The Arkansas advocate., 1832-12-19

again. The period, however, was re- mote; the history oi ireland had, by the subjogation of that island, been merged in that ot her oyershadowlng neighbor and mistress, and the conquest of q iaud at this day bearing q population of sev- en millions of souls, had sunk into d mere incident in the annals of England. scarcely known or noticed by the gen, eral readers of history. The charac- ters, excepting that oi the principal ad- yenturer, Henry plantagenei, were so obscure and mouldering into oblivion. that doubt whether one in hundred of my readers will, on first seeing my title page, reeoilect or even know that such person as Dermot Mac Morrogh ever existed. To give the story, there fore, an interest which might invite readers, 1t appeared to me advisable 10 present 1t in the garb oi poetry The subject was well adapted 10 the competition of an historical tale, and as such l deliver it 10 the judgment oi my country. It is intended also as q moral tale, teaching thecitzens ofthese States, of both sexes, the virtues of con jngal fidelity, of genuine piety, and Of devotion to their country, by pointing the finger of scorn at the example six hundred years since exhibited, Of {. country sold 10 a foreign invader by the joint agency of violated marriage vows, nnprinciplcd ambition, and religious lmposture."
 The story, as extracted from Hume, IS yersiiied in four cantos, called with reference to the adventures and country of the hero-the Elepement; the Ex- pnlson; the Restoration; the Con- quest; division that gives the narra- tive greater distinctness. The Spen- cer stanza is adopted throughout, and the versification is easy. From an his torieal tale of the l2tll century, the sole object appears to be to illustrate and enforce moral lesson; this is plain from the preface; and the commence ment of the poem precludes other con struction.
 sing of Dermot, Eriil's carl, pride. The pious patriot Of the Emerald strand ; Tie first deliverer, for stolen bride Who sold 10 Albion's king his native
 land.
 Bnt-countrymcn of mine, let woe betide The man who thinks of ought but what's
 in hand
 What I shall tell you, happen'a, you must
 know,
 Beyond the seas, six hundred years ago. lis strange how often readers will indulge Their wits. mystic meaning to dis
 cover;
 Secrets ne'er dreamt of by the bard. di-
 yuIge,
 And where he shoots a duck, will find
 blower:
 Satiric shafts from every line promulge, Detect tyfant, when he draws lover: Nay, so intent his hidden thoughts to see, Cry, ifhe paint a scoandrel-~f. That means
 me-"
 'iIs human nature. In old Roman days, When that sw ee M antuan minstrel tuned
 his Tyre
 Sung how Asneas from the Trojan blaze On his broad shoulders bore away his
 sire;
 Yet, scrupl ed not, with viIest arts to raise In Tyrian Dido's veins, unha!low'd u fire :: Debauch'd her, left her, 'whelm6d with
 scorn and shame, By self-combustion to redeem her fame. The Roman delivers straight began to pry Into the conrtier minstrel's full intent: Troy's fall, Rome's rise, they ken'd with
 half an eye,
 Was but the outward mask of what he
 meant:
 His patron prince w:th o:! 0! !ca!s to ply, They soon discovered was the poets
 bent:
 The good Hsneas was wisp of straw, Augustus Cesar was the man they saw. And so for sixteen hundred years and more That willy knave forVirgil's hero passed; Illl father Hardonin ,versed in classic lore, 0 find another clue about him cast And, wont in legendary lies to pore, He delv'd, and delv'd, and delv'd, and
 found at last, That Nlrgll's Hneid was monkish tale, In verse, our Sayiour's passion to unvel. Poor Salignac how hard fate was thine i; Thy pupil, heir apparent to throne, Thor drew'st the moral gem from Homer's
 mine,
 And mad'st the Greaian muses all thy
 own.
 To teach him wisdom with volce divine 1; This was thy noble purpose, this alone :: But when thou paintedst court and courte-
 gan,
 They said twas Louis and his Montespan. Against all this, enter my protest Dermot Mae Morrogh shows my hero's face;
 Nor will l or in earnest or in jest, Permit another 10 usurp his place And give me leave to say that l know best