That the Druids studied in this enigmatic and symbolic way, appears from what we are writing upon; and _Diogenes Laertius_, in his proem, affirms it of them. He ranks them with the _Magi_, _Chaldeans_, and _Gymnosophists_, gives some of their doctrines, and makes them rather ancienter than the _Egyptians_, meaning the learned among the _Egyptians_. He says, “the _Gymnosophists_ are descended of the _Magi_, and some affirm the _Jews_ too.” He means the ancestors of the _Jews_, _Abraham_ in particular. I believe, Druids, _Chaldeans_, _Gymnosophists_, and _Egyptians_, all descended, or rather disciples of the _Magi_, who were the first and patriarchal priests after the flood. _Sanchoniathon_ calls _Shem_ (as I take it) by the name of _Magus_, as the prince of the order. He says the _Egyptians_ vail their doctrines under the figure of beetles, _snakes_, birds, and other animals. And it seems to be the origin of animal worship in _Egypt_. Thus _Gale_, in his _court of the gentiles_, P. I. p. 64. again P. II. p. 35. “the ancient mode of expressing things worthy of memory, by hieroglyphic forms, notes, and symbols, was very common amongst the ancients, in the oriental parts especially, both poets and philosophers; and exceeding proper for that infant state of the world, wherein knowledge was so imperfect and impolite. And we need no way doubt but that this symbolic kind of discourse, or language, had its original from the divine œconomy which God prescribed in his infant church, consisting of many terrene images and sensible forms, symbols and types, for the shadowing forth highest contemplations and heavenly mysteries. Which way of conveying and preserving knowledge is not only helpful to the memory, grateful to the fancy and judgment, but also very efficacious for the moving of the affections.” A symbol is an arbitrary, sensible sign of an intellectual idea. And I believe the art of writing at first was no other, than that of making symbols, pictures, or marks of things they wanted to express. So that every letter was the picture of an idea. This was the first and antediluvian way of writing, before alphabet writing was invented. This latter was a postdiluvian invention, in my opinion. The reasons I shall give on another more immediate occasion. _Servius_, on the _Æneid_ V. _septem ingens gyros_, speaking of the snake encompassing _Anchises_’s tomb, writes, that this method was prior to alphabet-writing. I believe the _Chinese_ method of writing to be the antediluvian one; and the like, perhaps, may be affirmed of the _Egyptian_ hieroglyphics. The _Egyptians_ had the good sense, when alphabet writing was communicated to them, to embrace it, tho’ the _Chinese_ will not. Still the _Egyptians_ retain’d a particular veneration for their former method, and dedicated it to sacred uses altogether.