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Brehon lawyers appear to connect themselves with a class of men
whom they regard as having belonged altogether to the old order
of the world。 I am quite aware that； in asking whether the
historical disconnection of the Brehons and the Druids can be
accepted as a fact； I suggest an enquiry about which there hangs
a certain air of absurdity。 There has been so much wild
speculation and assertion about Druids and Druidical antiquities
that the whole subject seems to be considered as almost beyond
the pale of serious discussion。 Yet we are not at liberty to
forget that the first great observer of Celtic manners describes
the Celts of the Continent as before all things remarkable for
the literary class which their society included。 Let me add that
in Caesar's account of the Druids there is not a word which does
not appear to me perfectly credible。 The same remark may be made
of Strabo。 But the source of at all events a part of the
absurdities which have clustered round the subject I take to be
the Natural History of Pliny； and they seem to belong to those
stories about plants and animals to which may be traced a great
deal of the nonsense written in the world。
You may remember the picture given by Caesar of the
Continental Celts； as they appear to him when he first used his
unrivalled opportunities of examining them。 He tells us that
their tribal societies consisted substantially of three orders he
calls the Equites； the Druids； and the Plebeians。 Somebody has
said that this would be a not very inaccurate description of
French society just before the first Revolution； with its three
orders of Nobles； Clergy； and unprivileged Tiers…蓆at； but the
observation is a good deal more ingenious than true。 We are now
able to compare Caesar's account of the Gauls with the evidence
concerning a Celtic community which the Brehon tracts supply； and
if we use this evidence as a test； we shall soon make up our
minds that； though his representation is accurate as far as it
goes； it errs in omission of detail。 The Equites； or Chiefs；
though to some extent they were a class apart； did not stand in
such close relation to one another as they stood to the various
septs or groups over which they presided。 'Every chief；' says the
Brehon law； 'rules over his land； whether it be small or whether
it be large。' The Plebeians； again； so far from constituting a
great miscellaneous multitude； were distributed into every sort
of natural group； based ultimately upon the Family。 The mistake；
so far as there was error； I conceive to have been an effect of
mental distance。 It had the imperfections of the view obtained by
looking on the Gangetic plains from the slopes of the Himalayas。
The impression made is not incorrect； but an immensity of detail
is lost to the observer； and a surface varied by countless small
elevations looks perfectly flat。 Caesar's failure to note the
natural divisions of the Celtic tribesmen； the families and septs
or sub…tribes； is to me particularly instructive。 The theory of
human equality is of Roman origin； the comminution of human
society； and the unchecked competition among its members； which
have gone so far in the Western Europe of our days； had the most
efficient causes in the mechanism of the Roman State。 Hence
Caesar's omissions seem to be those most natural in a Roman
general who was also a great administrator and trained lawyer；
and they are undoubtedly those to which an English ruler of India
is most liable at this moment。 It is often said that it takes two
or three years before a Governor…General learns that the vast
Indian population is an aggregate of natural groups； and not the
mixed multitude he left at home； and some rulers of India have
been accused of never having mastered the lesson at all。
There are a few very important points of detail to be noticed
in Caesar's description of what may be called the lay portion of
Celtic society。 I shall afterwards call your attention to the
significance of what he states concerning the classes whom he
calls the clients and debtors of the Equites； and respecting the
increased power which they give to the Chief on whom they are
dependent。 It is； however； remarkable that； when he speaks of the
Druids； his statements are greatly more detailed。 Here there were
no home associations to mislead him； but； beyond that； it is
plain that his interest was strongly roused by the novel
constitution of this privileged order whom he places by the side
of the Chiefs。 Let me recall； then； to you the principal points
of his description； from which I designedly omit all statements
concerning the priestly office of the class described。 He tells
us that the Druids were supreme judges in all public and private
disputes； and that； for instance； all questions of homicide； of
inheritance； and of boundary were referred to them for decision。
He says that the Druids presided over schools of learning； to
which the Celtic youth flocked eagerly for instruction； remaining
in them sometimes （so he was informed） for twenty years at a
time。 He states that the pupils in these schools learned an
enormous quantity of verses； which were never committed to
writing； and he gives his opinion that the object was not merely
to prevent sacred knowledge from being popularised； but to
strengthen the memory。 Besides describing to us the religious
doctrine of the Druids； he informs us that they were extremely
fond of disputing about the nature of the material world； the
movements of the stars； and the dimensions of the earth and of
the universe。 At their head there was by his account a chief
Druid； whose place at his death was filled by election； and the
succession occasionally gave rise to violent contests of arms
（B。G。 vi； 13； 14）。
There are some strong and even startling points of
correspondence between the functions of the Druids； as described
by Caesar； and the office of the Brehon； as suggested by the
law…tracts。 The extensive literature of law just disinterred
testifies to the authority