81 



The following description of Ireland, taken from an old MS. presents a 

 specimen of correct orthography and grammar. It appears to be a dialogue be- 

 tween a father and son. 



Cab ; M zn^)ii cjfte e;^e ?— C;/< Ur,h, co^/ianir^l <\.' b-;:eojl, <x' n-j^Xfc ftjay* «' 

 ■b-x:ojxj\i<iL)h <x;l; ;, po bleacc jcica jnejbe e<xU*;c ajuy <x)t\ne]p ; <ui a b-f ajl;& 

 ^le;bcj a/tb-beanoica, peu/i-uajcne, <xju;^ jleana blcic-cum;<a, ;l<iy^b;le«c«, ejiom- 

 iT)eft/'AC<x, be pej/t <xd p;le. — 



" Jlean* na n-;ub<Xft 5-ca;', j-c^Kiebftc," 

 7c. 7c. 7c. 



iXn h-j:u)l cjix comijiom <xn &]j\jnt> ? — C<i jo toe;m;n, pJieo/ina, c/iujcneacc aju;^ v^le 

 ^nejtjh «jl) OLfibajfA. Co j:<xb cci /•) ci;r)jce? — <x)mpii <>'" ■cf^b-AC«r'* ■Cfb^tajm, ftjuy" 

 fjn fie b/iojnj c;toboi, cea/ic, j^tabac, bjlea/-, b;ab<x, jontuf 50 ;ia;b ru;UeoLb a^o/* ba 

 mjl; fal;*ba;n 'na murtfiac. — bf);b fj bj<xbA, * bej/t tu ?— iCn ; ;n;y n<x nftem ! Ohji nxxji 

 )f foUu;' 1x5 bebe n*eit)C<\, o. be;fij ju/t b<x e naem Colm^n asu^- <x cujbeaccft bo 



TRANSLATION. 



What (lescriptioh of country is Ireland ? — It is a beautiful and fertile country ; abounding in 

 flesh, fish and other necessaries ; overflowing with the milk of all kinds of herds and cattle. In 

 it are Iiigli-clifFed verdant mountains, and flower-scented, arboreous, fruit-abounding vales, as 

 described by the poet- — 



" Vales of yews knotty and branchy," 

 &c. &c. &c. 



Is Ireland a champaign country ? — It surely is, and abounds in barley, wheat, and all other kinds 

 of corn.— How long is it inhabited ? — Since the time of the Patriarch Abraham, and that by a va- 

 liant, just, affectionate, faithful and pious race ; so much so, that during two thousand years the 

 wliole land was a nursery of science and learning. — You say it was a pious country .' — What ! is it 

 thelsland of Saints? — Certainly it was, as Bede bears testimony, when he says, that it was St. Colman 



VOL. XV. AI 



