1878.] The Gold and Placer Mines of Wicklow. 189 
removed ; for if feeling alternate with energy, what wonder 
that they should result in adaptations favourable to sub- 
jective as well as physical harmony or well-being. 
Eighthly. — Nature is regarded in the light of the theory 
of alternation of energy and feeling, as a living whole, con- 
scious as well as aCtive ; conscious because aCtive, and 
aCtive because conscious. How infinitely superior is it to 
the theory that regards Nature as the home of a sort of 
Siamese twins, — energy and feeling, — accompanying and 
complimenting one another, yet quite unnecessary the one 
to the other, — the theory of concomitance ! 
IV. THE GOLD AND PLACER MINES 
OF WICKLOW. 
By G. H. Kinahan, M.R.I.A., &c. 
iT^ENIGAN and other English writers represent the 
Ancient Irish as perfectly ignorant and barbarous. 
Nevertheless, from the Annals, and the “finds” of 
gold ornaments and weapons in numerous localities, it would 
appear that at a very early age the use and manufacture of 
the precious metals were known to the natives of the country. 
That gold was much more abundant in Ireland than in 
England is shown by the faCt mentioned in De Larne’s 
“ History of Caen,” when, after the Norman Conquest of 
the British Islands, treasures were exacted from both to the 
exchequer of Normandy ; the tribute exacted from England 
was 23,730 marcs of silver, but from Ireland 400 marcs oi 
silver and 400 ounces of gold. 
According to Dr. Joyce (“ Origin and History of Irish 
Names of Places”) the earliest known record of the manu- 
facture of gold in Ireland was about 1000 years before Christ, 
when the monarch Tighernmas caused goblets and brooches 
to be manufactured by an artificer named Uchadan, who 
resided in Fercualan, or that portion of Wicklow which is 
now the Barony of Powerscourt. Besides, other monarchs 
are also mentioned who had gold manufactured, or who in- 
troduced the use of golden ornaments. On account of the 
abundance of gold in Dublin and Wicklow in ancient times 
