( vi )
fathers; Italy itself having received into her bosom more than one conquering nation who professed it. This is the Religion
proceed, in my opinion, from men’s not understanding one another.”
[Thus far our ingenious Author, who having been led by Pelloutier and Keyslar into that fundamental error (which has been the stumbling-block of modern antiquaries) viz. That the Celts and Goths were the same people, supposes that the Druidical system of the Celtic nations, was uniformly the same with the Polytheism of the nations of Gothic Race: Than which there cannot be a greater mistake in itself, nor a greater source of confusion in all our researches into the antiquities of the European nations. The first inhabitants of Gaul and Britain, being of Celtic Race, followed the Druidical superstitions. The ancient Germans, Scandinavians, &c. being of Gothic Race, professed that system of Polytheism, afterwards delivered in the Edda: And the Franks and Saxons, who afterwards settled in Gaul and Britain, being of Gothic Race, introduced the Polytheism of their own nation, which was in general the same with what prevailed among all the other Gothic or Teutonic people, viz. the Germans, Scandinavians, &c.
After all it is to be observed, in favour of our Author’s general course of reasoning, that in Gaul and Britain, and in many other countries, innumerable reliques both of the Celtic and Gothic superstitions, are still discernable among the common people; as the present inhabitants of those countries derive their descent equally from the Goths and Celts, who at different times were matters of these kingdoms, and whose descendants are now so blended and mingled together.] T.
