there was a period of uncertain and doubtful legislation and learning, there seems to be no doubt, but its circumstances have disappeared; and we have to record the singular fact, that with a connected history of more centuries than any other nation in Europe, with a series of laws remaining in our native language of undoubted authenticity, and perhaps more complete than any other country can boast, with perfect buildings of an antiquity, which defied inquiry in the time of Giraldus, and of a structure that might even now challenge imitation, few names remain in her Annals that send the blood warm to the heart, and while we witness the miseries resulting from the relics of the barbarous Brehon code, that code moulders on our shelves, unknown and unprized, because unexamined.*

Of the causes of the peculiar features of Irish History, our Authors have given in the following passage, a just view; but it is incomplete, as they have neglected to mention the peculiar policy by which the Papal See has been affected towards this unhappy country; and while we join with them in lamenting the injudicious measures by which the Reformation was sought to be advanced, we must consider their worst result to have been the subjecting of Ireland, to the demoralizing influence of Italian diplomacy:

"The peculiar evils which have afflicted Ireland through every stage of her existence, cannot be justly attributed to any distinctive feature in the character of her people, which, her enemies being judges, possesses qualities of the noblest description, while many of its defects are, perhaps, rather to be referred to the force of circum. stances, than to any natural depravity, which, in these particulars, renders them sinners above all others. We conceive that to the ancient division of the country, and the constitution of its government under its native princes, may be traced the origin of Ireland's misery and weakness. The partition of a limited territory

amongst so many provincial kings, with its subdivisions amongst innumerable petty chieftains, proved the fruitful parent of perpetual hostilities, and ultimately led to the annihilation of that union which would have been the surest protection against foreign invasion. England and other countries, were at one period similarly circumstanced; but in these, after the lapse of a few centuries; a corrective was applied by the ambition of some tyrant, whose power swallowed up that of the rest, and at the expense of individual rights, gave consolidation and unity to their respective states, But when Ireland, torn as she was by intestine feuds, became an object of cupidity to the neighbouring nations, that union amongst her native princes, which could alone secure her independence, was found to be unattainable: the Provincial Kings, instead of combining to repel the invaders, weakened each other with senseless fury by domestic hostilities, while the Monarch, deprived of all confidence in his vassals, was forced reluctantly to submit to the domination of a foreigner. Such was the commencement of that feverish connexion which subsisted for several centuries between England and Ireland-a connexion, whose anomalous nature was, at inter

* We rejoice to hear that this reproach will probably be soon removed. The Royal Irish Academy, to whom the work belongs, has recommended to its Council, the inquiry into this important subject, with the intention of requiring aid from the Government, should it be deemed expedient. It is a national work, and we doubt not will be eagerly supported by the Legislature.

vals, productive of the most dreadful paroxysms. While the former sought by means, at once impolitic and unjust, to retain the sovereignty of the island, the latter looked alternately to almost every power in Europe, for aid to deliver her from the yoke which she detested. A juster line of policy on the part of the ruling power, has abated that thirst for independence, which there is little prospect that Ireland could long maintain ; and the wise and discerning of both countries are now willing to admit, that the prosperity and happiness of every member of the British Empire rests solely on an union of affection and interest throughout the whole."— Pages 99-101.

Of the form of government in the Pagan and early Christian period of Ireland, we know but little. While the law of tanistry perpetuated dissensions, and the triennial assembly of the States deprived the Sovereign of his prerogative, the power of the surrounding princes and nobles amounting to independence, involved him in perpetual wars--and it is recorded, that of 200 Monarchs in succession, 170 perished by premature and violent deaths. The religion of Ireland, though involved in considerable obscurity, was probably one of the Druidical superstitions, blind and cruel, which ruled with priestly art all the Celtic nations. The abundant relics of this barbarous worship, which are to be found in almost every part of the country bear testimony to its prevalence, and their similarity to remains in other Celtic countries, prove the identity of the tenets. The moral decline consequent upon a false religion in all probability followed, aggravated by the ferocities peculiar to the northern hordes; and we agree with our Authors, that there is every reason to believe the misery and the degradation at their lowest, when the first preachers of Christianity reached our shores.

