tionary tales that live in her literature invest her history with heroic beauty. But she has no need of these. Real heroes-the M'Neills, the O'Briens, and the Emmets, will be remembered as long as self-denying patriotism and unconquerable valor are honored among men. In every department of literature she still takes her place. Where is the wreath her shamrock does not adorn? Where the muse that has not visited her hills? Her harp has ever kindled the soul of the warrior, and soothed the sorrows of the broken-hearted. It has sounded every strain that can move the human heart to greatness or to love. Whatever vices may stain her people, they are free from the crime of voluntary servitude. The Irishman is the man last to be subdued. Possessing an elasticity of character that will rise under the heaviest oppression, he wants only a favourable opportunity and a single spark to set him in a blaze. Distinguished for his inquisitiveness and shrewdness, he is perpetually "talking over things," nothing escapes his observation-hence he wants no more intimate knowledge of his condition or rights or the character of his oppressors:

-Ireland wants only union. These traits of national character inspire hope: with an ever active and ardent mind, no people can be effectually subdued-neither does it require so long a training or so loud an appeal, to arouse them to energetic and successful action.

To a distant observer that beautiful island ap

pears like a city of ruins in the saddened light of evening. Her glory and her strength seem departed for ever. But it is not of the poetry of the past the lover of Ireland must speak. Her bards never sung in strains so mournful and pathetic as the sad lullaby of the mother over her famishing child. The complaint of poverty and the cry of suffering, are more heart-breaking than her most plaintive melodies. Her woes and her dishonor move not the hearts of her oppressors, but they are noted by the God of the poor.

Before speaking of the present condition of Ireland, it is necessaay to refer to some events in her past history. A knowledge of the causes which have reduced her to subjugation is necessary, in order to know where the right and wrong lie, and what justice now demands should be done. If invasion, spoliations and piracy on the part of one nation against another, provoke retributive justice, and it sinks under the punishment it has justly incurred, it has no right to complain. But if this same violence and robbery, prompted by cupidity alone, reduce an innocent people to slavery, the case is widely different. We wish to show by a rapid survey of the past history of Ireland, that she is an invaded and plundered nation-that both her degradation and her servitude are directly chargeable on England-that British cupidity and British pride have been the alpha and omega of Irish suffering.

The earliest history of Ireland is so mixed up

with tradition, that it is impossible to distinguish the true from the false. In the sixth and seventh centuries, Ireland was distinguished for her piety and her learning. In the ninth century she was reduced by the Danes. In the eleventh century the people rose against the invaders-deposed the usurper, and placed their own king (O'Brien) on the throne. In an attempt to quell an insurrection, O'Brien was slain, and though the Irish were victorious, yet being left without a king, they became divided, and no longer existed as a nation, but remained broken up till the Anglo-Norman invasion. By this invasion Catholicism was first established in the island. Pope Adrian literally sold Ireland to Henry the Second, on the condition he should maintain the Pope's supremacy there. Henry of course, became suddenly pious; and wishing to harmonize the conflicting religious feelings of the country, sent over an army of missionaries, who with powder and steel soon succeeded in converting most of the inhabitants.

This is the origin of the connexion between England and Ireland. Ireland was not, however, wholly subjugated till the invasion of Richard, Earl of Strigal, surnamed the Strongbow. The Irish clergy being at this time Catholics, conspired with Catholic England, and bargained Ireland away to the invaders. In this period of Irish history, the inhabitants exhibit a patriotism and valor deserving of a better reward. But the army of England, aided by the Pope and Catholic

priesthood, was too strong for them. They were subdued, the country was put under English deputies, and from that time has been the victim of English oppression. Under the unjust administration of these governors, and through the quarrels of the chiefs themselves, the power of the native princes rapidly declined.

In 1272 Edward II. ascended the English throne. A century had now elapsed since the Norman invasion. Overcome in almost every attempt to regain their freedom, wrecked by successive disasters, the Irish princes gave over the unequal contest, and many of them, especially those who bordered on the English settlements, sought to become British subjects, in order to be protected from outrage and plunder. For their citizenship they offered Edward a subsidy of a thousand marks. This was opposed by the local aristocracy who knew if they became British subjects they could no longer be taxed and plundered with the impunity which had before prevailed. The government of England allowed no one but herself to rob her own subjects. This local aristocracy was English; for it must be remembered, in order to account for the action of the Irish Parliament, that it was always England's policy to keep a certain number of nobility and citizens in Ireland to preserve the English ascendency.

The people petitioned again and again. It was in vain. British slaves they should be-British subjects never. Enraged at this unjust refusal,

and maddened by the continued tyranny that only mocked their sufferings, they flew to arms. Sir John Wogan was sent over to quell the insurrection. He assembled an Irish Parliament to take into consideration the state of the country. "This was the first Parliament ever constitutionally convened in Ireland." It was in 1295. Several just and useful acts were passed, but they availed little to remedy the evils that had taken such deep and widely spread root in the country.

Another cause of evil was the levying of "coyne and livery" by the great barons to maintain their large retinues. This was another step towards the oppression of the Irish tenantry. Acting on the principle by which aristocrats have always been governed, that what is wrung from the serf is the clear gain of the lord, they drove away by their extortion the sturdy yeomanry of the land. They forgot, as tyrants always forget, that they reduced their land in the same proportion they reduced the character of the cultivator. There is a system of compensation in the economy of the Creator by which good and evil are both made reactive. This exaction was so oppressive that Baron Finglass declared, "it would destroy hell if levied in the same."

At the end of the civil war of 1327, the Irish septs again petitioned to be admitted to the rights of freemen. They saw there was no other way to escape insult and outrage. But it was declared that it would injure the English ascen