The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-12
OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.
Rev. R. Latham, in Yorkville Enquirer.

49,
Rev. r. Latham, In Yorkville Enquirer.
GLOW does Ireland look 2" is among
the first questions asked by those who
feel any interest in the country. For
many reasons, very large per cent. of
the people Of every section of America
feel az interest in Ireland and Scotland,
that they do in no other. The descen.
dants of the Emerald Isle are scattered
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and
from Cape Horn to the Arctic lakes.
Some sections of the United States are
principally peopled by the descendants
of persons who came from either Scot
land or Ireland. Hence, Ireland is, to
no inconsiderable portion of the people
of North America, what Jerusalem is to
the Jew. In Scotland, the grand princi.
Piles of American liberty were formula.
ted. There is something in the words
Boutwell,, Airdsmoss, Rusterglen and
Queensferry, which kindles the fires of
patriotism in the bosom of every Ameri'
can citizen Of Scotch Irish descent.
Around the name Eaglewing clusters
series of events far more interesting, be.
cause far more tragical, than cluster
around the name Mayfower; and Robert
Blair, of Bangor, ireland, is the peer of
John Robinson, of Lincolnshire, Eng
land.
In every section of the Southern
States, and 10 some sections of every
State in the United States, there are in
dividuals who, ''in dreams, visit the sea-
bathed shores of Ireland" 1t is not at
all wonderful that these persons ask:
"How does odd Ireland look 2"
By law Of our nature, we map out, in
our minds, the general appearance of
every place in which we take any partic-
ular interest. This picture-making pro-
cess extends to every thing connected, in
any way whatever, with the locality, no
matter whether it be small patch of
ground or a continent of vast extent.
Its rivers, its mountains, its valleys, its
cultivated fields, and its forests, are all
mapped out in their minds. This
map has no material existence, but still
it has real being. To the individul
who sketched its outlines and dotted
down on its surface the mountain ranges
and the sloping valleys, it is real some.
thing. The number of such maps of
"Old Ireland" is equal to the number of
her wide scattered sons and daughters.
No two of these maps, possibly, are alike.
They are the creations of Imagination.
Facts collected from any and every avail
able source, have been arranged so as
to present Ireland, not as it really is, but
as it is thought to be. That distance
lends enchantment to the view" IS, IN
the case of Ireland, partly true and part.
ly not true. No picture drawn of
Ireland, by individuals on this side of
the Atlantic, is equal to Ireland, viewed
by the eye-viewed as it is. The first
glimpse that the individual crossing the
Atlantic gets of Ireland is totally differ.
ent from all his preconceived notions of
the island. He expected, perhaps, to
see a level plain, elevated, but slightly
above the sea. Instead of this, he sees
running down to the very sea.
To an individual who has seen no noun
tains except those in America, these
of Ireland present strange
At q distance they look
like huge, dark grey rocks. On apprach.
ing nearer them, the stone fences come
into view. When these fences are first
seen they have very much the appear
ance of gullies running up and down the
mountain side. From the top of one OF
these mountains the scene is very differ.
ent from that presented from the top of a
mountain in America. There is usually
nothing. except fog, to obstruct the
view. The whole country, as far as the
eye can reach, lies out before, or rather
beneath, the observer. Congeries of
mountains and lovely valleys, watered by
small, winding streams, are seen in every
direction. In summer the fields present
a most charming appearance. Every
vegetable wears delicate green. The
green is not that dark luxuriant green
that is presented by vegetation in early
Summer in our Southern country, but
the whole country everywhere appears
green. The ground is covered all over
with pale, delicate green carpet. This
green, in contrast with the black sol,
presents most charming variety. 1t is
ravishiugIy delightful:
A large amount of Ireland is in grass.
This of course is green. Then the crops
planted in Ireland all cover the ground
in Summer with living green. The
houses in Ireland are all stone. and the
pointing and plastering on the outside,
give them white appearance. The
fields iu Ireland are very small when
compared with ours, and are all surround
ed with stone fences. The number of
houses is much greater than in our coun'
try. The roads in Ireland are generally
and walled in with hewn,
or dressed stone wall on each side, and
the face of the country changes often
very abruptly. All these things, when
taken in connection with its mountains
and bogs, give to "Old Ireland" an ap-
pearance grandly picturesque, charming
ly lovely, and strangely gloomy.
The name of cold Ireland" is apt to
suggest that Ireland is an old wornout
country. When we Americans speak of
an old State or an old plantation, the i'm
preston is made on the mind of those to
whom the fact is declared, that it is a
wornout State or plantation. An cold
plantation" in our country means plan
tation that is rendered valueless, either
by long cultivation or abusive cultiva.
ton. Whenever the words "old planta-
ton" are mentioned, in our hearing we