The "Lia Fail."

Mr. Glover states that the return of the "Lia Fail," or "Stone of Destiny," to Ireland, and the possession of it by the Irish nation, is made the vital spark and motive of the Fenian secret oath; and that it is preeminently the household word of the political Irish life, and the longing of those who have joined this too little heeded conspiracy, the object of which seems to be the overthrow of the English authority in Ireland, and the establishment of a republic.

This historic stone, known in Scotland as the "Stone of Destiny," in Ireland as the "Lia Fail," in England as "Jacob's Pillar," and more generally as the "Scone," is claimed by the Irish nation to have been brought from Egypt to Ireland by a beautiful princess, who placed it in Tara's Hall in 580 B. C.

It is at present fastened underneath the coronation chair in Westminster Abbey. The stone is of a dark color, streaked with red, and is twenty-six inches long, sixteen inches wide, and eleven inches thick. Its surface is much defaced; and a long, deep crack almost divides it in two. Tradition says that this stone can be traced back to the plains of Luz, where Jacob laid his head upon it, and dreamed his "ladder-dream;" that it was preserved in the temple as a witness of the covenant between Jacob and his God; that it was carried to Egypt by the prophet Jeremiah after the Jews had been taken captives to Babylon; and that it was carried from Egypt to Ireland, as has been said, by a princess in 580 B. C. From Ireland it is said to have been taken to Iona in A. D. 503, that Fergus, son of Erc, first king of the Scots, might be crowned upon it, as his ancestors in Ireland had been before him.

History claims to know its story from the time of St. Columba of Iona, who, when dying (A. D. 597), requested that his head might be placed upon it in token of his faith in its biblical history.

From Iona it was taken to Scone, Scotland, by King Kenneth (842), and enclosed in the present wooden chair, after the Scottish kings, having extended their power over the Picts, had transferred their royal residence to Scone.

The abbey of Scone had possession of this "Stone of Destiny" from A. D. 842 to 1296, and during these four hundred and fifty-four years all the Scottish kings had been crowned upon it. From A. D. 1296 it has been in possession of the English. Edward I., King of England, having dethroned John Baliol, took with him to England all the relics of Scottish independence, this celebrated stone among the number.

Robert Bruce stipulated for its restoration; and, although Edward II. attempted to comply, he was prevented by a mob from restoring the stone to Scotland.

For over five hundred years England's kings and queens have been crowned upon it; and Queen Victoria, a direct descendant of James VI. of Scotland, has for more than forty years given her testimony to the truth of the couplet engraven upon the stone:--