458 Professor Renwick on 



commonest plant became the scarcest, and it was more easy 

 to obtain that which was cultivated. 



Upon the whole view of the case, I apprehend it can hardly 

 be doubted, that the Oxalis acetoselta is the original shamrock 

 of Ireland. It possesses, in the first place, all the qualities to 

 recommend it as appropriate for the national feast, and is 

 even more beautifully three-leaved than the clover. It is 

 abundant, and comes at the proper season, being one of the 

 earliest plants, and pushing forth its delicate leaves and 

 blossoms with the first spring. It was also eaten ; while its 

 flavour, too, answers exactly to the description of Morrison, 

 which is a great point to assist in fixing its appropriation ; 

 and to the old Irish, who lived chiefly upon flesh, it must have 

 been a most acceptable diet. It would be impossible to find 

 any plant throughout the vegetable kingdom better entitled to 

 become national ; and I think it cannot be questioned, that 

 St. Patrick, who is said by Gibbon to have been descended, 

 and to have derived his name, from the patricians of Rome, 

 exercised a good taste, worthy his noble birth, when he 

 selected so beautiful an emblem for his favourite island. 



ON THE EARLIEST EPOCH OF EGYPTIAN CHRONOLOGY. 



[Being an Extract of a Letter from JAMES RENWICK, LL.D., Professor of 



Natural Experimental Philosophy in Colombia College, New 



York, to Captain EDWARD SABINE, R.A., F.R.S.] 



a former occasion, I mentioned to you that I had under- 

 taken the examination of the Hieroglyphic System of 

 Young and Champollion, with a view to the discovery of the 

 epoch whence the colonization of Egypt may date, along with 

 the origin of its history. I am now enabled to transmit to you 

 a more full exposition of the views I entertain on this interest- 

 ing subject. These are, in this form, at your service, to make 

 such use of them as you may think proper. 



As you may recollect, I conceived that I had, by means of 

 four distinct and independent methods, arrived at a close 

 coincidence in the date, whence we are to date the earliest 

 traditions of the Egyptians. These are as follows viz. : 



I. The principle upon which it is stated by ancient authors, 

 that the commencement of the agricultural and astronomical 



