Page:Irish minstrelsy, vol 2 - Hardiman.djvu/159

Rh frames its own habitation, and that beautiful souls make to themselves beautiful bodies," says, "on both their countenances were divinely mingled the noble features and lineaments of the Stuart's and the D'Este's, and beauty triumphed over both, with this only difference, that in him it was more strong and masculine, as becoming his sex; in her more soft and tender, as suiting with hers; in both excellent and alike." Our bard's description of the young Prince has been much admired.

"Sure," says Spenser, "it is a most beautiful and sweet Country as any under Heaven." "Once," adds Johnson, "the seat of sanctity and learning." "A land," says our illustrious Grattan, "for which God has done so much, and man so little."

$1$"This indeed is a Country worth fighting for," exclaimed William III. when the beauties of the Golden Vale, in Kilkenny, burst on his astonished view; "and worth defending," replied one of his veteran opposers, who happened to be present. Yet, with a pusillanimity wholly incompatible with the character of the brave, William poured down his weightiest vengeance on the heroic defenders of that very Country, for no other crime than acting on the principle, that it was worth fighting for. This was the grand political error which intailed incalculable evils on these Islands for more than half a century after. It strengthened Catholic France, and enervated Protestant England, the latter expending millions to uphold a tribe of reformed ascendency men in Ireland to oppress the defenceless Catholics. With reference to William, I will not stain my page by noticing the secret services for the profligate grants of this land "worth fighting for," made by him to his Dutch favourites, although on that dark subject, some documents