THE RECTOR OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE FREEMAN.
March 28.
Dear Sir — I regret to say that I have never made a special study of Irish history, and there- fore the remarks which I venture to offer, in defer- ence to your kind invitation, must be taken simply as coming from an ordinary reader, interested in the subject, but not specially qualified to deal with it.
What strikes me first, on looking over the essay of Historicus, is that I miss from his list some books which I had been accus- tomed to regard as standard authori- ties, and others, of a more popular kind, which had been familiar favourites of my own. Of the former class, the most prominent that occur to my mind are Colgan's "Acta Sanctorum," Harris's edition of Ware, Archdall's "Monasticon," Petrie's "Round Towers," Dr Renehan's "Collec- tions," the publications of Cardinal Moran, and Father O'Hanlon's "Lives of the Irish Saints." An omission more remarkable perhaps than any of tliese is Adamnan's "Life of St Columba," edited by Dr Reeves. This is a book of unique merit, giving as it does a quaint and authentic picture of ancient monastic life in Ireland; and it has been edited with scrupulous care, and an erudition that leaves nothing to be desired. Coming to books of more general interest, I think that Moore's "History of Ireland" and Montalembert's "Monks of the West" are de- serving of a place in an Irish historical collection; also the inimitable "Letters of Peter Plymley," by Sydney Smith ; the admirable monograph on "Cromwell in Ireland," by Father Murphy, S J ; the Irish poems of Mr. Aubrey de Vere, the "Flight of the Earls," by Father Meehan; the Speeches of Grattan and of Shiel ; and the "Dissertations on Irish History," by the Rev Dr Kelly, of Maynooth, one of the most devoted and laborious students of Irish ecclesiastical literature.
I have looked in vain, among the books noticed by your critic, for Mitchel's "Jail Journal" and his 'Last Conquest of Ireland." They are old favourites of mine, and I would certainly claim for them a place on any list of Irish historical books. John Mitchel deserves to be ranked, I think, among the very best writers of English prose that Ireland has produced in the present century; and his great powers of vivid conception, of picturesque narrative, and of vigorous ex[)ros- sion ai>pear to greatest advantage in the two volumes I have mentioned. No doubt, the views put forward in these volumes are, in some respects, extreme; but if we were to exclude from our col- lection all record of extreme opinions we should exclude a good deal of Irish history.
Swift and Burke are entitled to a fore most rank amongst Irish writers. "To lose Swift and Burke out of our mind's circle of acquaintance," says Mr. Matthew Arnold, "is a loss indeed, and a loss for which no conversance with contemporary prose literature could make up." And it happens fortunately for us that they are both at tlieir best when they write upon Ireland, Nevertheless, I think that the reference of Historicus to these great writers is too vague to he quite Satisfactory. Ho refers generally to Swift's Works, and to tlie correspondence, speeches, and works of Burke; forgetting, appapently, that he had hira.self limited his collection to "books about Ireland or the Irish." I would suggest, then, as more strictly appertaining to the subject, "The Drapier's Letters," by Swift, and a selection from Burke, recently published, in one volume, by Mr. Matthew Arnold, entitled "[[Letters, Speeches, and Tracts on Irish Affairs]]."
I will close my list of omissions with the "[[Irish Essays (Arnold)|]]" of Mr. Matthew Arnold himself, a volume which has not hitherto, as it seems to me, received the attention it deserves. "English people," says the author, "keep asking themselves what one ought to do about Ireland. The great conten- tion of these essays is that in order to attach Ire- land to us solidly, English people have not only do something different from what they have done hitherto, they have also to be something different from what they have been hitherto." I will only add that the essays furnish to public men a thoughtful and suggestive treatment of a great political problem, while to the student of litera- ture they are eminently attractive for the grace and beauty of their style.
So far I have considered this subject on the lines followed by "Historicus," in his able and interest- ing dissertation. I should like now to look at it. for a moment, from a somewhat different point of view. What is a good book ? and what is it that entitles one book to be considered better than another ? Let me quote the words of a great critic, which have been floating in my mind since this discussion was first set on foot. "That book is good in vain," said Samuel Johnson, which the reader throws aside. He only is the master who keeps the mind in pleasing captivity ; whose pages are perused with eagerness, and in hope of new pleasure are perused again ; and whose conclusion is perceived with an eye of sorrow, such as the traveller casts upon departing day." Now, I would ask, how many of books commended by Historicus com3 up to Johnson's ideal ? It will be admitted, I think that a large proportion of tliem, if tried by his test, would soon be relegated to the class of "good in vain," so far as the bulk of readers are con- cerned.
We must distinguish, I think, two very differ- ent kinds of books which are entitled to a place in a good historical collection: those which fur- nish the raw material of history, and those which weave together this material into a finished work of art. The former are indispensable t-o the student; the latter only can attract and fix the attention of the general reader. And it is evident that books of the latter class demand for their production much higher and rarer intel- lectual gifts. Patient labour. combined withasound judgment, may accumulate valuable stores of learning, and pile them up in ponderous volumes. But it needs the inspiration of genius to impart life and animation to the dry facts of history, to light them up with the play of fancy, and to invest them with that charm of style and grace of diction which seize on the faculties of the reader, and hold the mind "in pleasing cap- tivity."
It strikes me, then, that it would be a useful and acceptable work, if from the ample materials now before us, some competent hand were to com- pile a much shorter list of "best books," in which literary excellence should be regarded as the first condition of merit. Such a selection would require, no doubt, very special qualifications — on the one hand, a wide knowledge of books, on the