How, or by whom Christianity was first preached in Ireland, is a matter of dispute. It is not at all improbable, that the great Apostle of the Gentiles himself planted the standard of the Cross, both on the shores of Britain and Ireland, and this conjecture, from the Apostle's own declarations (compare Rom. xv. 20, 22, with 2 Tim. iv. 17) is strengthened by the evidence of Clemens Romanus, Eusebius and Jerome, all joining in asserting the preaching of the Apostle in the isles of the ocean. Be this as it may, it seems certain, that Christianity was established, probably through Spain, by missionaries from the East, and the well-known dispute about the mode of celebrating Easter andthe clerical tonsure, prove the independence of the Irish on the Roman Church, and their adhesion to their original forms. This question has in latter days possessed considerable importance, and we wish sincerely that it met with an attention from Protestants equal to its importance. Roman Catholic

writers have, we know, in despite of the most unequivocal proofs to the contrary, claimed Ireland as an original part of the Roman See, and ascribing its Christianity to Patrick, and Patrick to Rome, have asserted with unblushing confidence a prescription of centuries. By this assumption are the chains rivetted upon the minds of the people, and the natural and laudable affections for the customs and observances

of our ancestors, used as a spell to fetter still more closely the slaves of Rome. This assumption, put forward without an attempt to prove it, was first met at the discussion in Kilkenny, and when subsequently urged by Mr. Kinsella, was challenged and refuted by Dr. Singer, Mr. Otway, and "Hibernicus," who severally demanded the evidence on which the Church of Rome made their claims. To this demand the Professor of Carlow College did not think fit to make a reply, but involving himself in wordy metaphysics, maintained as impenetrable a silence on the prescriptive right of Rome over Ireland, as on the independence of the African Churches and the authority of St. Augustine, which formed part of the same controversy;--and yet, we still hear the same assertions made and the same assumptions hazarded. Now, in opposition to these assumptions, we think the following propositions susceptible of the most decisive proofs, and if so, what becomes of Rome, her claims, and her immutability. 1. Before the time of St. Patrick, there was a flourishing Church in Ireland, and absolutely independent of the Church of Rome. 2. Palladius, the first Roman Missionary, absolutely unsuccessful both with regard to the Pagans and the Christians, left Ireland in disgust, and 3, was succeeded by Patrick, whose mission from Rome, disproved by the strongest negative evidence, is unsupported by the slightest positive. 4. That Patrick found and left a Church independent of Roman power, nearly free from the corruptions of the Roman faith; and 5, that from the fifth to the twelfth century, the Irish Church continued independent of the See of Rome, opposed its encroachments, and successfully resisted its power; nor was it until the conquest of Ireland by Henry the Second, that the independence of the Irish Church was surrendered to the Italian Pontiff, *

We perceive that our Authors have embraced the idea that St. Patrick really had a mission from Rome. We could wish their industry had examined the subject thoroughly, as we are inclined to believe, that they would have been soon satisfied of the unsubstantiated nature of the evidence on which it is built. This has been set in an unanswerable point of view by the gifted Author, who has concealed himself under the name of Declan, and we would hint to him if our labours chance to meet his eye, the important service which he could render to his countrymen and to Christianity by giving a connected view of Irish Ecclesiastical History, Italian diplomacy, and Papal aggression. We are familiar with the facts that speak trumpet-tongued upon a similar subject in England, but

Malachy Morgair has the infamous reputation of having been the first to pros trate the liberty of his country, and the independence of his Church before the footstool of the Pope, and he has been rewarded for this by the equivocal honour of canonization. The very manner in which the Pontiff received the submission, would testify to the independence of the Irish Ecclesiastical Establishment, as the whole affair was referred to a National Synod, which, summoned at Kells, and attended by the Danish Bishops and the creatures of Malachy and Gelasius, rivetted the chains on the Irish Clergy.

Ireland demands from some of her children, a similar exertion; Popery requires but to be examined to crumble into dust, and if our countrymen could be prevailed on to imitate their ancestors, the Colmans and Columbans of old, Reformation would soon follow in the train of resistance. We cannot close these remarks, without declaring our approbation of the very mild and cautious manner in which this so difficult a theme is discussed by our Authors, and that without compromising truth in the least, they avoid offending any. They close this section by the following observations:

“More than a century of comparative domestic peace encouraged the government to remove the most galling of those disabilities on account of religion under which the majority of the population suffered; but much yet remains to be effected before the wounds of our suffering country shall be completely healed. And may we not hope that the present rapid progress of education, so long neglected, will mainly contribute to that happy result. It may indeed be occasionally interrupted by the croaking of political discontent or the intemperance of religious bigotry; but as knowledge is power,' so the inculcation of it must be the first step to the melioration of a state, because it qualifies the people for the enjoyment of civil rights, and gives ability for maintaining them." p.146.

