The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-09-25

burst into the valley of the river Brusna,
and entirely ruined many hundred acres of
excellent land and this was afterwards re-
peated in the county of Antrim.
All the descriptions of Ireland in earlier
times agree in representing it as a thickly-
wooded country, and Spenser, in his "Fai-
ry Queen,' has immortalized the scenery
along the river Bandon, which he mentions
as the pleasant Bandon, woody crowned"
AS it is to this day. But wherever the
army of Cromwell passed, the forests were |
felled and the country laid bare, as the
boes amply testify, some Of them supply
ing large quantities of fir, which burns
with pleasant aromatic smell, and has
been used in place of candles. Other bogs
have yielded only oak, and sometimes sal
lou, and yew of great size, which is sus-
ceptible of fine polish, and is used for
cabinet-work.
The rivers of Ireland are numerous and
very fine, some of them forming lakes at
certain points in their course, and falling
into the sea at the head of spacious bays.
The country is rich in minerals, and its
quarries produce a variety OF beautiful
marbles, as the black marbles of Kilkenny,
the green of Galway, and the many-coIored
of Fermanagh ; nor should its excellent
states and wonderfully fine granite be pass
ed without notice.
Scarcely any part of Ireland is more than
fifty miles from the sea, and owing to this
fact, it is blest with climate famed for its
milduess, evenness and moisture. Deli
cate plants thrive in the county of Donegal,
close upon the Northern Ocean arbutus
and laurestinus there grow finely, and
mvrtles SO luxuriantly as to cover the walls
of houses up to the second story. On the
shore of Lough Swilley, near Ramelton,
the agapanthus and the fuschia live III
| winter in the open ground, and flower ex-
| tremely well in summer. The southern
| portion of the island is considerably warm
| er than Ulster. The snow rarely lies Tor
any length of time, the spring is carrier,
| fruit ripens quicker, and the harvest is
ready for the sickle a month before that of
the northern. and two weeks before the
midland districts In the counties of Cork
and Kerry tender shrubs, such as bay, YER
| bena, fuschia, ETC., grow with wonderIul
| luxuriance, and the native arbutus en-
riches the Wild scenery of Killarney ana
GIengariffe. The Creates defect OF the
| climate is its moisture but this varies
| greatly in different localities. The air on
| ibe western side of Ireland is much more
humid than that of The eastern, because 1T
| is exposed to the influence of the moist
yapors of the Atlantic, which, attracted by
| the mountains, rest upon their heads ana
pour down rain into the valleys The
| county of Dublin is wetter than that OF
Wicklow because the clouds charged with
rain pass over Dublin toward the chan
mel. free from every obstacle, while those
| which cross Wicklow, striking "Pon the
maintains aud hills, deposit their moisture
| upon their western slopes, leaving the east
ern sides of the country between them and
the sea dry and in sunshine.
The laboring Irish and the larger portion
of the middle classes have one common
Celtic origin, and possess their own pecu-
liar traits, by which they may be known
| the world over They have much quick
| ness of apprehensions and ingenuity,
| eood deal of natural eloquence and wit,
| terize most European nations, but are ia
| BILE to a peculiar quickness OF temper wnlch
| is often the attendant Of a lively and gen.
erally amiable character. The upper, and
mauy of the middle class, being OF Saxon
| descent. do pot vary much from the same
classes i'm Great Britain, but If any differ
ence exists it is owing TO the admixture OF
| Tie o.
this it is, perhaps, that gives to the edu-
Gated Irish SO much artistic talent, either
| in literature or the arts.
We all know something of the social
f., state of Ireland-how the native owners
let their possessions to naaddten'en, anu
these let them again 10 cottfers, who con-
s;tute a great body of farming poor, Who
suffer from low wages, high rents and un-
steady employment. All these things might
be remedied, and it is TO be hoped that IL
will be by wise legislation.
Tho Irish peasantry, with all their fauits,
are marked by many noble traits. 1heif
braxerv is undoubted, their hospitality
proyerb they are affectionate to their pa
rents and to the aged, charitable TO the
beooar. and show, even when 1t great us
,ress- a dislike for soliciting charity.
Surely, people possessing all these gooo
qualities are capable of attaining to high
er place than they have ever yet won.
| Progression is the universal law OF nature,
aud we venture to say that 10 the future OF
nations there is hope for Ireland.
The last class, but not the most miser-
,b,e one in Ireland which we would men
,;o, ;stbat of the common vagrant. Some
Of these are professional beggars' some are
obliged by loss of work to become "ha'
are called soalksrs, and others beg oLly
while their husbands are away at work IN
England. Aud Ireland is happy country
Co. tho beorar. though SO poor, for the