but it is inaccurately called by Mr. Todd, his anno tator, an eminence. Verse 9. 1. 5. And go to Athunree, I cried In the reign of Edward the Second, the Irish presented to Pope John the Twenty-second a me morial of their sufferings under the English, of which the language exhibits all the strength of despair."Ever since the English (say they) first appeared 66 upon our coasts, they entered our territories under 66 a certain specious pretence of charity, and exter"nal hypocritical shew of religion, endeavouring at "the same time, by every artifice malice could sug " gest, to extirpate us root and branch, and without any other right than that of the strongest, they "have so far succeeded by base fraudulence, and "cunning, that they have forced us to quit our fair "and ample habitations and inheritances, and to "take refuge like wild beasts in the mountains, the "woods, and the morasses of the country;-nor ❝even can the caverns and dens protect us against "their insatiable avarice. They pursue us even into "these frightful abodes; endeavouring to dispossess 66 us of the wild uncultivated rocks, and arrogate to "themselves the PROPERTY OF EVERY PLACE on "which we can stamp the figure of our feet.” The greatest effort ever made by the ancient Irish to regain their native independence was made at the time when they called over the brother of Robert Bruce from Scotland.-William de Bourgo, brother to the Earl of Ulster, and Richard de Ber mingham were sent against the main body of the native insurgents, who were headed rather than commanded by Felim O'Connor.-The important battle, which decided the subjection of Ireland, took place on the 10th of August, 1315. It was the bloodiest that ever was fought between the two nations, and continued throughout the whole day, from the rising to the setting sun. The Irish fought with inferior discipline, but with great enthusiasm. They lost ten thousand men, among whom were twenty-nine chiefs of Connaught.-Tradition states that after this terrible day, the O'Connor family, like the Fabian, were so nearly exterminated, that throughout all Connaught not one of the name re mained, except Felim's brother, who was capable of bearing arms. Verse 14. 1. 16. To speak the malison of Heaven. If the wrath which I have ascribed to the heroine of this little piece should seem to exhibit her character as too unnaturally stript of patriotic and domestic affections, I must beg leave to plead the authority of Corneille in the representation of a similar passion: I allude to the denunciation of Camille, in the tragedy of Horace. When Horace, accompanied by a soldier bearing the three swords of the Curiatii, meets his sister, and invites her to congratulate him on his victory, she expresses only her grief, which he attributes at first only to her feelings for the loss of her two brothers; but when she bursts forth into reproaches against him as the murderer of her lover, the last of the Curiatii, he exclaims: 66 "O Ciel, qui vit jamais une pareille rage, Crois tu donc que je sois insensible a l'outragé Que je souffre en mon sang ce mortel deshonneur: Aime, Aime cette mort qui fait notre bonheur, Et préfere du moins au souvenir d'un homme Ce que doit ta naissance aux Intérêts de Rome." At the mention of Rome, Camille breaks out into this apostrophe: 66 Rome, l'unique objet de mon ressentiment! Rome, a qui vient ton bras d'immoler mon amant! Rome, qui tá vu naître et que ton cœur adore! Rome enfin que je hais, parce qu'elle t' honore! |