The early literature of the country, reflecting the naturism 

 of the times, is largely a nature hymnal. Marbhan 's shieling 

 in the wood had a lure and a charm greater for him than the 

 palace of his princely brother Guaire. In the swineherd's 

 reply to the prince's surprised demand : — 



" Oh, Marbhan, Oh, hermit, why dost thou sleep abroad, 



thy head upon a floor of pine rather than upon a 



quilted couch ? " 



we get the true note of sylvan ascetism. (This poem is said to 



have been written in the tenth century and refers to seventh 



century practice). 



The anchorite and monk, having penetrated the fastnesses 

 of nature, brought forth material and spiritual wealth. The 

 traditional knowledge of the hereditary physicians of the 

 septs or clans concerning the actions and uses of our native 

 herbs is a portion of this wealth. We have no less an authority 

 than Van Helmont for the wonderful results accomplished 

 by these hereditary healers, who Were acquainted with and 

 used the materia medica of their own country. The Irish 

 herbalists of to-day are, in the vernacular, " knowledgable 

 persona,' - mostly women, who possess a smattering of our 

 folk botany. The vicissitudes of the nation have retarded 

 the transmission of this knowledge until it is well nigh lost 

 in the wilderness whence it was gained. 



Oui nature heritage is rich. We are modern mystics despite 

 our dogmatic religion. We believe that we are well within our 

 rights when we protest against the attitude of some who would 

 throw contempt on all learning that does not emanate directly 

 from the laboratory. Science, they say, has shaken off the 

 trammels of tradition, and it is the fashion to deride Empiri- 

 cism. The triumphs of empiricism, however, cannot be gain- 

 said. Our concern here is not to glorify the herbalist or the 

 homoeopath, and certainly not to decry orthodox medicine. 

 But somehow it seems that the ethno -botany of the Red- 



