Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Fair Emerald Isle! In verdure clad, thy' banks and hills still cheer the eyes of weary, homesick men far out at sea. Fain would they, as Columbus did of yore, on a Western shore, kneel and kiss thy fair, green sod, which affords the first welcome glimpse of land. Like a sleeping princess thou dost rest upon the breast of thine ardent wooer the Neptune god!