people who shall be so fortunate as to possess it, than on the style or composition; and more careful to render his language intelligible. and explicit, than smooth and florid.' Having now introduced our Readers to some acquaintance with Mr. Carver, and informed them of his motives to this undertaking, we must defire them to shake hands with the Gentleman, and to part for the present. In our next we propose to have the pleasure of a second conversation with this intelligent and enterprizing Traveller: in which his discoveries and observations will, if we are not greatly mistaken, afford us much entertainment, and not a litile information. ART. III. O Halloran's History of Ireland, concluded. See our last. N the Shandyan phrase, every man has his hobby-horse. That of Mr. O'Halloran appears to be the antiquity and honour of his country: though, as we remarked in our account of this Author's former work *, we cannot suppose it a matter of very high moment, whether the Highland clans descended from the Irish, or the Irish from the Highland clans; neither can we absolutely reprehend a zeal of this kind, if united with learning and judgment. Under their direction it may help to throw light on ancient history, and contribute to entertain and inform the inquifitive reader. It is but justice to this Author, to allow that he writes in a manner that bespeaks him a man of erudition; and we must acknowledge, that the proofs he offers in support of the Irish descent from Milefius, bear the marks of reason and probability: in this respect we think there is ground to unite with Mr. Wynne, who, in his History of Ireland, produces some of the same arguments with Mr. O'Halloran +. It was in the year of the world 2734, according to this writer, that the fons of Milesius determined to form a fettlement in Ireland. This determination is said to have been made in conse quence of a prediction delivered some years before by Caicer, one of their ancestors, that their posterity should fettle in the most westerly island in the world. Accordingly Ith, a principal person among them, was appointed to visit the country. He set fail from Spain with a small force in the year 2735, and landed at a place called Daire-Calgach in the North, the present Derry, says our Author. When the inhabitants enquired who this adventurer was, and what his business; he immediately answered, we are told, in the Irish language, that they were from one common stock, being both the descendants of Magog; that distress of weather threw him on their coasts; and that the laws : laws of affinity, as well as of hospitality, pleaded in his caufe and that of his followers. Here, says Mr. O'Halloran in a kind of triumph, we fee to demonstration the Milesian adventurers well acquainted with the country, its inhabitants, and their ancestry: -we alfo find them speaking the fame language; nor is there in hiftory a fact better afcertained than this, notwithstanding the flippant affertions of fome moderns, who will, on their bare authorities, have it, that all the colonies, previous to the Milesian expedition, came from Britain. On this point we will not dispute with our historian. It is told of Ith, that finding the three princes (brothers) who then jointly ruled Ireland, were met at a palace not very diftant, to agree about a partition of the crown jewels, he refolved to pay them a visit. He conducted himself with so much difcretion, that the princes agreed to constitute him umpire. His justice and impartiality on the occafion is faid not only to have prevented a civil war, but to have entirely reconciled the brothers, and given them great pleasure. But foon after Ith had left them, they began to reflect on the high encomiums he bestowed on their country, and the diligence with which he had observed and explored it, from whence, with other circumstances, they concluded he was a spy, and formed the resolution, for their own security, to cut off him and his party before they could reach their ship. One of the brothers was immediately detached with a number of men by a different route; they foon overtook Ith, who with his men retreated as fast as they could to their ship, and as they drew nearer to it, a desperate attack was made, in which the flower of his small company were killed, and with great difficulty the remains of the shattered troop reached the vessel, bearing with them their general mortally wounded. - Such was the event of the first Milesian expedition to Ireland. Those who reached Spain were provided with fufficient arguments to excite their countrymen to renew the attempt. Their preparations were vigorous, their troops numerous, and their fleet, it is said, such as would be respectable at any time, but for that period a very great one. This was the grand Milesian expedition under the conduct of Heber and Heremon. Our Author gives us the names of several principal persons as they have been, he says, carefully preserved in the Irish annals, and he mentions them, because many confiderable places in the kingdom yet commemorate them, of which he produces instances. On their landing, an embassy was sent to the reigning princes, the three fons of Cearmada, requiring a speedy fubmiffion. They replied, that it was contrary to the rules of war to take them thus by surprize, but if they would give proper time to collect their troops, they would then put the fate of the kingdom to the issue of a battle.' It was at length agreed that the Milesians should re-embark, and their ships clear the coasts; after which, if they made good their second landing, it should be deemed an equitable invasion, and the Damnonii, or present poffeffors, would either submit or oppose them as they found most convenient. • I shall make no comment, says Mr. O'Halloran, on this extraordinary agreement, but observe to my readers, that it was faithfully adhered to by the Milesian chiefs. They conveyed all their troops and provisions on board, and put to sea with their whole fleet. When they had all cleared the land, and were fairly in the main ocean, they tacked about to reach the coafts they had left; but at this very critical time, a violent storm of wind at West arose, owing, say our annals, to the magical powers of the Damnonii; but let that pass as one of the many instances of pitiable credulity in our annalifts, though at the fame time of their great dread to alter the leaft iota in the national records; since nothing can be more abfurd than recurring to preternatural causes in accounting for facts which we know may happen, and often happen, as a Westerly wind is a kind of trade wind on our coast. The wind increasing, and want of fufficient sea room, were the fources of dreadful calamities. The galley commanded by Donn ran into the Shannon, and was dashed to pieces beyond the Cashel, at a place which to this day retains his name, and every foul on board