The Veil of Isis, Or, The Mysteries of the Druids

LibraryThing Review

A very interesting book. I feel at times that he is reaching in some of his claims concerning the Druids but it doesn't detract much from the reading. I simply made notations in the margin where I ... Read full review

The whole book is captured between a solicitous dedication to an Emily and a final few paragraphs about a woman being kissed under the miseltoe, I have a feeling the author did try to kiss this Emily at some Christmas celebration, did she end up marrying him? Research may show otherwise. The content between this obvious preoccupation of the author is very jumbled and there are many other books like this. The Golden Bough is the best, if you have read that one you might enjoy this one but it is not as good. Also the focus is only partially on the druids but mostly compares the various religions of the ancient pagans as one and the same. More could have been said about Merlin. The parts about Brutus and the later Roman invasion are the best, the final chapter on folk lore is also good, of course these things are to be found in other works, perhaps the best thing in the book is the appendix because it contains a great list of works that will assist the reader in his studies on the ancients. I ought to give this book 4 stars because it is entertaining but the author makes an impossible arguement in the third and second to last chapters. Basically he has one chapter attacking the Catholic Church as being rooted in druidism, there is a better book on this, Paganism in Our Christianity, I could overlook the idea but the thing is the next chapter is a glowing endorsement of Freemasonary based on the same premiss that it is rooted in druid practice. I do not understand why the author would boast that he himself and freemasons continue druid customs and at the same time the church of rome does and they are at fault for it. The book is simple and if you have never read anything of ancient british history or paganism it is a good starting point. But I have already read Caesar's commentaries and the Golden Bough and this book is basically a summary copy of those.