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observation is a good deal more ingenious than true。 We are now
able to compare Caesar's account of the Gauls with the evidence
concerning a Celtic community which the Brehon tracts supply； and
if we use this evidence as a test； we shall soon make up our
minds that； though his representation is accurate as far as it
goes； it errs in omission of detail。 The Equites； or Chiefs；
though to some extent they were a class apart； did not stand in
such close relation to one another as they stood to the various
septs or groups over which they presided。 'Every chief；' says the
Brehon law； 'rules over his land； whether it be small or whether
it be large。' The Plebeians； again； so far from constituting a
great miscellaneous multitude； were distributed into every sort
of natural group； based ultimately upon the Family。 The mistake；
so far as there was error； I conceive to have been an effect of
mental distance。 It had the imperfections of the view obtained by
looking on the Gangetic plains from the slopes of the Himalayas。
The impression made is not incorrect； but an immensity of detail
is lost to the observer； and a surface varied by countless small
elevations looks perfectly flat。 Caesar's failure to note the
natural divisions of the Celtic tribesmen； the families and septs
or sub…tribes； is to me particularly instructive。 The theory of
human equality is of Roman origin； the comminution of human
society； and the unchecked competition among its members； which
have gone so far in the Western Europe of our days； had the most
efficient causes in the mechanism of the Roman State。 Hence
Caesar's omissions seem to be those most natural in a Roman
general who was also a great administrator and trained lawyer；
and they are undoubtedly those to which an English ruler of India
is most liable at this moment。 It is often said that it takes two
or three years before a Governor…General learns that the vast
Indian population is an aggregate of natural groups； and not the
mixed multitude he left at home； and some rulers of India have
been accused of never having mastered the lesson at all。
There are a few very important points of detail to be noticed
in Caesar's description of what may be called the lay portion of
Celtic society。 I shall afterwards call your attention to the
significance of what he states concerning the classes whom he
calls the clients and debtors of the Equites； and respecting the
increased power which they give to the Chief on whom they are
dependent。 It is； however； remarkable that； when he speaks of the
Druids； his statements are greatly more detailed。 Here there were
no home associations to mislead him； but； beyond that； it is
plain that his interest was strongly roused by the novel
constitution of this privileged order whom he places by the side
of the Chiefs。 Let me recall； then； to you the principal points
of his description； from which I designedly omit all statements
concerning the priestly office of the class described。 He tells
us that the Druids were supreme judges in all public and private
disputes； and that； for instance； all questions of homicide； of
inheritance； and of boundary were referred to them for decision。
He says that the Druids presided over schools of learning； to
which the Celtic youth flocked eagerly for instruction； remaining
in them sometimes （so he was informed） for twenty years at a
time。 He states that the pupils in these schools learned an
enormous quantity of verses； which were never committed to
writing； and he gives his opinion that the object was not merely
to prevent sacred knowledge from being popularised； but to
strengthen the memory。 Besides describing to us the religious
doctrine of the Druids； he informs us that they were extremely
fond of disputing about the nature of the material world； the
movements of the stars； and the dimensions of the earth and of
the universe。 At their head there was by his account a chief
Druid； whose place at his death was filled by election； and the
succession occasionally gave rise to violent contests of arms
（B。G。 vi； 13； 14）。
There are some strong and even startling points of
correspondence between the functions of the Druids； as described
by Caesar； and the office of the Brehon； as suggested by the
law…tracts。 The extensive literature of law just disinterred
testifies to the authority of the Brehons in all legal matters；
and raises a strong presumption that they were universal referees
in disputes。 Among their writings are separate treatises on
inheritance and boundary； and almost every page of the
translations contains a reference to the 'eric'…fine for
homicide。 The schools of literature and law appear to have been
numerous in ancient Ireland； and O'Curry is able to give the
course of instruction in one of them extending over twelve years。
All literature； including even law； seems to have been identified
with poetry。 the chief Druid of Caesar meets us on the very
threshold of the Senchus Mor； in the person of Dubhthach Mac ua
Lugair； the royal poet of Erin； the Brehon who was chosen by St
Patrick to arbitrate in a question of homicide； and whose 'mouth'
the saint 'blessed'。 The mode of choosing the chief Druid； by
election； has its counterpart in the institution of Tanistry；
which within historical times determined the succession to all
high office in Ireland； and which was hateful to the English； as
affording smaller security for order than their own less archaic
form of primogeniture。 Nor is that all。 The Prefaces in Irish to
the tracts contain a number of discussions on subjects which are
in no way legal； or which are forced into some connection with
law by the most violent expedients。 They leave on the mind the
impression of being a patchwork of materials； probably of very
various antiquity； which happen to have been fond in the archives
of particular law…schools。 Now； the Preface to the Senchus Mor
actually contains disquisitions on all the matters about which
Caesar declares the Druids to have been specially fond of
arguing。 It in one place sets forth how God made the heaven and
the earth； but the account is not the least like the Mosaic
account。 It goes off； as Caesar's Druids did； into a number of
extraordinary statements； 'de sideribus atque eorum motu'； 'de
mundi ac terrarum magnitudine'。 Among other things； it declares
that God fixed seven divisions from the firmament to the earth；
and that the distance he measured from the moon to the sun was
244 miles。 'And the first form of the firmament was ordained
thus： as the shell is about the egg； so is the firmament round
the earth in fixed suspension。。。 there are six windows in each
part through the firmament to shed light through； so that there
are sixty…six windows in it； and a glass shutter for each window；
so that the whole firmament is a might sheet of crystal and a
protecting bulwark round the earth； with three heavens； and three
heavens about it； and the seventh was arrange in three heavens。
this last； however； is not the habitation of angels； but is like
a wheel revolving round； nd the firmament is thus revolting； and
also the seven planets； since the time when they were created'。
Parts of the passage reflect the astronomical notions known to
have been current in the Middle Ages； but much of it reads like a
fragment of a heathen cosmology； to which a later revision has
given a faint Christian colouring。 The same Preface contains also
some curious speculations on the etymology of law…terms； and the
Preface to the Book of Aicill enters； among other things； into
the question of the difference between genus and species。
I suggest； therefore； that the same tendencies which produced
among the Celts of the Continent the class called the