perished! Beside this chief, we are particularly told that twentyfour common soldiers, twelve women, four galley slaves, fifty select warriors, and five captains, being all on board, shared his fate! The galley commanded by Ir, met the same fate on the Desmond coaft. The remainder of this facet, though much damaged, stood off to sea till the storm abated, and then relanded at Inbher-Sceine; but Arranan a most experienced feaman, in the height of their distress, mounting the maft to secure fome fails, which none other had the boldness to attempt, was by the violence of the wind dashed down on the deck, where he died. The place of his interment yet goes by the name of Cnoc Arranan, though vulgarly called Cnoc Arrar, bordering on the Shannon, in Kerry. The squadron commanded by Heremon felt part of this storm, though most of them landed safely at Inbher-Colpa, or Drogheda, so called from Colpa who perished here, as did likewife Aireach. Thus by this high point of honour, of the eight fons of Milefius five perished in this storm, beside many ladies and captains of special note, and numbers of foldiers. • The second landing was effected on the 17th day of the month Bel or May, and in the year of the world, according to : RBV, Feb. 1779. H the the Hebrew computation, 2736. The troops of Heber imme diately took poffeffion of their former camp at Sliabh-mis; nor were the Damnonii in the mean time idle, since we find them collect fo confiderable a force as to attack his entrenchments the third day after their landing. The attack was long and bloody but the Danaanis at length gave way to superior courage, having left a thousand of their best troops killed in the trenches. The loss of the Milesians was alfo confiderable; three hundred brave fellows falling by the sword of the enemy, with two Druids, who animated them by their prayers, and two ladies, Scota, widow of Milefius, and Fais, wife to Un. The next day the remains of these amazons were interred with great funeral pomp; Scota in a vale, to this day from her called Glean-Scota, near Tralee, where a royal monument was erected to her memory. The beauty of this place has been celebrated by antiquity; but at present it appears a dreary uncultivated waste, the fatal consequences of depopulation and neglect of tilJage! Fais was buried in another valley near Sliabh-mis, which yet retains the name of Glean Fais. Encouraged by this first defeat of the enemy, the Milefians in good order proceeded towards Inbher-Colpa, or Drogheda, to join their afsociates commanded by Heremon; and we cannot doubt but in their route they were joined by many malcontents, but particularly by the Belge. This junction was happily effected, and now united, they send a second summons to the fons of Cearmada to surrender the kingdom, or to appoint a day to put its fate to the issue of the fword. These princes return a refolute answer, that they would die as they lived, monarchs of Ireland; and that they would meet them on the plains of Tailten, in Meath, where the longest sword and strongest arm should determine the conquest. At the time agreed on the two armies met, refolved on victory or death. Their numbers were nearly equal, as were the commanders; the three sons of Milefius, to wit, Heber, Heremon, and Amhergin, heading the invaders, while the Damnonii were led on by the three fons of Cearmada. The fight foon began, and continued with aftonishing obstinacy from sun-rife, even to fun-fet, as the book of invafion notes. The oppofing princes eagerly fought for each other, through numbers of wounded and dying enemies. At length they met. The fate of Ireland now, like that of Rome, in the days of the Horatii, hung on the swords of these contending brothers! At length Mac Cuill fell by the hand of Heber-fion, Mac Creacht was flain by Heremon, and Mac Greine by Amhergan. The Danaans, now deprived of their chiefs, gave way on every fide, but this had more the air of a regular retreat, than a precipitate flight. The victors wifely confidering, that if the enemy now escaped, it would be the fource of fresh devastations, closely, but but in good order, pursued them. The Danaans made a gallant effort at Sliabh-Cualgne, so called from Cualgne, the fon of Breogan, who fell in this battle; a second stand they made. at Sliabh-Fuadh, so named from Fuadh, brother to Cualgne, who was here slain. But more enraged than intimidated at these checks, the Milesians continued the pursuit, putting to the sword all the enemy they met, and so effectually broke them, that they were never after able to make the least disturbance in the kingdom; and such as did not paffively submit to the new government retired to Britain, poffeffing themselves of Devonshire and Cornwall, and carrying with them their name and language. Thus, after ruling Ireland for an hundred and ninety-five years, under nine princes, were the Danaans completely conquered. From their history it is evident that they were a very warlike, as well as a learned people.' The above relation of an important revolution in the Irish history we have chosen to lay before the reader in the author's own words, from whence some judgment may be formed of his manner of writing. He proceeds to tell us of the policy and humanity with which the Milesians treated their new fubjects, which he contrasts with what he calls, the opposite conduct pursued fince the revolution; but it should be remarked, that he does not, here at least, state those reasons and motives which, when they are properly examined, might possibly give some ground for a different mode of policy. However, this is an argument we do not undertake to difcufs. The fupreme command of Ireland was vested in Heber and Heremon; the former, this writer says, had the fouthern half of the ifland, and the northern was the property of the latter. The nobility, the military, and the followers of these two princes, had estates and lands assigned to them, in proportion to their different ranks; but O'Naoi, a celebrated mufician, and Mac Cis, a bard of the first eminence, had like to have produced much trouble, each prince being fond of retaining both in his service. It was, however, determined by lot, when the musician fell to the share of Heber, and the bard to that of his brother Heremon; an early index, remarks Mr. O'Halloran, who neglects nothing for the honour of his country, of that protection which the Irish nation ever after afforded to poetry and mufic! Nor were arts, agriculture, and manufactures less attended to.-Nor should it be forgot to the credit of our literati, that while many important actions of our ancestors kave been loft, yet the names of such princes as most remarkably attended to and encouraged agriculture have carefully been handed down from age to age! Ireland was undoubtedly formerly, what China is at this day, one continued scene of tillage.' H2 Should |