He then describes them as skilful miners, smelters, all refiners, and as conveying their tin, fashioned into cubical blocks, to a certain island, whither foreign merchants resorted, who carried it across into Gaul, and conveyed it by land-carriage to the mouth of the Rhone. This trade across Gaul into the Mediterranean could hardly have been carried on successfully before the Roman conquest of Gaul; so that Dion Cassius ascribes to Mark Antony the statement, "that Julius Cæsar made every thing so secure as even to render Celtica and Britain accessible from Gaul." So ended the long-continued intercourse between Britain and the Eastern world, through the Pillars of Hercules. But of the remote antiquity of this intercourse, in addition to the evidence of bronze, I proceed to give two proofs from ancient Celtic coins as yet said to be found only in Gaul, yet commemorative of that religious institute which was first brought from the Eastern world to Spain and Great Britain, and transferred to Gaul on one side, and on the other to Ireland, called a sacred isle even in the age of the Carthaginian Himilco. Previous to my own observations on the subject, I introduce the following quotation from Eckhel's celebrated Preface (p.63) to his great work, De Doctrina Numorum, where he is discussing the question of Gallic coins, and the figures impressed upon them. "Of these minute sigilla" he writes: "The most common form is the pentagon, the same as is found on the coins of Velia, Nuceria, of the Ptolemies, and especially of Pitane, in Mysia. At first I did not value this 'sigillum' so highly as to induce me to hope, what I more lately found to be the case, that it could in some degree contribute to the illustration of the theology and philosophy of the Gauls. Hear then how this was effected. All agree that the doctrine of the Druids, whom the Gauls had constituted the arbiters of sacred and profane law, was the Pythagorean. Cæsar especially gives his testimony to this fact:-"That they wish to persuade men that souls do not perish, but pass after death from the bodies last occupied into other bodies, and they think that by this doctrine their valour is greatly roused, seeing death brings with it no terror.' Now, we can easily understand that this is a Pythagorean dogma, although Cæsar has not mentioned the name of Pythagoras. Diodorus Siculus also expressly affirms that the Gauls were imbued with the principles of Pythagoras' As among them the doctrines of Pythagoras prevailed, that the souls of men are immortal, and live again after entering another body.' Moreover, Ammianus thus writes:-Among these are the Druids, men of superior genius, who, as the school of Pythagoras holds, openly announce the immortality of the soul.' This dogma was so inveterate among the Gauls that some expressed a belief that Pythagoras borrowed his system from the Gauls. Clemens Alexandrinus writes that this was commonly believed. After settling these points, let us return to our pentagon-the cause of this discussion. According to the testimony of Lucian it was regarded by the Pythagoreans as a sacred symbol-Being the triple triangle mutually implicated, consisting of five lines, and which is called by them Hygeia (that is, health or preservation); and I will show that the Pentagon on the coins of Pitane occupies the place which in other cases is occupied by the figure of Hygeia herself, and this he afterwards performed." The first inference to be drawn from the beautiful combination of this mathematical figure, and which Lucian expressly ascribes to the Pythagorean school of divinity and philosophy, is, that its constructors were thoroughly conversant with geometrical figures of the most complicated character. Now, if a Greek philosopher, on being shipwrecked on an unknown coast, could, on discovering a right-angled triangle roughly delineated on the sand of the seashore, exclaim, "I recognize the traces of a human being," much more reason have we to express a belief that those who first adopted this elegant, although complicated, figure as the holy symbol of "Salus " (or the conservative power) must not only have been deep proficients in mathematical knowledge, but also great admirers of the truth expressed by the geometrical symbol. Such, we know, were the principles and practice of the Italian school of philosophy, who, in a later age, were called Pythagoreans, after a supposed founder of the sect named Pythagoras. But Aristotle, who in his works had often to encounter the doctrines of their school, never once mentions the name of Pythagoras. It is now absurd to ascribe a system, so widely diffused over the more ancient civilized world, to a Pythagoras of Samos, supposed to have been born and bred in an age when Hellenic free thought had already commenced its course, and was shattering