We have now arrived at the largest and most interesting class of monuments, the Druidical circles ; they consist of one or mote circles of upright stones placed at short intervals from each other ; the circles are usually concentric, but we have nut unfrequently two smaller circles placed side bv side within a larger one, and the whole surrounded with a circular ditch and mallum. The stones composing the cir cies are not always single, but sometimes consist of tril ithons, sometimes of kist-vaens. Such erections are fotind in various localities, although more frequently in this country than else where. :Mention is made of them in the Sacred writings in more than one instance Noses is said to have erected an altar, and twelve pillars. according to the twelve tribes of Israel, ore he ascended the mount to receive the law; he also gives directions to the Israelites at a later period, that upon crossing Jordan they should set up in mount Et a1 great stones, and plaster them with plaster, and especially orders that they should be whole stones, and unwrought ; we accordingly find Joshua setting up twelve in the midst Jordan, and taking twelve further fiwward, and pitching them in Gilgit!, as it memorial of the passage, of the Jordan :—it is worthy of remark, that the word Gilgit' signi fies a wheel or eirele, and doubtless the place was so named front the circle of stones there set up. Such circles are found ism in Sweden. Norway, Denma.rk, and leeland, in last, place they ale termed Doom circles; they are spoken of by Clarke as existing in the 'frond, and Sir Ouseley gives views and description of one to be seen in Persia but what is most there exist three in America. one upon :t high rock on the bank of the river NV innipigon.
Such structures were unquestionably temples in which the I truidical services mere performed, and not only so. but they seem to have been the pe of all heathen temples, for We gather frolli allthelltie sources, that the most ancient heathen times were all open to the sky without roof of any kind. It is argued by some, that they were used merely fu' civil purposes, or that some of them at least were exclusively so employed ; that they were all so employed we do mit for a moment doubt, but we contend that they were all likewise employed for sacred purposes ; indeed, the govern ment of the people was so implicit with their religion, that the Druids were at one and the same time both 1» jests and rulers.
The circles are supposed by some to have been closely con 'meted with astrology, and indeed the agreement of the number and a•ramcement of the stone; with the divisions of the ancient epics is remarkable, as will be seen by referring to the tables of 1)•. Stukeley, which are given in the following page.
The most reniarkalde of the circular erections in Great Poitain ate those of Stonehenge and Abury, both of which are situate in the neighbourhood of Salisbury Plain. '1 he former, about seven tulles north of Salisbury, is approached by a broad avenue protected on either side by a vallum, or long mound of earth ; this avenue leads into a large circular platform three hundred feet in diameter, enclosed from the surrounding plain by means of a valltun fifteen feet in height, with it ditch out either side of it, and, as some sup pose, by an inner circle of stones, seine few having been found in immediate proximity' to the other circle. In the ax owe, at a distance of about a hundred feet from the cir cular ditch, is a large stone inclining towards you as you approach, and a similar one in the ditch at the entrance. I'assing onwards in a straight direction you approach a large number of stones composing the temple, more especially' so termed, which consists of an outer circle or stones four teen feet in height, seventeen of which still remain, six seat tone] in various parts of the circle, but eleven on the n.orth-4•ast side, at equal distances inon each other, fornting
a continuous of a circle, thus demonstrating the form and position of the whole. This circle consisted originally stones, surmounted by a continuous impost of large Ilat stones, which were fitted on to the by mortise and tenon, and formed a complete and regular circle. 1Vithin this enclosure is another of a similar fig:tie, and eighty-three feet in diameter, composed of the same number of stones, which however are of smaller dimensions and without imposts. Within this again Were five separate structures, termed t•ilithons, each consisting of two large stones surmounted with an impost, and having three sittalle'r stones a short distance in advance. These structures were situate, one immediately opposite the avenue, and two on each side of it, leaving an unoccupied sIntee for an entrance. The larger npright stones w ere more lofty than any of the others, one of than measuring upwards of twenty-one and a half feet in height ; thus overtopping all the outer cireIes. In front of the central trilithon, is placed, by Stukelev, a low flat stone, supposed to be the altar. The avenue noticed at the commencement of this description is continued in a north easterly direction fin' a distance of about a third of a mile, where it separates into two branches. the one leading south ward between two rows of barrows, the other in the opposite direction for more than a mile and a half to a spot called the •ursus, which is a flat tract of land, bounded on each side by banks and ditches, and at its extremities by barrows or tumuli.
The erection at Abnry, although of more rude construc tion than Stonehenge, is of twine stupendous dimensions; few of the stones remain at the present day, great numbers having been employed in the erection of the neighim luring town, yet we have accounts of many which existed at a pre vious period, with the. aid of which, and of his own experi enced judgment, 1)r. Stukeley made out a plan of the original structure entire. It consisted of a lar,t.,*e circular enelosure of more than tWenty-eig,ht acres, surrounded with a great vallum and ditch, the inner slope of the former measuring eighty feet, its circumference at the apex being four thousand four hundred and forty-two feet. On the inner side of the ditch, and close upon its bank, was a circle thirteen hundred feet in diameter, composed of one hundred immense stones of an average height of seventeen feet, and placed at a dis taneo of about feet from each other. Within this outer circle were two smaller ones, situate side by side on a diameter running from north-west to south-east, of the more northerly or which sotne stones of great size are still standing. These circles consist of two concentric rows of stone, within which, in the southern circle, was a central obelisk, towards which, it is said, the worshippers used to turn during the eelelyation of the rites, and in the same position, on the northern circle, a structure termed a cove, consisting of three large stones placed foxy:In:Ise:Mt other at an obtuse angle. The distance of the centres of the north and south circles is given at five hundred and eighteen feet, and the distances of their eircumforenees at eighty-six feet, thus determining the length of the diameters. four hundred and thirty-two feet. These admeasnretnents, however, IMISt be received with some reserve, as the remains WCre MO scanty at the time they were taken, as to leave the exact position of the clicks Or their centres: a matter of great uncertai»ty. Of this structure, xx hick it is calculated could originally boast in all of more than six hundred stones, but few portions remain, the rest having been employed either in the erection of the town of the same mune, which stands within its boundaries, or in constructing and repairing its roads.