Their observations on the Literature, Poetry and Music, of the Ancient Irish are highly interesting; but we confess, that we have rather looked to the Anglosaxon than the Greek characters, for the origin of the Irish Alphabet.* That the Ancient Irish had a literature, that their seats of learning were in high estimation and crowded with scholars, and that their learned men were entitled to peculiar estimation, cannot be doubted. Many traces remain of all, and we hope the time is not far off when these remains will be edited in a manner becoming their importance. Since the conquest, Ireland has had no national literature: the perpetual disturbances of this country until the time of William, prevented the cultivation of any, and since that period it has been but the reflection of the English. We have had Swift and Goldsmith; but they are no more entitled to be called national, than the voluptuous bard of our own days," the least original of poets."

To those who look for amusement and information, we strongly recommend the section on "The Progress of Civilization." It includes a great deal of very curious matter, and will amply reward the reader. It is astonishing how slowly the arts which minister to the comforts of mankind improve, when compared with those which gratify his vanity or his pride. In the reign of Elizabeth, we learn from Holingshed, that for private houses no materials were thought of but wood; and we need not be surprised that no stone buildings were introduced into Irel; nd until the 9th century, and that long after, the dwellings of the natives were constructed

*We could wish that our Authors' publisher had possessed Greek types, for we have been much puzzled by some of our old Hellenistic friends in the Roman character, and many have even escaped our utmost research. We can recognise 8, & Oɛoç, but we own we do not know what to make of PHALEO, LION or TAULE, p. 149.

with wattles, plaistered on the sides, and covered with turf or rushes, In the time of Giraldus, Ireland is represented as uninhabited, without roads, and covered with forests; that our country is no longer subject to the former accusation, our Authors have proved; as no country in Europe, with the exception of Malta, has so dense a population: our roads are the admiration of all travellers, and our want of timber their general regret. Of food there seems always to have been an abundance-flesh and fish, and milk, with a scanty allowance of farinaceous grain; and the hospitality of the mere Irish at all times appears to have been so boisterous as to be stigmatized as barbarous.

"The ancient Irish had two meals a-day, one early in the morning, the other late in the evening. When they met at their ordinary entertainments they sat down in a ring on rushes or beds of grass, instead of chairs or benches. Three-legged tables were then set before them covered with bread, milk-meats, flesh and fish, boiled, broiled, and roasted, the attendants in the mean time serving drink about in cups made of wood, horn, and sometimes of brass. At these feasts the Bards always assisted, and sung the praises of their heroes to the music of the harp. Magnificent accounts are given by some of our Irish writers of the hospitality which abounded in the Hall of Tarah, where we are assured there were no less than twenty-seven kitchens, and nine water cisterns for washing the hands and feet of the guests." p. 181.

"Previous to the year 1772, the corn imported into Ireland considerably exceeded that which was exported. A happy improvement, however, in this respect, has been gradually taking place from that period to the present, so that now the quantity of corn grown is sufficient not only for the support of a population more than doubled, and the increased supply of the breweries and distilleries,* the former of which have doubled, and the latter quadrupled their annual consumption of grain within the last forty years-but to export a surplus valued at little short of a million sterling. To effect this it is calculated that more than 800,000 additional acres of land must have been brought into culture since that period." p. 185–186

"Rice was sown in Ireland in 1585, and about tho same period potatoes were first introduced from America by Sir Walter Raleigh, and planted near the town of Youghall; he brought the celebrated Affane cherry at the same time from the Canary islands. Artichokes, Cauliflowers, and some other of the finer vegetable were introduced about the the seventeenth century." p. 186-187.

The woollen manufacture is said to have been introduced by the Firbolg or Belgic colonies; probably some Flemings came over to Ireland with Henry II.: for Ireland, as appears from the Ditta

*Beer and Ale brewed with hops appear to have been unknown to the ancient Britons and Irish, though they probably had other liquors so denominated. It was about the middle of the twelfth century that the distillation of ardent spirits was introduced, and for some time they were only used medicinally, being considered as a sovereign specific for the cholic, dropsy, palsy, and various other disorders. They were conscquently dignified with the name of aqua vitæ, and in Ireland they received the equivalent appellations of uisgebeatha, usquebaugh, or Whiskey. Spirits were distilled from malt in Ireland in 1590, and they were made to resemble foreign liquors by adding aromatic seeds and spices. They had also a liquor called Pigment, composed of honey, wine, ginger, pepper and cinamon.