The Irish standard., 1890-11-29

next to the sun was the m0on, which
was called Samhain.
The feast OF Bel was proclaimed ~
fires and other public rejoicing On May
eve, and that OF Samhain on the eve OF
November. The stars were also acored.
aud the solemn oath taken ON important
occasions was, by the sun, the moon.
and the STARE" They had likewise
their river and mountain deities, those
who presided over the hills and those
who ruled the valleys; but next 10 the
sun and moon, Neptune was the prin-
cipal deity.
The doctrines of the transmi igration
of souls and their i'm mortality were In
culcated carefully. The druids taught
that the soul must pass from body to
body, till by series Of ages and actions
it became a pure smanatl0n from the
deity, purged from all terrestrial vices,
aud worthy to be returned from whence
it came. The vices in one life were
punished after death by that soui's be-
ing transformed into some quadruped
most remarkable for such deprayity.
| Wss man addicted to gluttony. the
soul after his death was judged to ami
| mate hog.
After death the souls OF the brave
and the generous and the humane were
revived In others who were still more
noble and pure. In turn they became
pure spirits and returned to The deity.
From the year OF the worid $40, till
the English invasion, ireland. except
| while interrupted by intestine strife,
was governed bY a triennlal parliament,
consisting Of supreme monarch, four
provincial kings, ollamhs, or doctors OF
science, with representati Of nobil~
tiles and towns, with deputies repre'
senting other interests. Most OF the
laws enacted by this parliament have
been translated into English at the ex-
pense of the English government. but
am not aware that the work was ever
published.
The music Of ancient Ireland is full
of s0ftness and harmony, and Moore's
songs of ireland are interpretations III
verse OF the language or his countrys 3
melodies--an adaptation o. words to a
rich mine Of irish music WhichoutIiyen
the fierce incursiol,s OF the Dane and
the relentless wars OF the English; and
was preserved In the peasants hut dur
ing thu deadly pressure Of the cruel
penal laws when everything Irish was
shut out from the pale Of civilized life.
Had Moore written nothing but bis
''Irish Melodies" his name would be
famous and he wouid ba welt deserving
of the gratitude OF MS country rymen.
But his "Lalla Il ,okh" is a great poem
which places him in the front rank OF
British poets. In that poem he gives
his hre worshipers the wrongs and feel.
ings of Irisbmen and further endearS
himself to the hearts or the Irish people.
The most popular of all books among
the Irish Is the Life OF Robert Em
met" Ireland's young patriot who for
high treason was hanged and beheaded
in Thomas street, Dublin, in the wear
1903, at the age of twenty three years.
Emmet was the college friend Of the
poet Moore, and the sad fate of the
young reyolutionist inepired the Irish
bard when he sang,
Oh! breathe not his name, let it sleep In the
shade,
Where cold and nnhonored his relics are laid;
Sad, SILENT and dark, be, the tears that we shed.
AS the night dew that falls on the grass DER his
head.
These lines allude to a passage in
Emmet's speech in the dock, when
Lord Norbury asked him why the sent
ence OF death should not be passed
upon him. 1t does not pay rulers to
hang men who represent the aspira-
tions OF people. Emmet's headless
body has surrounded the government of
England. In Ireland, with more dangers
and annoyances than any dozen live
patriots that ever devoted thelna Ives
to the cause of Ireland. The story Of
his life. trial, sentence, and death has
made thousands AID thousands Of Irish
rebels against England. The Irish
mother tells the story Of Emmett to her
children and they In turn tell it to their
own sons and daughters, until the pa
triot's name Is more venerated by his
people than any other Irishman that
ever lived.
There are few Irish works, mostly
Of political import, which have been
published during the last decade. but
the Irish writer's whose productions are
popular belong to past generations. II
Gladstone succeeds in giving Ireland a
native parliament there may be revival
of Irisn literature of high order, but
in her present provincial state it is not
likely that ireland will produce any
great poets or prose writer's to compare
with the past.--The Chantau1uan.
&.4rs -----E
Have you no occupation. my poor
MANI" asked the good woman as she
CO., ky,., b