resources, of precious and useful minerals, gold, silver, iron, copper, zinc, antimony, coal, of marble, porphyry and various building stones, of artistic and useful clays, of rare glass-sand, of inexhaustible fisheries, of incomparable water-power, of singular fertility of soil, of rare native popular intelligence and versatility of mind; and, added to all these, with a position unequalled for commercial advantages, set down in the high-road of the world's traffic, the first land in Europe from the West, where every traveller across the Atlantic would land, and whence every traveller for the outer world would embark.
When the world was young, Ireland proved her capacity by leading in the civilization of Northern Europe. Even the broken leaves and branches of her native customs and literature, preserved in this article on ancient weapons and games, are proof to the eye and the mind, over-riding the aspersions of illiteracy and prejudice.
In her unexampled struggle of seven centuries, during the latter three of which the nation has been prostrate, bound, and gagged, the native arts and industries and varied learning have died or have been destroyed by the stupid conqueror. The language of the Celt has been suppressed; but he has learned the tongue of his oppressor,
