l. Some Druids, e.g. in the south of
Gaul, may have had access to classical learning, and Caesar speaks of the
use of Greek characters among them. This could hardly have been general,
and in any case must have superseded the use of a native script, to
which the use of ogams in Ireland, and perhaps also in Gaul, was
supplementary. The Irish Druids may have had written books, for King
Loegaire desired that S. Patrick's books and those of the Druids should
be submitted to the ordeal by water as a test of their owners'
claims.[1051]

In religious affairs the Druids were supreme, since they alone "knew the
gods and divinities of heaven."[1052] They superintended and arranged
all rites and attended to "public and private sacrifices," and "no
sacrifice was complete without the intervention of a Druid."[1053] The
dark and cruel rites of the Druids struck the Romans with horror, and
they form a curious contrast to their alleged "philosophy." They used
divination and had regular formulae of incantation as well as ritual acts
by which they looked into the future.[1054] Before all matters of
importance, especially before warlike expeditions, their advice was
sought because they could scan the future.

Name-giving and a species of baptism were performed by the Druids or on
their initiative. Many examples of this occur in Irish texts, thus of
Conall Cernach it is said, "Druids came to baptize the child into
heathenism, and they sang the heathen baptism (_baithis geintlidhe_)
over the little child", and of Ailill that he was "baptized in Druidic
streams".[1055] In Welsh story we read that Gwri was "baptized with the
baptism which was usual at that time".[1056] Similar illustrations are
common at name-giving among many races,[1057] and it is probable that
the custom in the Hebrides of the midwife dropping three drops of water
on the child _in Nomine_ and giving it a temporary name, is a survival
of this practice. The regular baptism takes place later, but this
preliminary rite keeps off fairies and ensures burial in consecrated
ground, just as the pagan rite was protective and admitted to the tribal
privileges.[1058]

In the burial rites, which in Ireland consisted of a lament, sacrifices,
and raising a stone inscribed with ogams over the grave, Druids took
part. The Druid Dergdamsa pronounced a discourse over the Ossianic hero
Mag-neid, buried him with his arms, and chanted a rune. The ogam
inscription would also be of Druidic comp