DERIVATION OF EASTER

Southey, in his *Book of the Church*, derives our word *Easter* from a *Saxon* source:— "The worship," he says, "of the goddess *Eostre* or *Eastre*, which may probably be traced to the Astarte of the Phoenicians, is retained among us in the word *Easter*; her annual festival having been superseded by that sacred day." Should he not rather have given a *British* origin to the name of our Christian holy day? Southey acknowledges that the "heathenism which the Saxons introduced, bears no [very little?] affinity either to that of the Britons or the Romans;" yet it is certain that the Britons wors…