Mais je vous demande bien pardon, Monsieur, de vous interrompre, me disait un des mes amis de la Bretagne. Est-ce bien là le nombre de vos vraies Nobles Cimmeriens? Il n'y en a pas à ce que je comprends une demi-douzaine, pas même un Esgob, pè, un Doyan'! C'est peu de chose en veritè ! C'est triste ! c'est triste! Est-ce que, par exemple, madame votre Reine ne gouverne pas un petit peu quelquefois chez vous, pour mettre ordre aux affaires. Je lui reponds, touché pour l'humanité et pour la justice moderne, il faut en demander la raison d'etat, ou pourtant l'excuse de famille, à messieurs les ministres de la Couronne ANGLAISE !

Mais revenons a nos chateaux.

Again the term castell or castelleu inwardly implies the idea of grandeur, protection, and durability. This signification is still extant among the Bretoneg, as the term 'chateau' or 'castellated mansion' is invariably given to the antique ruins of Armorican castelleu, throughout the length and breadth of Gallia Antiquissima. But, to return to din or dinas. This term, like the modern church, became the focus of daily or hebdomadal gatherings, and thus laid the foundation of future hamlets, villages, or towns, as Din-bych, Din-orwig, the circular earth-work of Dinas Corddyn, Dinas Brân, &c. Thus, too, arose the Umbric Vin-din-um and Latin terminals in din-um or dun-um, or fortified places on the plains, from a similar origin, when applied to pre-Cæsarean cities, as Lon-din-um. Hence, also, Din-aret-um, Din-darii, and Din-ia, or Digne, in Gallia.

I cannot, in a mere sketch like this, be expected to give an antiquarian description of each din or dinas, my purport being to glance o'er the scene, and show the character of one as implied more or less in the other, as arrivable from the scanty means within my reach. I refer the curious to historical works bearing on these antiquarian topics. Many passages, however, in the annals and histories, both Anglican and Cambrian, require a thorough revision-a minute analysis as to primordial foundations, in fact.

Castell Dinas Brân (from its element of cast × ell, a protection that entangles'), according to the Cambrian Mirror, is thus described:"On a conical mountain on the right, forming a back-ground of an interesting picture, stand in awful majesty the dilapidated fragments of Castell Dinas Brân. This is recorded among the number of primitive Welsh castles, and derived its name probably from Brân Fendigaid (or 'Bran the blessed'), from his having been sent to Rome as hostage for his son, the brave Caractacus. Brân and his family had the honor of being at Rome at the same time as the Apostle Paul, during his first imprisonment there. It is recorded in the historical triad (No. 35) that he was one of the three blessed sovereigns of the Island of

Prydain Brân, the blessed son of Llyr Llediaeth, who first brought faith in Christ to the race of the Cymry from Rome, where he had been hostage for his son Caractacus.

This old fortress, in its primitive condition, has performed a mighty roll in the annals of Roman invasion. It has been repeatedly demolished and re-built. It was a place of great importance so late as the time of Henry III., &c.

Ewloe castle is situated above a deep dingle covered with wood. Leland, in his 'Itinerary,' states that the ruinous castle or pile belonged to the family of Hoel.

Corndochan, the ruins of this ancient structure, have been flippantly and on Scaligerian principles of induction, like, forsooth, the alleged borrowed language, till proved to the contrary, attributed to the Romans. People do not reflect upon the results of their biased conjectures. Are not additions, alterations, and rebuildings, the rule and not the exception of buildings, as handed down to us, even in Saxon experience. ?

"This antique residence now exhibits the remains of a wall, enclosing three turrets—a square, a round, and an oval one."

We have also Dyserth, otherwise called Din-Colyn, Castell y Ffailon, and "Castell Ceri, which was the last of the chain of British forts on the Clwydian hills.

Harlech Castle is situated upon a rock of great elevation above the sea, where formerly stood its western base: (reflect upon this). According to British historians, the fortress was primitively (I am not speaking of the present pile, in toto) built during the internecine war between the Britons and the Romans. It was captured by the Romans, and rebuilt by Maelgwyn Gwynedd, prince of North Wales. Prior to that event, the original structure was called Twr y graig, or 'Rock-tower,' and afterwards Twr Bronwen, or the Fair-necked' one of the royal Bronwens, of the family of 'Bran ap Llur, Tywysog Cernyw, a Brenin Prydain,' prince of Cornwall and king of Prydain.

