9 



cerned in this defeat, filling as he did the office of secretary to Lord 

 Grey, and consequently he would be all the more likely to retain a 

 vivid memory of it, and to mention it in connexion with the river. 



But the name itself, and his manner of using it, afford if possible 

 still stronger evidence. Spenser often bestows fictitious names from 

 some real or fancied connexion with neighbouring localities; Gal- 

 tymore he calls Arlo, from the Glen of Aherlow ; Molanna is so called 

 from Father Mole ; Armulla from the River Mulla ; and the name 

 Mulla itself he borrowed from Kilnamullagh. So this river he calls 

 the Oure, from the last syllable of Glenmalwr^ (or Glenmalour, as he 

 calls it in his " Yiew of the State of Ireland"), as if the glen took its 

 name from the river. 



In his catalogue of rivers, Spenser generally gives a short and very 

 correct description of each ; and he often endeavours to find a corre- 

 spondence between the character of the rivers and the real or supposed 

 meaning of the name. For example (see " Faerie Queene," Book I V., 

 Canto XL), 



" Wylibourne with passage slye 



That of his wylinesse his name doth take." 



" — — Mole that like a nouzling mole doth make 

 His way still under ground." 



" Bounteous Trent that in himself enseames 

 Both thirty [Fr. trente] sorts of fish, and thirty sundry streames." 



" False Bregoge," 



" So hight because of this deceitful traine." 



So also "Tygris fierce," "Mseander intricate," &c. In accordance 

 with this custom of his, the word " baleful" he evidently intends as 

 the equivalent in meaning of the syllable " mal ;" the Oure or " Mal- 

 oure" was baleful on account of the catastrophe that occurred on its 

 banks, and its very name corresponded exactly with its character. It 

 is almost needless to say that this meaning is not the true one, and 

 that it originated in the poet's imagination. 



It will be admitted, 1 think, that the river answers Spenser's short 

 description in every particular with singular precision, and I may add 

 that I believe no other river can be found to do so. Moreover, what 

 makes the matter still more certain, it comes in the natural place ; for 

 after the Maire, the Bandon, and the Lee, the very next in order of those 

 not already named is the Avoca. How far these considerations may 

 weigh with others I know not, but they are quite sufficient to convince 

 me that Spenser's " baleful Oure" is the Avonbeg of Wicklow. 



I shall next take two rivers together, the Alio and the AunidufF, 

 or Blackwater ; and in dealing with these I shall be obliged to run 

 counter to the generally received opinion. It has been commonly 

 taken for granted that Spenser's AunidufF is the great Blackwater, and 



R. I. A. PR0C. — -VOL. X. C 



