The Irish standard., 1899-09-23

III MUSIC anu song. III 1Ieldllu, DIT CeI-
tain seasons, the skies are very tickle.
The change from bright sunshine to
clouds and rain, and again the change
from clouds and rain to golden sunlight
is very sudden and frequent. had a
proof OF this during my stay at Killar-
ney. set out to do the gap OF Dunloe,
and when started the sun was shining
brightly, but just as I reached the cot
tage OF Kate Kearney, which is situated
at the entrance of the gap, the sky as
sumed a threatening appearance and
there was quite downpour Of rain.
This, however, was soon followed by
blue skies and bright sunshine. And as
it is with the skies OF ireland so it is
with those who dwell beneath them.
Their smiles and their tears are not
very far apart. Their moments Of Joy
and sadness come and go alternately,
but neither last long.
The literature, the songs, and the
music OF a people are the best mirrors
OF its qualities and peculiarities, and all
through Irish literature, song, and
music there runs strain OF JOY and
strain OF sadness. 1t is this mixture of
Joy and sadness that gives to the Irish
melodies all their charm and sweetness,
and the beauty OF Ireland is not con-
fined to one province, to one county, or
to one locality. OF course there are
highly favored spots in Ireland as in all
other countries, such as the Antrim
coast from Larne to Port Rush, the
Giants Causeway, Killarney, Bantry
Bay, and Glengarif, and, by the way,
the drive from Killarney to Glengariff
was pronounced by an Englishman
whom l met at Killarney, and who had
travelled around the world, as the most
beautiful spot he had seen in all his
travels. But these famed spots have not
monopolized all the beauty, as every
part OF Ireland has share in it.
have travelled from the extreme
North to the extreme South, from Port
Rush and the Giants Causeway to Kill
larney, Glengariff, Bantry Bay, Cork,
and Queenstown, and everywhere have
found beauty used to think that
the reports which native Irishmen gave
of Ireland were exaggerated, but now I
am convinced that they did not do Ire
land justice. To comprehend the beauty
OF Ireland you must see it. As no pen
or no brush can portray the beauty OF
the Bay Of Naples, the exquisite blue OF
its waters, SO no pen and no brush can
portray the beauty OF Ireland and the
exquisite green OF its grass and its trees.
Truly is it the Emerald Gem OF the
Western World"
l said in the beginning OF my letter
that to know Ireland and the Irish peo-
pie is to love it and them. The Irish
people are as lovable as the Irish seem
cry is beautiful To see the Irish pco-
pie at their best you must meet them in
their own country, on their farms, in
their villages, towns, and cities; you
must visit them in their homes, and you
lrsust sit with them and talk with them
around their tiresdes. And il you meet
with them under these circumstances
you will certainly love them. for they
possess all those qualities that call forth
love, viz, intelligence, clevcrness, wit,
kindness, aftability, and gratitude. No
one doubts OF their intelligence, OF their
native ability to acquire knowledge but
some may call in question their will
lngness to avail themselves OF the OPP
portunities presented to them. But
those who do make 4 great mistake
The Irish appreciate the value oi knowl-
edge as fully as the people OF any other
nation and they are quick to avail them
selves OF the opportunity OF acquiring it,
And ii education is not as widespread,
as universal, as in the United States and
in England, the blame is to be laid not
at the door OF the Irish. but at the door
Of those who Tor centuries have impov-
erislled them, have prosecuted them,
and have kept them in ignorance.
Again, those who admit their native
ability and intelligence may be inclined
to accuse them OF want OF ambition, OF
listlessness, and laziness. They may say
that they have no push, no energy, that
they are not progressive. Now, moth
ing could be greater calumny against
the Irish than to say or even to think
such thing. OF course, it is not to be
expected that the Irish should be am
bilious, for in the past everything was
done to nip ambition in the bud 1t is
well-known fact that they could not
buy the land, and if they made any i'm
provemcnts on it the rent was raised.
But notwithstanding all these difficulties
that rose mountain high in their path,
the Irish people are as energetic and as
progressive as the people OF any other
nation. II you visit Dublin and Belfast
you will find as much energy and prog
ress as you will find anywhere. More
over, you will meet with as much phys
ical beauty, with as fine specimens OF
manhood and womanhood, with men
and women as well dressed as you meet
with in London and Paris. But while
the inhabitants OF Ireland are intelli-
gent, clever, energetic, and progressive,