Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-11-19
50 -
LOCAL M AT ERS.

|
rms was the hrst OF series Oh lectures 'n''
institute intend giving inns WINTER ana 'ro"
the character oil the men VINO nave Tue manage
ment OF them, we are pretty wen convinced
| .hey VIII prove DOM prohu'pie anu eh'eru'''i-
ny me nan was very wen ',''eu anu con-
"''neu great ue"i larger huuichoe 'h"i VIZ
eApec'eu 10 see present at tliS-'ie iirS' iee'uie
| VI 'ho INSTITUTE
~ H. II. Askew maue u pretty opehihe
speech, anu closed by introducing inc lecturer
am aware, iadies ana gentlemen, th"t iueas
VI mere ScihSi'ness' ihuuceu ny 'ne '"e poii"'"'
p"SSiohs oi inc honr nave III great ues'eef
usurpeu inc peace oil the hperai prihcipieS
which should distinguish our intercourse US
people these IDEAS oil selhshneSs nave crep'
into social intercourse until rs regarded Dy
IN my rs an unpardonaDle offence 10 ne All
irishman' ana II IS looked upon us almost I'M
possible to accept q Geltic origin except us II
blot or stigma upon our character But
TINS feeling, am proud anu happy 10 say, Is
not quite UNIVERSAL but am not mere, nor Is
II my desire, to indulge IN anlmosllles'
cannot think that any one VIII be surprised
Mt the intense pride exhibited by the hative oil
the Celtic Isle for the land OF his birth, when
we think of her genius, her beauty her patriot
ism, her struggles, her suierings, anu the I'M
dying love of liberty which has marked the
past and present condition Of this famous,
though unfortunate, country. There are few
isles nf tho qea that nosspaa a soil more aXhli-
berantly bountiful, or climate more health
fully invigorating. Though down-trodden now
and fallen, her history is replete with pleasing
memories to her children, and we should no
longer wonder that the heart of the Celt swelis
with pride when he summons his imagination
back again to the land of his birth.
The history of Celtic civilization is older than
the far-famed manuscripts of Herodotus, or the
walls of ancient Troy, Rome
with all its pride, luxury and power was Celtic
in its origin. Greece with its arts, sciences
and refinement sprang from the same source.
France, the boosted land of inventive genius,
noliteness and restless political intrigue, was
originally Celtic; and Italy has been since its
history began, and is now, Celtic in its origin,
and shall the parent land of SO many mighty
nations be treated with contumely because she
is oppressed? Il
When the ignorance and Incidence of the
Celts is quoted by her traducers as badge of
her iufcriority, they forget that the history of
that unhappy nation, shows her to have been
a lettered people in her pagan state three thou
sand years ago, and shows her to have been
far IN advance of the contiguous nations.
That when the ancient Saxon Druids held their
heather orgies, and performed their dark and
cruel rites in North Britain, the civil and social
character of all England was as rude and mis-
sbaned as the architecture of their forest tab
ernocles. while Ireland was far advanced in Ii
tcrature. acts. refinement, civil government,
and nil that adds TO the prosperity of coun-
trv. or the elevation of its people. History also
shows that the Druid priests received their
iJcos of social advancement from their Irish
nc;,,hIors that thcy went over and were ini-
fatal ;nto the various useful arts by Irishmen,
and spread through Britain. Should not then
her enemies take shame to themselves that
tbcv have pcrseycred in treating with so libe-
rnI n contcmnt people which was so far in
advance of them in MI that goes to make ma
tion rcsnected, and from which they received
tboir socinl beino. x
uNben II is shown. as have endeayorcd to
do. that Ireland was so far in advance of neigh
boring nations, the question very naturally
arises IN every intelligent mind, how she failed