or, 
Mooney. ] 276 (Oct. 19, 
among whom they partook of a religious character and wer intended to 
dispel the grief for the dead from the minds of the living. There is evi- 
dence that such was their original nature and intent in Ireland also, but 
Christianity and advancing civilization hav degraded the wake games, 
along with other lingering pagan ceremonies, from their former high 
estate, until they ar now little more than the rough sports of overgrown 
children. They hav degenerated greatly even during the last half century, 
and it might be safe to say that they wil soon disappear entirely had not 
the same thing been predicted by every writer on the subject for the last 
hundred years. 
Lady Wilde gives an account of some games of a diamatic character 
which wer enacted at a wake in the south of Ireland some fifty years 
ayo. Altho supposed to be related by an old man who was present on the 
occasion, it is evident that the language is not his own. It is also proper 
to state that the poetic fancy of the author is continually detecting a 
symbolic significance in things which appear very commonplace to ordi- 
nary mortals. As the games described seem to be entirely unknown to 
the present generation, we quote that portion in ful : : 
«“When a great space was cleared in the centre of the barn, the first set 
of players entered. They wore masks and fantastic garments, and each 
carried along spear and a bit of plaited straw on the arm for a shield. 
At once they began to build a fort, as it were, marking out the size with 
their spears, and using some rough play with the spectators. While thus 
engaged a band of enemies appeared, also masked and armed. And now 
a great fight began and many prisoners were taken; but to save slaughter 
a horn was blown and a fight demanded between the two best champions 
of the hostile forces. Two of the finest young men were then selected 
and placed at opposite ends of the barn, when they ran a tilt against one 
another with their spears, uttering fierce, loud cries and making terrible 
demonstrations. At length one fell down as if mortally wounded ; then 
all the hooded women came in again and keened over him, a male voice 
at intervals reciting his deeds, while the pipers played martial tunes. But 
on its being suggested that perhaps he was not dead at all, an herb doctor 
vas sent for to look at him; and an aged man with flowing white beard 
was led in, carrying a huge bundle of herbs. With these he performed 
sundry strange incantations, until finally the dead man sat up and was 
earried off the field by his comrades with shouts of triumph. So ended 
the first play. 
“Then supper was served and more whisky drunk, after which another 
play was acted of a different kind. A table was set in the middle of the 
barn, and two chairs, while all the people, about a hundred or more, 
gathered round in a circle. Then two men, dressed as judges, took their 
seats with guards beside them, and called on another man to come forth 
and address the people. On this a young man sprang on the table and 
poured forth an oration in Irish, full of the.most grotesque fun and sharp 
allusions, at which the crowd roared with laughter. Then he gave out a 
