In this he has been followed by thousands of imitators, and quoted miraculously at all the public schools. Nay, his disciples would fain even _improve_ upon the _thing_; and Servius has gone so far as to say that the _old woman’s_ name was _Pelias_! Now, here is the whole mystery unravelled for you. When the Greeks established an oracle of _their_ Dodona, subordinate to our master one, they adopted, at the same time, one of the orders of our priesthood. This was that of the _Pheeleas_, the meaning of which being to them an enigma, they _bent it_, as usual, to some similar sound in their own language.[531] This was that of _Peleiai_, in the accusative _Peleias_, which, in the dialect of Attica, signifies _pigeons_, and in that of Epirus, _old women_; and so the whole metamorphosis was forthwith adjusted! [Illustration] “The very extraordinary piece of antiquity, represented in the annexed woodcut, was found,” says Mr. Petrie, “in a bog at Ballymoney, county of Antrim, and exhibited to the Royal Irish Academy, by the Lord Bishop of Down, in March 1829. Its material is that description of _bronze_ of which all the ancient Irish weapons, etc., are composed, and its actual size is four times that of the representation. It is a tube, divided by joints at A and B into three parts, which, on separating, were found to contain brass wire, in a zigzag form, a piece of which is represented in _Fig._ G. This wire appears to have been originally elastic, but when found was in a state of considerable decomposition. At E and F are two holes, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter, and seem intended for rivets or pins to hold the instrument together. The birds move on loose pins, which pass through the tube, and on the other end are rings. The material and style of workmanship of this singular instrument leaves no doubt of its high antiquity. But we _confess ourselves totally unable to form even a rational conjecture as to its probable use_, and should feel obliged to any antiquary who would throw light upon it.”[532] Had the antiquarian _high-priest_ to this _magnanimous_ assemblage been equally modest in former cases, and courted _instruction_, instead of erecting _himself_ into a _Pheelea_, he would not cut the figure which he now does. Ignorance is no fault: it is only its vagaries that are so ridiculous! However, he has said--I beg pardon, he is in the _plural_ number--well, then, _they_ have said, that they would feel obliged to any _antiquary_ who would throw light upon the subject. To be sure, I am no _antiquary_. The Royal Irish Academy have made _that_ as clear as the sun at noonday. Nay, they have even strove to make their _brethren_ at this side of the water to think so also! But their brethren at this side of the water are too _honest_ a people, and too _noble_ in their purpose, to make history a trade, and to stifle _truth_ at the unhallowed dictates of interest or partiality.