New-York tribune., 1900-08-26
DRUIDISM.
THE THEORY THAT THE RITES PRACTIsED
IN SCOTLAND AND IRELAND WERE
OF TURANIAN ORIGIN.
From The Gentleman's Magazine.

From The Gentlemans Magazine
1hat the Druldlc rites practsed in ireland
and Scotland were neither Celtic nor Semitic
but Turaniar in origin, appears TO be highly
probable. The belief in Druidism has undergone
some violent fluctuations Two hundred wears
ago IL was rampant, TOland and his wild the
orles were received with open arms. hundred
years ago complete reaction set in, and some
critics refused 10 accept the Druids at anv price.
no such organization, they argued, ever existed.
IN tnodihed degree this is the modern attitude,
put the modification is Of some Importance 1t
is generally accepted a settled point that the
So-cdIieu Drululc circles Dy origin grave.
enclosures, but it is also freely admitted that at
subsequent period Druidic or other religious
rites may have been performed within some at
Ieast or the groups of standing stones
The Roman historians distinctly affirm the
prevalence OF Druidism in Britain and Irish and
Hlghland traditions alike appear to offer con-
LIIldtIon III OF their accounts. so far as Ireland
and Scotland are concerned. II is quite reason
able to give some degree of credence TO these
eNuehces, without accepting the elaborate Sys-
TEN of DruidlSm which some writer's have
evolved from their imaginations We NAV be-
LeVe that comparatively pure form of Pan
theism, into which debasing Influences gradually
crept- may have prevailed. and that its rites
may have been conducted in cOnsecrated groves
and later, possibly. within the grave circles
Inc latter were certainly used in historic times
for Judicial and similar functions II NAV he
remarked that the Sagas describe the primitive
1hoI temple as structure similar 10 the
grave circles If this country: the dOul-rings Of
scandinavia are supposed to have been used
TOT the worship of Thor. II is also not impOs-
sible of credence that the doctrine Of the trans
migration of souls and other tenets of religious
creeds IN modern times may have been held by
the DrUids
But it is clear that the most noteworthy feat
ure of the DrUdC religion was its claim To magic
arts The word Druid is probably derived from
Lhe SaIScrlt root druh, which, according to Pro-
lessor Max Muller, means mischief" or power
or darkness hence the AnglO-SaxOn form OF
cry, magician. 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 and to de-
IN m rIaal foo
thicker even than that which conceaIs their
own history. St Patrick in Ireland and St
Columbia IN Scotland related TO have had
many encounters with their magical arts from
all of which of course the Saints emerged vic
torious We are told by Adamnan that the
Pictlsh kings were the patrons in Scotland Of
these magicians- The Irish Fion himself was
wizard not to be despised. BY sucking the
thumb which had pressed the Salmon OF
knowledge he could see every concurrent event
in Ireland The poor Druid Fion, whom the
youthful son Of Cumhan robbed both of his
name and his "SalmOnscOpe" is deserving of
our sympathy. The Danaans, who, according to
Irish tradition. came to Ireland from Denmark
and Sweden, were mighty magicians. They
elected their kinsfoIk. the Firbolgs from the
island, and were themselves subsequently de-
pr1ved of their possessions by the MiIesian
scots, against Whom their Druldic arts Ulti-
mately proved unavailing. We told that the
Danaans taught the simple Gothic Scandina-
Vians their black magic.
If we examine the primitive religion of Scan
dInavia as set forth in the Eddas. we find close
similarity between ii and the fragmentary ira
GlIIOns of Drudsm which have been preserved.
The Eddas. supplemented by the Sagas. give us
picture of magic similar to that of the Druids
of giants. ghosts, fairies, witchcraft and second
sight which is faithfully reflected in Scottish
and Irish legends and superstitlons Even the
mlstletoe, which is exclusively associated with
the DFuldlc religion OF Britain or with its aC-
cretions, must perhaps go to the credit OF Sean
dinavia, for find that il was this apparently
Insignificant but actually potent plant that
was the instrument of the death of BaIdur
OGin's son. whose memory at the present
day may be unwittingly perpetuated in some
n he iOhI dc FvT ha NTav T1vr
which were, and perhaps still are, lit the
hilltops.