LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
| PAGE | |
| Portrait of Henry O’Brien, by Maclise | [Frontispiece] |
| Devenish Round Tower | [38] |
| Ardmore"" | [71] |
| Clondalkin "" | [101] |
| Effigy of Farragh, or Moriagan | [138] |
| Samona of Buddha | [140] |
| Round Tower, with Devotee on Summit | [169] |
| Symbolic Sculpture found at Vindolana | [223] |
| Palencian Sculpture of the Symbolic “Tree,” with Figures | [229] |
| Pythagorean Triangle of Ten | [268] |
| Symbolic Crescent-Ornaments | [273], [274] |
| Effigy of Crucified Buddha, Saca, or Macha | [296] |
| Brechin Round Tower (Scotland), with Double-Arch and Effigies | [299] |
| Obelisk at Sandwick (Ross-shire) | [306] |
| Phœnician Medals, stamped with Cross, Lamb, and Rosary | [314] |
| Shaft of Cross at Forres (Scotland) | [316] |
| """ REVERSE SIDE OF SAME | [319] |
| Monolith at Carnac (Egypt) | [322] |
| Sculpture in Knockmoy Abbey | [329], [330] |
| Sculpture on Temple at Kalabche (Nubia) | [341], [342] |
| Kilcullen, Cross at | [338] |
| Clonmacnoise," | [358] |
| Finglas" | [366] |
| Kells" | [491] |
| Facsimile of MS. discovered at Icolmkill | [419] |
| Pheeleas, or Oracle-Tube, found at Ballymoney | [460] |
| Glendalough, Curious Symbolic Sculpture on Ruins of | [467] |
| The Magi—Woodcut from an Ancient Block-book | [482] |
| Medals of Christ, found at Island of Anglesea and at Cork | [509] |
THE ROUND TOWERS, &c.
CHAPTER I.
“A lively desire of knowing and recording our ancestors so generally prevails, that it must depend on the influence of some common principle in the minds of men. We seem to have lived in the persons of our forefathers; our calmer judgment will rather tend to moderate than suppress the pride of an ancient and worthy race. The satirist may laugh; the philosopher may preach; but reason herself will respect the prejudices and habits which have been consecrated by the experience of mankind.”[41]
Of all nations on the globe, the Irish, as a people, are universally admitted to possess, in a pre-eminent degree, those finer sensibilities of the human heart, which, were they but wisely controlled, would exalt man above the level of ordinary humanity, and make him, as it were, a being of another species. The numerous instances adduced in all periods of their history, of ardent and enterprising zeal, in every case wherein personal honour or national glory may be involved, are in themselves sufficient to establish this assertion. But while granting their pre-eminence as to the possession of those feelings, and the capability of the feelings themselves to be refined and sublimated to the very acme of cultivation, we may still doubt whether the mere possession of them be not less a blessing than a curse—whether, in fact, their quick perception of disquietudes and pains be not more than a counterpoise to their keen enjoyment of delight or pleasure.