208 M‘Sweeny, on the Climate of Ireland. 
will they yield him flesh; nor if he keep them will they give him food: besides being 
all with calf for the most part, they will, through much chasing and driving, cast all 
their calves, and lose their milk which should relieve him next summer.” 
It ought here to be particularly remarked, that no allusion is made to severe frosts, as 
a hard frozen state of the ground would be of the greatest consequence to the pursuers, 
in enabling them to follow through bogs and marshes, in the most direct line, those 
who in other circumstances might escape by their knowledge of the country. It is, 
therefore, just to infer, that severe frosts were not of frequent occurrence in Ireland 
at the time. We have the ground described as cold and wet, such as it is commonly 
with us in winter. 
It does not follow but that severe winters occasionally occurred as they doin mo- 
dern times. 
In Sir W. Betham’s Antiquarian Researches, Life of O’Donnel, the frost is men- 
tioned by which young O’Donnel lost some of his toes, in escaping from Dublin. In 
like manner, an unusually severe frost is described in the Pacata Hibernia, by which 
the same O’Donnel, at a subsequent period, was enabled to cross a swampy mountain 
with his army, on his way to assist the Spaniards, besieged in Kingsale. But, ifa hard 
frozen state of the ground was of common occurrence in winter, it is difficult to sup- 
pose that the acute Spencer would not have alluded to it. 
The remarks of Spencer are worthy of every attention; from his long residence in 
Ireland, he had ample opportunities of observing the general state of the island, and of 
making a comparison between its climate, and that of England. He, no doubt, con- 
trasts the Irish climate with the English, when he says that it is most temperate, 
though somewhat moist. 
In modern times, another Englishman, Arthur Young, came to the same conclusion 
from his own observation. 
We shall now have to direct attention to the character of the climate, as given by 
Sir James Ware ; he says—* Pomponius Mela affirms that the temperature of Ire- 
land is unfit to bring seeds to maturity. But more particularly, Giraldus Cambrensis, 
says: § Thus corn promises much in the grass, more in the straw, but least in the ear ; 
for the grains of wheat are so small, that they can scarce be cleansed by the help of a 
fan.’ Let us hear now what others of the ancients have written to the contrary. Thus, 
therefore, Orosius: ‘It lies nearer,’ says he, ‘to Britain; is less in extent, but of a 
more temperate air and profitable soil.’ Likewise, Isidore: ‘The next island to Bri- 
tain, less in extent of land, but more fertile ;’ and Bede : ‘ Ireland,’ says he, ‘ both in 
healthfulness, and also serenity of the air, much excels Britain. But to speak my opi- 
nion: if these comparisons relate to the south part of Britain, which we call England, 
they are not to be allowed, yet we grant that Ireland is of so temperate an air, that 
we see the fields green and flourishing in the midst of winter, and cattle put daily to 
grazing, unless in time of snow, which is rarely of two or three days continuance. 
