STONEHENGE IN ITS PRESENT STATE. N.B. About two or three years since a few stones fell down.

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fore, the author should fail in his attempt to lift up the veil which has hidden this mystery from us, criticism must not be severe, especially as he never should have attempted it, had not circumstances perfectly incidental, or shall he not say contingently providential, prompted him to it. In the course of his readings, he has noticed such and such monuments of antiquity; in his course of Scripture reading, it has repeatedly occurred to him that certain historic facts there recorded would account for their erection; and, solicitous to ascertain the accordance, he has examined some of these monuments, and compared them again and again with Scripture statements. The result of the whole has been, a conviction that these remains of antiquity, many of them at least, have indeed their origin in those facts. Moreover, that not only does this record throw greater light than any other upon these remains, but that there is no book in the world besides that will remove the veil of obscurity that hangs over them. Hence the attempt in a former chapter concerning the altars or cromlechs-the pillars or obelisks-the carns or heaps-and the circles of stones, or clachans, found in these northern isles-hence this plain, but well-meant effort, in regard to the monument of Stonehenge. And a right understanding of the two former chapters, will, it is presumed, prepare the way for a correct judgment with regard to the subject before us.

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In the discussion of a topic of this kind, the great desideratum, next to truth, is perspicuity. We shall, therefore, conscientiously cherish a regard to the former, and shall studiously attempt the latter. Perhaps no method can be more perspicuous than to treat, in order, of the nature of the extraordinary structure in question; its design; and the use that was made of it by the ancient Britons. These, therefore, we shall attempt, Stonehenge is situated on a vast plain in Wiltshire, perhaps not much less than one hundred miles in circumference, called "Salisbury Plain," about five miles from Salisbury. As a building, it is a collection of rude stones, of immense size, placed on the ground at a distance from each other, in a circular form, four times repeated, having a circle within a circle, the two

* Although the Phoenicians and Israelites worshipped in common in groves, under thick trees, oaks, &c. yet Stonehenge, being their "eminent place," intended as a place of general assembly, it is not necessary that we should consider it as being formerly situated in a grove, for indeed then it would not be a place fit for a general assembly; it is sufficient for our hypothesis of its being a place of worship, as will be seen hereafter, that it is upon a remarkably elevated place, as Salisbury down is. What is said by Bryan concerning the human sacrifices in the Hercynian forests, and what we have said concerning Staunton Moor, &c. will sufficiently illustrate and confirm the idea that Druidical worship in common was in groves and woods, although this, as a place of general assembly, might be in a plain. After all, however, Keysler, in Borlase's Antiquities of Cornwall, is stated to have said, "Even Stonehenge itself stood formerly in a grove, according to tradition." Bor'ase, p. 83.

inner ones, however, being rather oval-some standing in their original position, others fallen; many taken away; while the position of the remaining stones is such as to enable an attentive observer to define the circles. It has an avenue at the north-east-is also surrounded by a mound or trench at a considerable distance; and about half a mile from it, there is an hippodrome, or circus. Moreover, there are around it a great number of barrows or heaps, under which have been interred human bodies, accompanied with the insignia of their rank or occupation in life. Such is the general view of the structure, and of the places connected with it. As taken by Inigo Jones, one hundred and eighty years since, the building consisted of two circles and two ovals regular and exact, with a large stone in the adytum, or most sacred place. But, although the building in the time of that celebrated architect might then be reduced in imagination to its regular form, and representations of it have been accordingly given by different writers, as supposed to exist in its original state, yet it presents a very irregular appearance to a spectator at first sight, a great number of the stones having been taken away, all being more or less worn by time, and many having fallen or been thrown down, probably by the Britons themselves, after they had become Christians, according to the command *Two or three years since one or two fell down, as the author was informed on the spot.