to the very basis those symbolic and labyrinthine edifices under which the truth, as revealed from the beginning, was smothered and almost extinguished. One might imagine, that of all symbols the mathematical diagram should have been the most innocent and least liable to abuse; but the fact is, that no class of symbols have been more perverted to the purposes of superstition and deception than those based upon lines and numbers. The single equilateral triangle is to this day regarded in Hindostan as the symbol of Siva, and is represented on the water-jars of his worshippers. On this subject it will be sufficient to refer the reader to a remarkable paper on the Sri Tantra, or double equilateral triangle. It is written by E. C. Ravenshaw, and is to be found in vol. xiii. part i. page 71, of the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. It is full of important information respecting the use of these mathematical figures among religious Hindoos, and the doctrines which are connected with them, as interpreted by modern Brahmins. It is curious that these are to this day essentially identical with the tradition recorded by Lucian. Mr. Ravenshaw says:-" It is a singular fact, that the double equilateral triangle which is engraved on the Sri Tantra, and whose origin and mean Sri Tantra, or Khat Kon Chakra. David's Shield, and Seal of Solomon. ing have been above explained, is stated in Kitto's Biblical Encyclopædia to have formed one of the most usual amulets worn by the Jews, and known by them as the shield of David, and the seal of Solomon." Mr. Ravenshaw adds:-"It is difficult to determine to what nation this mystical symbol owes its origin, but it seems to have been common to all the primeval religions of Asia,"-and now, it may be added, and also to the primeval religion of Great Britain and Western Gaul, on the indisputable evidence of their ancient coins. Among the Gallic coins is one which is thus described by M. de Saussaye, one of the best Gallic numismatists of the day. I quote from the Revue Numismatique, A.D. 1842, page 165. 6 that Pytingumas borrowed his system from the Gauls. Clemens Alexandrinus writes that this was commonly believed. After settling these points, let us return to our pentagon—the cause of this discussion. According to the testimony of Lucian it was murded by the Pythagoreans as a sacred symbol-Being the triple triangl mutualy impăcated, consisting of five lines, and which is called by them Hygeia (tha is, health or preservation); and I will show that the Pentagon on the coins of Pitar occupies the place which in other cases is occupied by the figure of Hygeia hersel and this he afterwards performed.” The first inference to be drawn from the beautiful combir. tion of this mathematical figure, and which Lucian expres ascribes to the Pythagorean school of divinity and philosop is, that its constructors were thoroughly conversant with metrical figures of the most complicated character. No a Greek philosopher, on being shipwrecked on an unkr coast, could, on discovering a right-angled triangle rou delineated on the sand of the seashore, exclaim, "I reco the traces of a human being," much more reason have express a belief that those who first adopted this elega though complicated, figure as the holy symbol of "Salu the conservative power) must not only have been deep cients in mathematical knowledge, but also great admi the truth expressed by the geometrical symbol. Such, w were the principles and practice of the Italian school of sophy, who, in a later age, were called Pythagoreans supposed founder of the sect named Pythagoras. B totle, who in his works had often to encounter the d of their school, never once mentions the name of PytlIt is now absurd to ascribe a system, so widely diffu the more ancient civilized world, to a Pythagoras of supposed to have been born and bred in an age when I free thought had already commenced its course, and w... tering to the very basis those symbolic and labyrinti fices under which the truth, as revealed from the beg was smothered and almost extinguished. One might imagine, that of all symbols the math diagram should have been the most innocent and least to abuse; but the fact is, that no class of symbols lay more perverted to the purposes of superstition and de than those based upon lines and n 43 Pytha stem of 1 all the e of the ain tenet tenet was before the yperborean ressed upon vas issued as the observa eriod. What only a matter gist, supposed epistolary coris arguments in fix the epoch of re Christ, during Phocæa and Tartain and Western is coin completely proves that while Ons was the same, I to that Hyperbo o him a necessary Druid, he must have ace who are called cular investigation of e derived from a study o state a few facts reIn world. The partiJost ancient coinage of |