aaa 
belonging to the priory of Kilmainham fo early as the year 
“ 
that it required the protection of the fecular laws*. 
Ir hiftoric evidence concerning our early anceftors’ ignorance 
of, or inattention to the art of gardening, was wanting, negative 
-proofs of both might be deduced from their poets. In no an- 
cient Irifh poem, or work of fancy that has fallen under my obfer- 
vation, have I difcovered a defcription of, or even an allufion to a 
garden; nothing but fuch natural objeéts, uncombined by art, 
as abound in the poems attributed to Offian, are to be found in 
the productions of our early bards ; all their fcenery is wild and 
romantic as that of Salvator Rofat. Nor indeed do the Irifh 
poets of the Jaft century often refort to the garden for imagery, 
for as yet gardens did ‘not abound in Ireland ; my memory, at 
prefent, affords me but two inftances, which I fhall give in the 
elegant tranflation of Mifs Brooke. ‘The unfortunate Edmund 
Ryan, who was involved in the miferies which enfued to fuch 
of 
* Monaft. Hib. p. 234. 
+ Since writing the above I have found mention of gardens in an ancient inedited code of 
Brehon laws, ordained for the protection of Bees, which were, I find, deemed the moft valuable 
part of the property of the early Irifh. I will tranfcribe two of thofe laws: 
«« Whoever plunders or fteals Bees from out of a garden or fort is fubjeét to a like penalty as if 
* he fteal them out of a habitation, for thefe are ordained of equal penalty by law.”, 
“« Bees in an enclofure or fort, and in a garden, are of the fame account (as to property, 
* penalty, &c.) as the wealth or fubftance of an habitation.” 
= See Mr. Macpherfon’s Tranf. of the Works of Offian. 
