nicians at a period of high antiquity partially colonized the island, 

 and subsequently maintained a long and exclusive intercourse with it, 

 Tiiese are matters of such deep interest to the Irish antiquarian, that 

 they could not be too fully dwelt upon j in the present instance, how- 

 ever, a brief, but it is hoped satisfactory array, of the authorities refer- 

 rible to the question must suffice. 



In the porch of this first inquiry, abundant acknowledgments of 

 its probability are given by those who have well studied the question. 

 "It does not," says the author of the article "Ireland" in Rees's 

 Cyclopoedia, " appear improbable, much less absurd, to suppose that 

 the Phoenicians might have colonized Ireland at an early period, and 

 introduced their laws, customs, and knowledge, with a comparatively 

 high state of civilization, and that these might have been gradually 

 lost amidst the disturbances of the country, and at last completely 

 destroyed by the irruptions of the Ostmen." Doctor O'Conor, in 

 his invaluable publications, "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," every 

 where maintains and supports this opinion; and Bochart, one ot the 

 most learned men of the 17th century, and a great proficient in the 

 languages of the East, represents Ireland as so well known to the PIkk- 

 nicians, that even its popular name (Hibernia) was derived from the 

 language of that people."* 



The credence that may be given to these opinions, should be much 

 advanced by a consideration of the religious care and political anxiety 

 with which in the " olden " times the annals of Ireland are stated to 

 have been preserved, a species of precaution •peculiarly attributed by 

 Josephus-f- to the Phoenicians, and which, certainly, does not appear 



' Verbum addo de Hibernia, qiiam Plioenicibus non fuisse ignotam etiam ex nomine con-, 

 jectura est, quod plane videlur esse Phoenicum. — Geogr. Sacra, p. G-54. 1. 8. 



■\ " T« fill T»i 'ira,^ AtyvTrritii rt kcci XccA^aiti; xeci 'l>o(vi|"' t" '/""J "" ',ftui sxu»o*5 trvyxttrx^fyuvy 

 Hvrti 3>|5r«t<^(» «/t«^»yeu5-<y a^^uurctTr.t Tf xai ficvifcuTurtiv ix'" t?;; utr.wii rnf Tta^aecri). — JosephuS, 



con. Apionem, lib. 1. ad initium. 



