celebrated Irish monk that stood by the first stone laid in its
foundation? The fact is every impartial writer, from the "father of
English history" down to the present day, admits, that in the early
ages, when darkness brooded over the surrounding nations, Ireland,
learned, philanthropic and chivalrous, blazed a very conflagration on
the ocean, and stretched forth her jewelled and generous hand to
poor, benighted England, and fostered, in addition, the intellectual
infancy of Germany, France and Switzerland, as well as the early
civilization of regions more remote still. Then it was that the milk
and honey of her ancient tongue and lore flowed out from her in
rivers to wash the stains from the soul and brow of the stolid and
unintellectual Saxon. Then it was, that her very zone gave way in her
eagerness to pluck his Pagan life from gloom, and wed her day unto
his night. But what of all this now?--The sin that is "worse than
witchcraft" is upon him! His hands are stained with innocent blood!
He has spurned his benefactress with the foot of Nero, "removed her
candlestick", and left her in hunger, cold and darkness upon her own
hearthstone.

Had not Ireland, at the time of the invasion, been cut up through the
fierce pride and petty jealousies of her rulers, the English could
never have effected a permanent footing upon her shores. Contemptible
in numbers, shipping and appointments, the concentrated opposition of
even a few petty chiefs could have scattered them to the winds, or
sent them "howling to their gods". But, wanting in that homogeneity
without which a nation must always remain powerless, the invasion of
the territory of one individual ruler was often regarded as a matter
of no very grave importance to those who were not his immediate
subjects; so that from this cause, as well as from, the unhappy
dissentions which harrassed the country at the period, the new colony