Part 2 (2/2)

There is also a large collection of MSS. in the British Museum, a few volumes in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, besides the well-known, though inaccessible, Stowe collection.[14]

The treasures of Celtic literature still preserved on the Continent, can only be briefly mentioned here. It is probable that the active researches of philologists will exhume many more of these long-hidden volumes, and obtain for our race the place it has always deserved in the history of nations.

The Louvain collection, formed chiefly by Fathers Hugh Ward, John Colgan, and Michael O'Clery, between the years 1620 and 1640, was widely scattered at the French Revolution. The most valuable portion is in the College of St. Isidore in Rome. The Burgundian Library at Brussels also possesses many of these treasures. A valuable resume of the MSS. which are preserved there was given by Mr. Bindon, and printed in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy in the year 1847. There are also many Latin MSS. with Irish glosses, which have been largely used by Zeuss in his world-famed _Grammatica Celtica_. The date of one of these--a codex containing some of Venerable Bede's works--is fixed by an entry of the death of Aed, King of Ireland, in the year 817. This most important work belonged to the Irish monastery of Reichenau, and is now preserved at Carlsruhe. A codex is also preserved at Cambray, which contains a fragment of an Irish sermon, and the canons of an Irish council held A.D. 684.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DOORWAY OF CLONMACNOIS.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: CLONMACNOIS.]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] _Work._--_Lectures on the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish History_.

This work was published at the sole cost of the Catholic University of Ireland, and will be an eternal monument of their patriotism and devotion to literature. A chair of Irish History and Archaeology was also founded at the very commencement of the University; and yet the ”Queen's Colleges” are discarding this study, while an English professor in Oxford is warmly advocating its promotion. Is the value of a chair to be estimated by the number of pupils who surround it, or by the contributions to science of the professor who holds it?

[2] _Leinster._--Book of Leinster, H.2.18, T.C.D. See O'Curry, p. 8.

[3] _Ballymote._--Library R.I.A., at fol. 145, a.a.

[4] _Lecan._--Trinity College, Dublin, cla.s.sed H.2.16.

[5] _Uachongbhail_.--O'Curry's _MS. Materials_, p. 11.

[6] _Same_.--Ibid. p. 12. The Psalms derived their name from the musical instrument to which they were sung. This was called in Hebrew _nebel_.

It obtained the name from its resemblance to a bottle or flagon.

Psaltery is the Greek translation, and hence the name psalm.

[7] _Devastated_.--This was probably written in the year 1001, when Brian Boroimhe had deposed Malachy.

[8] _Fene-men_.--The farmers, who were not Fenians then certainly, for ”Cormac was a righteous judge of the _Agraria Lex_ of the Gaels.”

[9] _Erinn._--Keating says: ”We will set down here the branching off of the races of Magog, according to the Book of Invasions (of Ireland), which was called the Cin of Drom Snechta; and it was before the coming of Patrick to Ireland the author of that book existed.”--See Keating, page 109, in O'Connor's translation. It is most unfortunate that this devoted priest and ardent lover of his country did not bring the critical ac.u.men to his work which would have made its veracity unquestionable. He tells us that it is ”the business of his history to be particular,” and speaks of having ”faithfully collected and transcribed.” But until recent investigations manifested the real antiquity and value of the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish History, his work was looked on as a mere collection of legends. The quotation at present under consideration is a case in point. He must have had a copy of the Cin of Drom Snechta in his possession, and he must have known who was the author of the original, as he states so distinctly the time of its compilation. Keating's accuracy in matters of fact and transcription, however, is daily becoming more apparent. This statement might have been considered a mere conjecture of his own, had not Mr.

O'Curry discovered the name of the author in a partially effaced memorandum in the Book of Leinster, which he reads thus: ”[Ernin, son of] Duach [that is], son of the King of Connacht, an _Ollamh_, and a prophet, and a professor in history, and a professor in wisdom: it was he that collected the Genealogies and Histories of the men of Erinn in one book, that is, the _Cin Droma Snechta_.” Duach was the son of Brian, son of the monarch _Eochaidh_, who died A.D. 305.

[10] _Besides._--O'Curry, page 16.

[11] _Sages._--M. Nigra, the Italian Amba.s.sador at Paris, is at this moment engaged in publis.h.i.+ng continental MSS.

[12] _Vellum._--The use of vellum is an indication that the MSS. must be of some antiquity. The word ”paper” is derived from _papyrus_, the most ancient material for writing, if we except the rocks used for runes, or the wood for oghams. Papyrus, the pith of a reed, was used until the discovery of parchment, about 190 B.C. A MS. of the _Antiquities of Josephus_ on papyrus, was among the treasures seized by Buonaparte in Italy.

[13] _Acquainted_.--O'Curry's _MS. Materials_, page 24.

[14] _Collection_.-A recent writer in the _Cornhill_ says that Lord Ashburnham refuses access to this collection, now in his possession, fearing that its contents may be depreciated so as to lessen its value at a future sale. We should hope this statement can scarcely be accurate. Unhappily, it is at least certain that access to the MSS. is denied, from whatever motive.

CHAPTER II.

Tighernach and his Annals--Erudition and Research of our Early Writers--The Chronic.u.m Scotorum--Duald Mac Firbis--Murdered, and _his_ Murderer is protected by the Penal Laws--The Annals of the Four Masters--Michael O'Clery--His Devotion to his Country--Ward--_Colgan_--Dedication of the Annals--The Book of Invasions--Proofs of our Early Colonization.

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