_A metaphysical disquisition concerning the nature of the deity, shewing how the Druids, by the strength of reason, might arrive to the knowledge of a divine emanation or person, from the supreme first cause, which we call the Son of God; and the necessity of admitting of such an emanation. All the philosophers and priests of antiquity had this notion; as we read in_ Plato _and many more._ I have given the reader an account of three eminent builders of these _Dracontia_, or serpentine temples, in the earliest times after the flood, and in the more eastern parts of the world; as well as described one of those works in our island. There are many more such builders and buildings, which will be easily found out by those that are conversant in ancient learning. This figure of the circle and snake, on which they are founded, had obtained a very venerable regard, in being expressive of the most eminent and illustrious act of the deity, the multiplication of his own nature, as the _Zoroastrians_ and _Platonists_ speak; and in being a symbol of that divine person who was the consequence of it. We shall not wonder that the Druids had a perception of this great truth, when we consider that it was known, as far as necessary, to all the philosophic and religious sects of antiquity, as shewn at large by several learned writers. My opinion is, that it was communicated to mankind, originally, by God himself. ’Tis the highest point of wisdom which the human mind can arrive at, to understand somewhat of the nature of the deity; and the studious, the pious, and thinking part of the world, would not fail to improve this knowledge by reflexion and ratiocination. Tho’ my business is to speak more fully of the religion of the Druids in the next volume, yet I judge it very pertinent to the present subject to anticipate that intention, so as to shew how far they might advance toward that knowledge, by the dint of reason; to further the works, wherein they have, in the largest characters that ever were made, consign’d their notions of this sort, remaining to this day, such as we have been describing; and which may induce us to have the same sentiment concerning them as _Pere Marten_ in his _Religion des Gaulois_, tho’ he knew nothing of our antiquities; but thus he writes, “that the Druids worship’d the true God, and that their ideas of religion were truly grand, sublime, magnificent.” We may therefore very justly affirm of them, that in their serious contemplations in this place, concerning the nature of the deity, which, as _Cæsar_ tells us, was one part of their inquiries, they would thus reason in their own minds.