登陆注册
25531700000147

第147章

Of their ethical teaching a valuable specimen is preserved in the Triads of the Welsh Bards, and from this we may gather that their views of moral rectitude were on the whole just, and that they held and inculcated many very noble and valuable principles of conduct. They were also the men of science and learning of their age and people. Whether they were acquainted with letters or not has been disputed, though the probability is strong that they were, to some extent. But it is certain that they committed nothing of their doctrine, their history, or their poetry to writing. Their teaching was oral, and their literature (if such a word may be used in such a case) was preserved solely by tradition. But the Roman writers admit that "they paid much attention to the order and laws of nature, and investigated and taught to the youth under their charge many things concerning the stars and their motions, the size of the world and the lands , and concerning the might and power of the immortal gods."Their history consisted in traditional tales, in which the heroic deeds of their forefathers were celebrated. These were apparently in verse, and thus constituted part of the poetry as well as the history of the Druids. In the poems of Ossian we have, if not the actual productions of Druidical times, what may be considered faithful representations of the songs of the Bards.

The Bards were an essential part of the Druidical hierarchy. One author, Pennant, says, "The bards were supposed to be endowed with powers equal to inspiration. They were the oral historians of all past transactions, public and private. They were also accomplished genealogists."Pennant gives a minute account of the Eisteddfods or sessions of the bards and minstrels, which were held in Wales for many centuries, long after the Druidical priesthood in its other departments became extinct. At these meetings none but bards of merit were suffered to rehearse their pieces, and minstrels of skill to perform. Judges were appointed to decide on their respective abilities, and suitable degrees were conferred. In the earlier period the judges were appointed by the Welsh princes, and after the conquest of Wales, by commission from the kings of England. Yet the tradition is that Edward I., in revenge for the influence of the bards, in animating the resistance of the people to his sway, persecuted them with great cruelty. This tradition has furnished the poet Gray with the subject of his celebrated ode, the Bard.

There are still occasional meetings of the lovers of Welsh poetry and music, held under the ancient name. Among Mrs. Heman's poems is one written for an Eisteddfod, or meeting of Welsh Bards, held in London May 22, 1822. It begins with a description of the ancient meeting, of which the following lines are a part:

"----- midst the eternal cliffs, whose strength defied The crested Roman in his hour of pride;And where the Druid's ancient cromlech frowned, And the oaks breathed mysterious murmurs round, There thronged the inspired of yore! On plain or height, In the sun's face, beneath the eye of light, And baring unto heaven each noble head, Stood in the circle, where none else might tread."The Druidical system was at its height at the time of the Roman invasion under Julius Caesar. Against the Druids, as their chief enemies, these conquerors of the world directed their unsparing fury. The Druids, harassed at all points on the main-land, retreated to Anglesey and Iona, where for a season they found shelter, and continued their now-dishonored rites.

The Druids retained their predominance in Iona and over the adjacent islands and main-land until they were supplanted and their superstitions overturned by the arrival of St. Columba, the apostle of the Highlands, by whom the inhabitants of that district were first led to profess Christianity.

IONA

One of the smallest of the British Isles, situated near a ragged and barren coast, surrounded by dangerous seas, and possessing no sources of internal wealth, Iona has obtained an imperishable place in history as the seat of civilization and religion at a time when the darkness of heathenism hung over almost the whole of Northern Europe. Iona or Icolmkill is situated at the extremity of the island of Mull, from which it is separated by a strait of half a mile in breadth, its distance from the main-land of Scotland being thirty-six miles.

Columba was a native of Ireland, and connected by birth with the princes of the land. Ireland was at that time a land of gospel light, while the western and northern parts of Scotland were still immersed in the darkness of heathenism. Columba, with twelve friends landed on the island of Iona in the year of our Lord 563, having made the passage in a wicker boat covered with hides. The Druids who occupied the island endeavored to prevent his settling there, and the savage nations on the adjoining shores incommoded him with their hostility, and on several occasions endangered his life by their attacks. Yet by his perseverance and zeal he surmounted all opposition, procured from the king a gift of the island, and established there a monastery of which he was the abbot. He was unwearied in his labors to disseminate a knowledge of the Scriptures throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and such was the reverence paid him that though not a bishop, but merely a presbyter and monk, the entire province with its bishops was subject to him and his successors. The Pictish monarch was so impressed with a sense of his wisdom and worth that he held him in the highest honor, and the neighboring chiefs and princes sought his counsel and availed themselves of his judgment in settling their disputes.

