m 



bj the Phoenicians:* and Quintus Curtius, where speaking of the 

 fall of Tyre, describes it as " a city both by antiquity of origin and 

 vicissitudes of fortune commended to the notice of posterity. Founded 

 by Agenor, it subjugated every sea, not merely in its neighbourhood, 

 but wherever its fleets approached ; and, if the report can be accre- 

 dited, this nation first either taught or learnt letters. Its colonies 

 were unquestionably scattered over the whole universe. * * * 

 I believe that in their wanderings over the wide sea, and by exploring 

 regions unknown to all else, they selected settlements for their youth- 

 ful population, in which they then abounded."-!- Hence it is, that such 

 ancient inscriptions as can yet be discovered in Ireland, are considered 

 not merely like, but often the same, with the Phoenician character. 

 Similar evidences of early learning are said to have been discovered 

 as it were stamped upon the living stone, "monumentum aere peren- 

 nius," in the Ogham inscriptions on Callan mountain in the County 

 Clare, at Aghadoe Church in the County Kerry,| at Killmelkederin,J 

 Ballystony,:]: Ballintarman,:|; and Ounagapul.]: in the same county, of 

 which and the like the learned Astle remarks: "There are great num- 

 bers of pillars, and monuments of stone in Ireland, as well rude as 

 wrought with various knots, figures, and devices, and some of these 

 latter sort are evidently of pagan antiquity. There are also a great 

 number of inscribed monuments of stone." So far for his testimony 



* O'Conor, Dissert, p. 13. — Newton, Chron.— Gibbon's Decl. and Fall, vol. 1. p. 25 and n. 83. 



f " Urbs et vetustate originis et crebra fortunae varietate ad memoriam posteritatis insignis ; 

 condita ab Agenore diu mare non vicinum modo, sed quodcunque classes ejus adierunt ditio- 

 nis suae fecit : et si famae libet credere haec gens literas prima aut docuit aut didicit. Coloniae 

 certe ejus pene orbe toto diffusae sunt ***** Credo libero commeantes mari, saepiw 

 usque adeundo caeteris incognitas terras, elegisse sedes juventuti qua tunc abundabant." — 

 Quint. Curt. lib. 4. c. 4. 



X Vallancey's Collectanea, v. 6. p. 192. There are some of these, however, of which we 

 do not admit ourselves implicit believers. 



VOL. XVI. O 



