At  His  mysterious  shrine — circular,  as  the  type  of  eternal  duration, — they  invoked  divine
favour,  under  the  striking  symbol  of  the  resplendent  sun,  the  apparent  source  of  universal
life.  The  appellations,  Be  'il  and  Grian,  or  Granais  were  applied  to  the  glorious  lumi-
nary, and  they  are  still  used  by  the  Gael,  although  they  do  not  attach  to  them  those
unchristian  ideas,  which  darkened  the  mind  of  his  ancestors,  or  perhaps  being  at  all  aware
of  the  origin  of  terms  formerly  repeated  with  feelings  of  gratitude  and  veneration.f  Many
superstitions  which  yet  maintain  a  hold  on  his  imagination,  are  traceable  to  the  mysterious
dogmas  of  Druidism.  Feelings  carried  along  from  ages  the  most  remote,  imbued  the
minds  of  the  Gaelic  poets  who  indulged  the  fond  persuasion,  that  the  aerial  spirits  of
departed  friends  hovered  near  their  earthly  relatives,  rejoicing  in  their  success  and  happi-
ness, warning  them  of  impending  misfortunes,  and  ready  when  meeting  death,  to  bear  their
spirits  on  clouds  to  a  happier  region.     This  cannot  be  called  a  debasing  belief.