When Columba landed on Iona he was attended by twelve followers whom he had formed into a religious body, of which he was the head. To these, as occasion required, others were from time to time added, so that the original number was always kept up.

同类推荐
  • 蜀中言怀

    蜀中言怀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 鹦鹉洲

    鹦鹉洲

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 杨式太极拳拳谱全体大用诀

    杨式太极拳拳谱全体大用诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 答陆澧

    答陆澧

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 无上内秘真藏经

    无上内秘真藏经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 爱上翘家公主:相爱成灾

    爱上翘家公主:相爱成灾

    他无心,只因他有过一段深埋在心底的记忆……直至在娱乐城,酒醉之后,误将她当成了拜金女,草草地收场,他居然会心生想念……她的报复,她让他瞪目的身世,一次次地让他难以自拔……只是灾难接踵而来……相爱容易相守难……她最后爱的会倒底是谁……---------------------------------请朋友们给予支持……
  • 生活中来全集

    生活中来全集

    生活中来全集生活中来全集生活中来全集生活中来全集生活中来全集
  • 穿越之浴火凤凰

    穿越之浴火凤凰

    一生一代一双人,争教两处箫魂。无缘无份无此生,来生劝君莫问。一场车祸,撞碎的不是我的人生……一觉醒来,竟成为不会说话的婴儿……如同上天恩惠,我得到了缺失的一切,却只不过是转瞬,它又将一切收了回去。给你一段别样的清朝历史。凤凰楼台月,浴火笑梦中。情节虚构,切勿模仿。
  • 凡人修仙录

    凡人修仙录

    仙道一途,渺渺无期。多少世间男儿前赴后继亡命于此,终不得正果。大道无形,天道无情。山村平凡少年,誓要独闯仙涯,修成正果。
  • 星战争霸

    星战争霸

    宇宙最强的战斗民族的皇子,遭到神秘攻击,葬身在了地球,使得地球遭遇了前所未有的大浩劫,与此同时,地球的科技进入了高速发展的时期……
  • 长生诀

    长生诀

    青云山脉,宝山之中,圣宝猎仙剑出,引得人间界各派竞相争夺。一个灵根平平深受师兄弟们欺凌的青云门弟子肖云,偶然得到河妖一族修行心法长生诀以及猎仙剑灵,在这个乱世之中以令人瞠目结舌的迅速崛起。混沌天下,群魔乱舞。我辈修行中人,当执三尺青锋力荡妖邪横扫宇内,还他一个浩浩天地朗朗乾坤。且看肖云如何踏入修行大道,在人间界搅动风云,横扫人间界各派势力,重铸一个全新的人间修行界。
  • 桃之夭夭

    桃之夭夭

    初相识,她为他唱一曲《桃夭》,他笑她不懂个中意思。五年后,她一舞《桃夭》惊动整个长安,他却没有认出她。这不大不小的长安城,刚巧容得下千百万次错过。他每每在她无助时出现,不悲不喜,静静爱着她。然而,一次背叛就摧毁了她所有防备。当爱恋在一瞬间化为利用时,她该如何抉择?情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 男神倒追:哎哟你别跑

    男神倒追:哎哟你别跑

    唔,俗话说得好,肥水不流外人田,更何况是喜欢的肥水,所以我决定了!将小姨追到手于是在某个腹黑侄子的……额……毒手之下蠢萌小姨被追到了……新人新文,坑已挖好,请君入……坑……
  • 宇辰传说

    宇辰传说

    莫名来到这个世界,凌宇辰举步维艰。层出不穷的敌人,玩不转的阴谋诡计,漫漫无尽的武道之路,这是强者的世界,想要活下去,就要变强、变强、变强!布阵、炼丹、制器、驯兽……斗气、玄气、玄元……荒兽、魔兽、圣兽、神兽……神之左手、神之右手、神之头脑、神之心脏……特尔霖夫、灭魄殒神珠、灭世剑灵……“你凭什么变强?”“就凭我是凌宇辰!”如果有一日,我真正站在了巅峰,届时,请记下我的名字——凌宇辰。这是属于我的传说!
  • 王俊凯霸道的爱

    王俊凯霸道的爱

    你好霸道——刘晓莘我霸道,我只为你霸道——王俊凯