Columbia weekly news., 1859-03-24

Lit by each sinking Western ray,
Ere negro night assumes her sway,
A lovely isle--The brave Celts home
Tho lash'd and lav'd by oceans foam;
Sleeps calmly, as the silent Dead!
Couch'd in the deep Atlantic's bed.
Her gallant sons. ruled land and sea Il
Ere Greek fell at Thermopylea;
Or Roman eagle wing'd its flight,
Beyond the steep Tarpeian hight.
Their bright swords fash'd in Freedoms
And Wisdom framd her Brehon Laws.2
Science, Art, and Literature,
They chersh'd with love as pure,
AS the unequalTd, glorious hue
Oftheir em'rad plains, and mountains blue.
1t was happy, holy isle,
And bless'd with Plenty's cheering smile
'Tila lewd princes depriv'd Of pow'r,
Sought England's aid-an evil hour
For Irelands peace-The s gers hand
Flung withring discord o'er tn d.
The Turon sea4 bore on its bres
Brave Malls fleet which We
OF Rome's retreating ships, tha.
Her vanquish'd troops from y
Where her fierce legions $
The martial prowass of the.
Nor fort, nor wall could them'as
Against the inroads of. the Geal.
A murd rers steel drank Malls blood,
His naval chiefs, for Ireland stood,
And, mengst their captives. brought youth
OF noble birth. and nam'd Succouth;
Who. Joseph-like, in Pharoah's land ;a -
In after years, with lavish hand,
Sow'd gospel seed which b!oom'd and fed
Unnumber'd souls, with living Bread.
Twas morn-yet not wreath was seen,
or light blue smoke throughout the scene,
Not cen from I,..ra's classic hill
Reverb of DID, and cherish'd still
Arose the graceful curling spire
Of fts grant smoke, from sacred fire;
Tho Laehair, with princely band
OF the chief magnates of the land;
Assembled there, in regale state,
Tae Beal-iinu6 rites to celebrate.
But soft strain of matin songI
Borne by the passing breeze along,
Came from a neighb'ring oaken wood;
Where, in a mystic circle, stood
A band of Druids, whose long hair,
And snow white robes, wav'd in the air.
D., No crib was there, with victim pale,
To offer to their Sun-God, Beal-
Never did sacrifcial flood
OF kindred, or. Of captive blood,
Flow in an Irish Druids fame
Tho scribes have often tried in vain,
With hreling pen, and hostile aim,
To predicate on them that shame Il
Tho British, Scotchish, Gaulish Druids,
Deem'd the life infusing fluids
That crimson'd prattling children's veins,
The meetest of rings for their fanes;
For to assist a kindred ghost
From out old Pluto's dreary coast;
Or, to appease and satisfy
Some fancied angry Diety.
But nigh Cromleagh moss-deck' hight
Held sacred in each Druid's sight
A spotIess steer of snowy sheen,
Who scarce two summers suns had seen
Was ,ether'I meath tail oaks shade,
And DER him hung golden blade;
Which trembled, as in haste to feast
Upon the life-biood of the beast;
The antiquity and power of the ancient Irish are,
borne ont by Orpheus of Crotona, Ars
totle Piuarch Bede and host of other ancient and
modern writers.
The Brehon Laws of Ireland compiled. revised and
So famed for their equity that the awgvers of all parts
Of Europe repaired to Ireland, 10 study and perfect
themselves in jurisprudence and amongst the rest,
ne Alfred who took from thence, the Trial by jury
Bede, Kesting, &c
g. Dermod M'Murrough. King of Ieinster.
l. furon Sea now called the Armosic, opposite Tours
in France aud formerly called the Turon Turona Sea.
s. Mall the Great, whose feet. pursuing the Roman.
retreating from Britain ravaged their dependencies and
brought to Ireland amongst their captves, St Patrick.
then named Succouth, Dion Bede Gildas Florence, of
Worcester &c.
g. Beal Tnn (Anglice,) The Gre of Beal, the prnci-
pie divinity of the ancient Irish.
4 Strabo, who, with other ancient and modern wri-
ers actuated by hostile feelings to Ireland endeavored
to asen on her Druns the practice of Offering human
victims and eating their flesh. but, who unwitinglv
beed himself thereby destroying the fabrc'on which
they based the charge Yet unfortunately the British
Scofchish and GauIIsh Druids and people did so, as
shewn by ST. Jerome who Witnessed it, and Rollin re-
fcrs 10 il in his Ancient History.