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tend to elucidate the history, antiquities, manners, and customs of 
several continental nations, deriving their origin from the same 
source as the ancient Irish, as well as of the Irish themselves. This 
opinion we have seen, agrees with the opinion given of them by 
Archbishop Usher, Sir James Ware, Edward Lhwyd, Doctor 
Nicholson, Bishop of Derry, and others. Let us now see whether 
those laws have undergone any, or what changes, by the introduc- 
tion of Christianity into the Island, or by means of the invasions of 
the Danes, or of the Anglo-Normans; the only occurrences that 
could cause any material alteration in those Institutes from their first 
formation, until the commencement of the seventeenth century. 
The Irish, from their earliest settlement in the island, were: never 
conquered, nor even invaded by any foreign nation, until about the 
year of our Lord 795, when, according to the annals of Inisfallen, 
the Danes made their first appearance on the coast, and plundered 
some of the Irish ships; and, in the ensuing year, returning with 
greater force, made a landing on the shore. In this long period, of 
about 2000 years duration, they had ample time to establish wise 
and salutary laws and regulations, for the well-governing of the 
nation, and the mutual advantages of all ranks of people. That 
they did establish such laws, and that those laws were founded on 
the ancient customs observed by their ancestors, as well before their 
emigration from the continent as since their arrival in Ireland, 
there is good reason to believe : and, although it is certain, that, in 
that period, they had frequent intercourse with, and often carried 
their arms into, the Continent ; that they had formed treaties of al- 
liance and friendship with some of the continental nations ; and that, 
in those days, by means of commerce, the ports and harbours of 
Ireland were much better known to foreign merchants, than those 
of Britain, as Tacitus asserts, in his life of Agricola ; yet, in all that 