Mr. Barber gives the following account of Caercennin Castle: "On crossing the ruin, through its "stormy halls," we recoiled on finding ourselves upon the brink of a precipice, which, except by the side on which we ascended, encompasses the castle in a perpendicular rocky cliff upwards of four hundred feet in height. Then, climbing among the mossy fragments of the building, we discovered an opening in the ground, connected with a long subterraneous gallery, dug through the solid rock, and lighted by windows cut in the cliff, though not visible from any situation without. This recess terminates in a large gloomy cavern, which seemed to have led to some adjacent spot, forming a secret communication from the castle." This is explained by Mr. Thomas Evans, who says "the well in this castle is of a singular kind, for, instead of a perpendicular descent, here is a large winding cave,

bored through the solid rock, with an arched passage on the northern edge of the precipice, running along the outside of the fortress, with an easy slope to the beginning of the perforation, which is in length eighty-four feet. The perforation is of various dimensions; the breadth at the beginning is twelve feet, and in some places less than three; but at a medium it may be estimated to be from five to six, and the height ten, feet; the whole descent through the rock is one hundred and fifty feet. Notwithstanding all this extravagant labor, there is scarcely sufficient water for a small family." "On our return," continues Mr. Barber, we were more at leisure to examine the features of the ruin, which proved to be of the simplest construction, totally without ornament or a single gothic form, and consisting of one irregular court with towers at each angle. If the Britons had any castles of stone before the arrival of Normans (a fact doubted by some antiquaries), I imagine this to be one. The gateway is not between three towers in front, but a strong covered way, on the brink of the rock, leads to the gates on the south side.'

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Let us examine the doubt and insult implied in that antiquarian If,' to our tongue and nation, and, as Cimmerians, manfully resist, as we have ever done, ALL unmerited attacks from dictatorial pomposities, be they who they may-at home or abroad. Let sceptic antiquaries (after a patient reperusal of the above), if such they be, or if they really desire to arrive at truth, though at the sacrifice of their former convictions or ephemeral conjectures, proceed, either bodily or mentally on an antiquarian pilgrimage to Asia Minor and the Crimea, still revealing the prehistoric sites and models of other Cimmerian forts and castles; or, if in dudgeon at the bare suspicious probability of their own infallibility in the matter, being questioned, they decline to accept the proposition, let them keep their scepticism to themselves, and not become the channels of propagating error which they assume to repudiate.

Does not the description above given of Caercennin Castle and of others in Prydain constitute a base of similarity in regard to what I have already cited about the Corycian temple courts or rock chambers of Cimmerian Cilicia, with its circuitous descent of ten stadia on a gradually inclined plane to the cavern below, "when the bed of a river (i. e., the fountain or well) was shewn in a recess of a cave," and supposed to represent the lake of consecration?

Does not this description, though on a smaller scale, corroborate the cave-roomed structures, and other contiguous subterranean passages of our once Inkermanian Crimea or Cimmeria?

Does not this description coincide more or less with the Cimmerian chambered remains of Gaul and Britanny, some hewn out of the solid rock, others of an isolated and castellated character

with their er porh, er perher, gate or gateways, un tour, a tower, er gambr quetan, and er eil-gambr, a first and second room, er orgarn gambr, the central irregular court, er háu, the cave or cavern with its er fetan or fetan, a well or fountain in the circuitous extremity ? Does not the candid eye of classic faith detect and explain the misunderstood castalius fons of Græcia septemtrionalis in Cimmerian druidical recesses? Does it not expound the Castabala's of Asia Minor, from its elements of cast and bala, an outlet of water?

Again, we are historically informed that "about three miles distant from the stronghold of Caercennin, at the head of the Cennin, are some curious excavations, supposed to be the habitations of the ancient Britons." An observer can suppose any thing he pleases, except his own idiosyncracy and folly.

With this description let us compare an almost parallel passage in Gallia Antiquissima, as stated in France Monumentale.'

