The first thing regarding this monument of antiquity is its name, "Giants' Holt." It may be remembered, that Stonehenge is called "Giants' dance" in English, and "Chorea Gigantum" in Latin, probably, as expressive of the ancient Phoenician term, "Choir Gaur:" it may be remembered, also, that formerly (as we think we have shewn to be probable) men of gigantic stature lived on this island. Now, then, is it unreasonable to suppose, that "Giant's Holt," or "Hold," might be the English of some former term indicating that this collection of rocks was originally the residence or resort of such a sort of men? And as to the inscription, though in the Roman character, and probably written when the Romans lived in Britain, yet it might be descriptive of the original design of the building, which it would appear was much the same as that of ancient hermitages for retirement and study, and for instruction to those who sought instruction. Now, where did hermits lodge? "In dark caves; and their food was such roots, &c. that nature bestowed freely without culture."* And * Dyche's Dict. "Their instructions were instilled into youth in the most private manner: some cave or retired and sacred wood, or some rocky carn, being the appointed place of tuition." Borlase, p. 83. "The children of the nobility," Mele says, retired withal into caves or the most desolate forests, and they (the Druids) kept them there twenty years under their discipline."-Coetlogon's Cyclopædia, vol. ii. 55. who that has seen this assemblage of rocks can refuse his assent to the conjecture, that this might have been one. It is true the stones lie quite in a confused state, as many other monuments of antiquity do; but this might arise from the zeal, first, of the Romans, and afterwards of the Christians, in destroying the monuments of Druidism. We will venture, therefore, to give this collection of rock-stones the name of a Druid's hermitage. Thirdly, we would notice likewise, the Rockingstones. This is a large rock stone, generally rather round, placed upon a flat one, and so poised that it moves with the pressure of the finger or hand, though great strength would not remove it from its position. Amongst the huge blocks of stone that compose the "Rootor Rocks," there are two of this kind: we observed them both to move on pressure, though one of them probably is not less than fifty tons weight. One of them had been moved from its position by fourteen young men, who had assembled for the purpose on Whitsunday, 1799: but since that it has been replaced. Camden mentions these rockingstones, and speaks of one in Pembrokeshire, in Wales: it is on a sea-cliff, within half a mile of St. David's, so large that, says Owen, his informant, "I presume it may exceed the draught of an hundred oxen." It is "mounted upon divers other stones, about a yard in height; it is so equally poised that a man may shake it with 66 one finger, so that five or six men, sitting on it, shall perceive themselves moved thereby."* Perhaps the most remarkable one is that in Cornwall, called "the Logan Stone," at Treryn Castle, in the parish of St. Levan. It is supposed to weigh ninety tons, yet is so balanced on an immense pile of rocks that "one individual, by placing his back to it, can move it to and fro easily."+ They are found in Ireland, as well as in Cornwall and Wales. The motion of these stones was one thing, probably, by which the Druids awed the minds of the vulgar. And our first impression was, that they might be used as a sort of ordeal; and Toland says, on what ground he does not state, that " by this pretended miracle they condemned of perjury or acquitted as their interest or affection led them; and often brought criminals to confess what could be no other way extorted from them." This reminds us of a law of Moses: "If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shall choose; and thou shalt come unto the * Camden, p. 638. Stockdale's Excursions in Cornwall, p. 69. Moore's Ireland, p. 39. Rocking § Bray, in his "Parts of Devonshire," &c. says, or Logan stones were probably resorted to for condemnation or acquittal, or as ordeals of the accused."-Vol. i. pp. 153. 244. |