LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 935, 18 April 1868, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

The Editor does not hold himself responsible for

opinions expressed by correspondents. Sib, — The day before yesterday I went to Swan's to see the address of condolence to the Duke of Edinburgh, and I must say that the manner in which it is done does great credit to Mr. Koch's penmanship. But, Sir, whilst, in the design, the rose and thistle wero at once apparent, the shamrock, the national emblem of Ireland, could not be distinguished. How can any Irishman sign tho address with this omission? I consider that what would be the most gratifying thing to H.R.H. tho Duke would be the signature of Irishmen under their national emblem. A number of Irishmen have signed this address in a spirit of loyalty without being aware of the implication conveyed through this unfortunate omission. I will not give way to any one in my loyalty to the Queen and constitution, but when I see Ireland thoroughly ignored, I consider it an insult to the Irish. — I am. &c, Shameock. Sib, — Sharing, as I do, in the tastes and pursuits of your correspondent " Antiquary," allow me to thank him, through the medium of your columns, for the interesting and valuable information he has set before us with regard to the origin of the name Fenian. Some years ago, when I lived in Ireland, there existed a society similar to the Fenians, though in a less developed form, whose members styled themselves Phoenix boys. As the Phoenix, rising from its ashes, is the well-known emblem of resurrection, they intended, by the assumption of this title, to signify that it was their object to bring about the resurrection of Irish independence. I had considered it beyond a doubt that Fenian was merely a corruption of Phoenix — the meaninghaving been forgotten, while the sound was retained in a slightly modified form. Such corruptions are frequent enough. You have heard, I dare say, of the tavern, over the door of which its puritan landlord placed for a sign, the words " God encom-' passes us," but which came in process of time, to be known as "The Goat and Compasses." I might instance St. Veronica, too, who, on analysis, vanishes into a hybrid compound of Latin and Greek, Vera Icon, true image. Judge, then, sir, of my surprise, and, I may add, of my gratification, to find that the unwearying researches of a brother Antiquary, if he will allow me to call him so, have enabled him to penetrate to a " period altogether beyond historical record," to bring us thence certain information as to the existence of the Fenians or Fenii even then, and, not only certain information as to their existence, but full statistics of their numbers and organization. Fenii, the form of the word, is the Latin plural, a curious and, indeed, a very interesting circumstance. You may think the inference hasty, but I will venture to maintain that this circumstance alone goes far to prove that learning and civilization were diffused in an age too often regarded as barbarous and benighted. Perhaps classical literature was patronized at the court of Cormac McArfc, perhaps Fionn Mac Cumbal himself was no less distinguished in letters than in arms. But if the name of the Fenii would tend to prove that they were not ignorant of the Latin tongue, the details of their or-ganization-would lead us to infer that they were not unacquainted with the records of revealed religions. They were divided, as your correspondent informs us, into " battalions of three thousand each, commanded by rulers often, rulers of fifty, rulers of a hundred." You will remember how Moses, acting by the advice of Jethro, his father-in-law, divided the children of Israel in a somewhat similar manner, placing over them "rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, rulers of tens" (Exodus xviii., 21). I have ho doubt in my own mind that the Mosaic arrangement was the model from which the Fenian organization was taken. Would it be possible for your correspondent to let us see some of the songs illustrative of their warlike deeds, which he says are still preserved by zealous Antiquaries. Anything connected with an institution so venerable in itself, and so much endeared to us by its associations both with classical and sacred antiquity, could not fail to be interesting. — I am, &c, A Beotheb Antiquaby.