harp, and the song of the bards, and which once contained the object of their delight and veneration, was now in the possession of strangers ;— of strangers, whose language, and customs, and prejudices, were different from their own, and to whom they entertained an avowed dislike. Every morning that the Irishman opened his eyes on the castle of his chief, his feelings of regret for its departed glory, for the loss of his protector and friend were renewed, and he mourned in secret the conquest of his country, and the ruin of his people. Even the bards, most of whose patrons were now disinherited, or in exile, heightened by their mournful and desponding strains, the anguish of his woe, while they recalled to his recollections the tender and moving associations of other years, and sung the melting melody of "Erin gu bra."* The excess of his grief, and the sensibility of his nature, only tended to increase his aversion to a power whose authority in Ireland he conceived was usurped, and whose coercive measures towards his chieftain and his clan seemed the most galling oppression. He could feel

* This favourite Irish air is very old. It is often sung in Connaught by natives who have no English. It has the same effect on their feelings that Mac Gregor O'Ruara, or ́Lochaber no-more has, on a Highlander. See note B.

no attachment, therefore, to the English adventurer who had taken possession of the lands from which his lord had been expelled; on the other hand, he must have cherished a disposition to injure his person and acquired property, and to frustrate, by every possible means, even at the expence of his own virtue, the happiness of the intruder.

In

The feelings of hatred and contempt which the new proprietors entertained towards the native Irish were equally strong. They considered them not merely as a wild and savage race, to whose bards, and music, and manners, and customs, they expressed the utmost aversion, but as a conquered people, over whom the fortunes of war had given the English nation an absolute power.* such circumstances it was not possible that either the Anglo-Hibernian or the native Irishman should be much improved: they mutually disliked and suspected one another. The latter, from principle, became often faithless to a foreigner, by whom he was treated, not with the generous frankness of his former lord, but with insolence and contempt; and those qualities of deceit and infidelity which arose out of the circumstance in which

*Spencer's View of Ireland.

he was placed, have been afterwards by strangers considered as forming a part of his natural character. The influence of this unfavourable situation, and of the sentiments of suspicion, and hatred, and revenge, to which it gave rise, operating for ages, must necessarily have been extremely injurious to the moral feelings. This consideration of itself seems sufficient to account for that perceptible difference between the moral complexion of the Highlanders and the Irish.

It is unnecessary to say, that the inferior orders have a tendency to descend in the scale of intellectual and moral beings, when all friendly intercourse with their superiors has ceased. It is difficult if not impossible afterwards to attain any great elevation of sentiment, or polish of manners. If this remark holds true in all ordinary cases, it is especially so in situations where the multitude are viewed by their superiors in the light of a conquered people, and treated accordingly with the scornful indignity of illiberal prejudice. If they are considered as degraded by those whom they are sufficiently prone to respect, unless irritated and oppressed, it is very probable that they will imperceptibly think of themselves. in a somewhat similar light.. And when this unhappy result takes place, it is superfluous

to say, that the influence of even such a conception must have a debasing tendency on the whole character: For,

Jove fix'd it certain, that whatever day

Makes man a slave, takes half his worth away.*

These observations, together with those which have been elsewhere made, will account for that prejudice which the native Irish entertain towards the English character. I am fully aware that this is a delicate subject, and am anxious, therefore, to treat it with all possible tenderness. The fact, however, is certain and no one can enter into the cabin of an Irishman, and converse with him familiarly in his own language, without perceiving his strong dislike to the persons and religion of the Gall. He remembers that his country has been invaded, and conceives that the chiefs of his people have

* Odyss. xvii.

It is singular that Scotchmen are never distinguished by this appellation. The Irish call them Albanaich. On entering a cabin the first salutation was "Ceudmile failte duit;" that is, a hundred thousand welcomes. After this the first question proposed was " Cia as duit?" That is, where do you come from. Of course my answer was," as Albainn;" from Albion or Scotland. This information respecting my country seemed, except in one or two instances, to prepossess the natives in my favor rather than otherwise.

been oppressed and extirpated by the English. He still points to the ruins of a castle which was once the habitation of his own prince of the Milesian race,—a prince to whom he himself is nearly allied, and with a sigh recounts the years that have passed since its walls were demolished by the hands of strangers.

In mentioning this circumstance, I am far, indeed, from wishing to excite prejudice against a people possessing so many amiable and interesting qualities. My object is to shew, that they have been treated in a way, not to conciliate their affections, not to flatter their national prejudices, but in a manner calculated rather to excite their antipathy,and to perpetuate the recollection of former grievances. No people can long retain a dislike to a government by which they are regarded with confidence. trust in a people, is often an make them unworthy of trust. Irish find that they are no longer aliens in the land of their fathers, they will be amongst the most faithful subjects in the British empire.

To place no effectual way to

And when the

It may be objected to the truth of these remarks, that the native Irish, during two rebellions in Scotland, continued firm in their allegiance to their sovereign; and that in the rebellion of 1798, they were among the best subjects

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