In the immediate neighborhood of Chartres, the ancient fortressed abode or gwyddon of Carnutesian druids, and "at a short distance from the mountain of Lieues, where religious rites were performed, and from the bank of the river Eure, there is a vast and profound cavern excavated on the eastern face of the mountain. It is said that in this and many other such caves, the druids used to reside during the time of the national assemblies. It was there they collected their trusted disciples in order to give them instruction, and to initiate them in the minutest details of their religious practices. Opposite to this cavern was a sacred fountain which still remains near the late Benedictine convent Josaphat." The present cathedral site has, according to tradition of the district, replaced that of the fort and temple of the Carnutes. I was locally informed by a learned professor, that the stones of the one helped to erect the other, but such a question is now too difficult of solution. Let it then remain in legal abeyance.

These subterraneous chambers then, both here and elsewhere, were usually found contiguous to some river or stream of water and at an average distance of two or three miles from the principal stronghold or castellated mansion of the district, and served not as places of perpetual residence, according to modern whimsicalities, but as secret masonic apartments of the druids during the period of inaugurations, where the eye and ear of impertinent curiosity could not peer or listen. Do modern masons, though not a member myself, permit intrusions in their secret 'lodges'? Let us calmly and dispassionately reflect for an instant. Let all the caves of Britannia and of Gallia be numbered! let their areas be measured! let the well-known multitudo hominum infinita' of each be calculated! and the fallacy must, I apprehend, disappear tenues in auras, even on this assumption, and independently of other inconvertible proofs ! Such are the nooks

and corners of a Saxon dilemma when circumscribed to action and to life! by the light of reason and of truth.

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Though doubtful as to any early British structure having been in existence on the foundation now occupied by Rhuddlan's noble pile,' I cannot refrain from drawing your attention to certain events that quivered our very national vitality to its core therein.

"The ruins of this justly-celebrated fortress," says Mr. Parry, "have a noble and imposing appearance, from every point of view; and, when approached, the beholder is impressed with awe, especially when he reflects upon the memorable transactions which have taken place within its precincts.

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Within these walls vibrated the voice of man, sounding hilarity and grief in their turn. Here the heroic Princes of Wales entertained their brave followers, who employed their time in defence of the land of their nativity, every inch of which they disputed with their blood. Beneath these splendid arches resounded the ancient harps of Cymru which gave to rapture all their trembling strings. In after time, here dwelt ambition, ruling with the rod of iron. Within these walls was practised' that well-known fraud by which the haughty Edward deceived our countrymen, in promising them a prince of their own blood; and here it was he held his mock parliament, and imprisoned the last of our princes, where the savage conqueror caused him to lie in chains and would not grant him a hearing! Here was one kingdom erased from the list of nations, and another triumphant— one prince exalted and another deposed." Such is the nation now!

Let us now glance at caer or cader, a stronghold, a fortressed chamber, a wall or mound of defence, a chair. Caer is derived from caer, inclosed, congregate, an enclosure, and r, 'inward force,' and is discovered in p, kir, and the Armorican kær-gloz, une ville fortifiè.' The primitive cader is preserved in 777, a recess, a retreat, a chamber

Under caer, or car, pl. caerau, we internationally discover analagous Umbric, Sabine, and Ligurian expressions in a variety of corrupted forms, as caere, cœre, cer, car, and cria, as Carsula or Casula, of Umbria, now Carsoli, from its elements of car and swll, a scene, a prospect. Io esaminai il bello prospetto.

Car-seol-i among the Sabini, is still called Car-sol-i.

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Carrea (car-rea), the royal fortress,' from car and rea or rhea, the feminine noun of rhi, or ri, a prince or king, as 'a'r deheu Ri,'' and the Prince of the South." Its Italian name of Chieri still retains the sound of Caerau.' It was situated on the BODincus fluvius, which, as it expanded itself in its course to the Adriatic, bore the name of Padoas, from bod, a residence, and ing, narrow, confined,—i. e., the river near its source was narrower, and its banks studded with houses, as Bod-edeyrn, Bod-organ, Bodfa, Bodfel, Bodotria, and Bodysgallen. Thus, also, Bodin

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