“True, Sir, true,” said the mild old Antiquary; “you have once more brought me back to my starting-post; for I own that I am too apt, when discoursing upon one subject, to branch out into others which seem to illustrate, or are in any degree connected with it. You will, however, I dare say, allow me to remark, that Plutarch denies the derivation of the word Pontifex from the old Roman custom of sacrificing on Bridges, which might, nevertheless, be the origin of Chapels being built upon them. He mentions this in his Life of Numa Pompilius, in his ‘_Vitæ Parallelæ_,’ best edition, by Augustine Bryan, and M. du Soul, London, 1729-24, 4to. volume i. page 142. The Greek passage begins, ‘Νουμᾷ δὲ και τὴν των αρχιερεων [Greek: Nouma de kai tên tôn archiereôn],’ &c., and the Latin, ‘_Jam etiam sacerdotum_;’ but I shall give you the excellent modern English version of Dr. Langhorne, in his very popular translation of the old Classic, from the edition of Mr. Archdeacon Wrangham, London, 1813, 8vo. volume i. pages 181, 182: ‘To Numa,’ says the passage, ‘is attributed the institution of that high order of priests, called _Pontifices_; over which, he is said to have presided himself. Some say, they were called _Pontifices_, as employed in the service of those powerful gods that govern the world; for _potens_, in the Roman language, signifies powerful. Others, that they were ordered by their law-giver to perform such offices as were in their power, and standing excused when there was some great impediment. But most writers assign a ridiculous reason for the term, as if they were called _Pontifices_, from their offering sacrifices upon the Bridge, which the Latins call _Pontem_; such kinds of ceremonies, it seems, being looked upon as the most sacred, and of the highest antiquity. These Priests, too, are said to have been commissioned to keep the Bridges in repair, as one of the most indispensable parts of their sacred office.’ Plutarchus, the author of this, you remember, died about A. D. 140; and the period of which he wrote, was about 630 years before the birth of Christ. That giant of learning, also, John Jacob Hoffmann, denies that the word _Pontifex_ had any thing to do with a Bridge; as you may see discussed at considerable length, in his ‘_Lexicon Universale_,’ Leyden, 1698, folio, volume iii. page 836, column 2, where he says, it is compounded of _posse_ and _facere_, that is to say, such persons as are _able to do_ the thing, or sacrifice: but as the article is equally long, erudite, and curious, I refer you to the original.