PREFACE.

History is political wisdom; philosophy is religious wisdom. The former consists of the knowledge of memorable events and the application of 그 knowledge to the good conduct of life: in embracing the good and avoiding the ill consequences and examples of certain actions. Likewise, the latter teaches us to entertain worthy notions of the Supreme Being and to study how to obtain His favor—which is the ultimate goal of all human and divine wisdom. Religion is the means used to arrive at this purpose. In order to be satisfied as to what constitutes true religion, we must return to the fountainhead as much as possible. The first religion is undoubtedly true, as it came immediately from God.

When I first began these studies regarding Druid antiquities, I plainly discerned that the religion professed in these places was the original, simple, patriarchal religion. This led me to judge it worthwhile to pursue my inquiries original: "prosecute my enquiries" about them, as a matter of the most interesting and important nature. Knowledge is the glory of a human being, and divine knowledge is the glory of a Christian. What I have accomplished in this volume is a further pursuit of the plan scheme In this context, "scheme" refers to a systematic project or intellectual framework rather than a plot. I have laid down for this purpose. The noble person to whom this book is dedicated induced me to hasten its publication, suggesting the shortness of human life and expressing a favorable opinion of the work.

I was willing to seize the first opportunity to communicate to the world the pleasure of contemplating such noble antiquities—which we enjoy on our own island—before it becomes too late to see them. My endeavor in this work is to reveal the times of the first settling original: "planting," meaning the colonization or repopulation of the earth. of the world after the Flood; the spread of true religion alongside mankind; the deviation into idolatry; and the people who built the various kinds