w the course of the sun," which he thus
explains: "As the sun in his course moves round the world by the way of
the south, so do I follow that luminary, to obtain the benefit arising
from a journey round the earth by the way of the south." [93]

Lastly, I may refer to the preservation of this rite among the Druids,
whose "mystical dance" around the _cairn_, or sacred stones, was nothing
more nor less than the rite of circumambulation. On these occasions the
priest always made three circuits, from east to west, by the right hand,
around the altar or cairn, accompanied by all the worshippers. And so
sacred was the rite once considered, that we learn from Toland[94] that in
the Scottish Isles, once a principal seat of the Druidical religion, the
people "never come to the ancient sacrificing and fire-hallowing _cairns_,
but they walk three times around them, from east to west, according to the
course of the sun." This sanctified tour, or round by the south, he
observes, is called _Deiseal_, as the contrary, or unhallowed one by the
north, is called _Tuapholl_. And he further remarks, that this word
_Deiseal_ was derived "from _Deas_, the _right_ (understanding _hand_) and
_soil_, one of the ancient names of the sun, the right hand in this round
being ever next the heap."

I might pursue these researches still further, and trace this rite of
circumambulation to other nations of antiquity; but I conceive that enough
has been said to show its universality, as well as the tenacity with which
the essential ceremony of performing the motion a mystical number of
times, and always by the right hand, from the east, through the south, to
the west, was preserved. And I think that this singular analogy to the
same rite in Freemasonry must lead us to the legitimate conclusion, that
the common source of all these rites is to be found in the identical
origin of the Spurious Freemasonry or pagan mysteries, and the pure,
Primitive Freemasonry, from which the former seceded only to be
deteriorated.

In reviewing what has been said on this subject, it will at once be
perceived that the essence of the ancient rite consisted in making the
circumambulation around the altar, from the east to the south, from the
south to the west, thence to the north, and to the east again.

Now, in this the masonic rite of circumambulation strictly agrees with the
ancient one.

But this circuit by the right hand, it is admitted, was done as a
representation