elaborate system OF Druidlsm
which some writer's have evolved from their
imaginations. We may believe that COM
paratively pure form of Pantheism, into
which debasing influences gradually crept,
NAV have prevailed, and that its rites may
have been conducted in consecrated groves,
and later possibly, within the grave cir
cies. The latter were certainly USED IN MIS-
toric times for judicial and similar func-
tions 1t may be remarked that the Sagas
describe the primitive Thors temple as a
structure similar to the grave circles OF this
country: the dom-rings Of Scandinavia are
supposed to have been used for the wor-
-1- tvovNn acfh 10 nf
credence that the doctrine of the transmit
grafton of souls and other tenets OF reii-
gious creeds in modern times may nave
been held by the Druids.
But 1t is clear that the most noteworthy
feature of the Dru!dic religion was its claim
to magic arts. The word Druid is prob
ably derived from the Sanscrit root druh.
which, according to Prof. Max Muller,
means mischief" or power OF darkness ,, IS:
gician The Irish Fingalian legends are
full Of the magical exploits OF the Druids
They were reputed to have power to raise
or allay tempests at their pleasure. ana 70
develop themselves or others in magical
fog thicker even than that which conceals
their own history. st. Patrick In Ireland
and ST. COLUMBIA in Scotland are related
to have had many encounters wi.n tnelr
magical arts, from all of which. of course,
the saints emerged victorious. We are told
by Albanian that the Pictish kings were
the patrons In Scotland OF these magicians
The Irish F1On n1mSe1 was q Wizdiu not "
he despised BY sucking the thumb which
had messed the Salmon of knowledge" he
could see every concurrent event In Ire
land, The poor Druid Fion whom the
youthful son Of Cumhail robbed both of his
name and his "Salmonscope," Is deserving
of our sympathy. The Danaans, who, &C
cordtng to Irish tradition, came to Ireland
from Denmark and Sweden. were mighty
maeicians They elected their kinsfolk. the
Firboles. from the island and were them
selves subsequently deprived OF their pos
sessions by the Milesian Scots. against
whom their Druidic arts ultimately proved
unayeiline. We are told that the Danaans
taught the simple (Gothic) Scandinavians
their black magic.
II we examine the primitive religion or
Scandinavia as set forth in the Eddas. We
And close similarity between 1t and the
frapmentary traditions Of Druidism which
have been preserved. The Eddas. supple
mented by the segas, give us picture OF
magic similar to that OF the Druids, OF
giants, ghosts. fairies. witchcraft and sec
ond sight which Is faithfully reflected In
Scottish and Irish legends and superstttions.
Even the mistletoe, which is exclusively as
ISOLATED with the Druidic religion OF Brit
ain or with it's accretions, must perhaps go
to the credit of Scandinavia. for we ind
that 1t was this apparently insignificant but
actually potent plant that was the instru-
ment Of the death of Baldur. Odin's son.
whose memory even at the present day may
be unwittingly perpetuated in some parts
of the Highlands by the May day fires
which were and perhaps still are, lit on
fho hfl1fona