Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-03-21
Ancient Irish History.

According to Sir Charles Lyell, in his
admirable work on the antiquity Of man,
Ireland was at one time, and probably
since the existence of man on the earth,
united to England, aud England to the
continent of Europe, so that, at the time
Of bone caves of Belgium, men walked
across where the Straits of Dover now
are. The process was simple one by
which, the change was brought about
If the northwestern part of Europe were
elevated but six hundred feet, the whole
ofth British Islands, the British and St
Georges Channels, would at once be in
cluded in and annexed to the continent
There are clear traces Of period when
this was the case-once before we lind
proof of man existence, and once since.
Even the first of these periods may not
have been above two or three thousand
centuries ago. The country was prob
ably little-a very little-warmer than
at present; we have relics of the forests
that then existed, their roots still upright
in the ground. Elephants, horses, deer,
cattle and swine, all of extinct species,
lived and died. By degrees, very slowly,
through long ages, the Thermometer sank,
the shellfsh, and even the trees and
plants of Iceland grew, down sank the
thermometer still lower, and all Europe
was wrapped in Polar ice. Wales sank
down 400 feet, and ireland 250O feet:
Only few parts of England and Ireland
remained above the seas. Then after other
ages, the thermometer rose, the ice
melted, the glaciers disappeared, and the
Emerald Isle, not as an island, but a
part of the European Continent, rose,
bright, lovely and warm out OF the sea.
Even at that remote period it would seem
that England kept all the chief advan-
tages to herself, as fewer elephants and
horses, and even reptiles, which crawled
over from France and Belgium, travelled
so far as Ireland, and we are not sure OF
any decisive proofs yet found of man
there in that period. 1t seems the eleva-
ton between England and Ireland did
not continue long enough. The Irish
Sea and St George Channel sank down,
before all the men and other animals
that had set out from France and Bel
'gium had arrived, and they stopped in
England. And after awhile the British
Channel gave way, and the Straits of
Dover sank down and the sea flowed in,
and thus we're formed the present British
Islands.
This is Sir Charles Lyelrs history Of
Ireland, and it is older and more authen--
TIC than good deal that has been called
Irish history since At any rate, it in
dicates the best way of surmounting the
grievances and difficulties that now beset
the relations on both sides the Channel,
More of elevation and of equal rights
and justice is needed ireland has al
ways been badly governed, because she
has been considered a separate depan-
dency to be tyrannized over. Elevation
and equality are needed in all the laws
bearing on that country. There has
been allowed deep gulf of hatred to
flow in between the two countri1s,. the
original equality has been sunk, and
Ireland left out in the cold, until now,
upon the whole, the smaller island has
come to consider her insular position the
normal one. When an Irishman sets his
foot in America, he feels that he is on a
continent and connected with it in all its
broad interests. The geological history
of the island might teach the English
some political wisdom. fc.-.r