Chapter XVII: (pp. 227-239)

Researches into the distinctive character of Irish paganism show that its main element was the phallic type of _Sabaism_, the Irish language affording remarkable evidence of this fact. Many of its words and all its letters embody a twofold meaning, denoting in the first place some _passion, quality, or virtue_, and in the next its _sensible index_. For example, _Budh_ or _Fiodh_ means primarily a _lingam_, or _phallus_, and secondarily a _tree_; and this peculiarity of an esoteric meaning known only to the learned, and an esoteric one understood by the masses, it shares with Hebrew, which belongs to the same linguistic family. Of this we have an example in the scriptural allegory of “Eve and the _tree_ of knowledge,” wherein the esoteric import of “tree” is _phallus_. We thus arrive, as it were, at the fount of Buddhism. Eve may be regarded as the first Buddhist, and her son Cain, who offered the fruits of the earth to “the God of nature and of increase” (Budh), as the first priest of that order. This allegory is found repeated in different forms among the various populations of the world--in Egypt, India, Persia, and elsewhere. It gave rise to many typical commemorations in various countries, such as the “Maypole festivals” of Eastern lands, whence the custom emanated to Ireland (with the _Tuath-de-danaan_ settlers), where it is still practised.