The Publisher, grateful for the extensive patronage conferred on this Work by the Public, the friends of Irish Literature, and his numerous and highly respectable Subscribers, amounting to more than seven hundred, whose names he regrets he had not an opportunity of publishing, begs respectfully to state, that he has it in contemplation to bring out the first part of the Four Masters, and some other ancient Irish Annals, on receiving adequate public encouragement for the great expenditure required; and to meet the wishes of learned men, and friends of Irish literature, he purposes, on receiving the names of a sufficient number of Subscribers, to give an accurate lithographic fac-simile copy of the Irish MS. of these Annals, the best means by which the Irish text can, in a perfect form, be handed down to posterity. It is generally admitted that, as to embellishments, execution and typography, the present publication is one of the best that has hitherto issued from the Irish press; and the Map, the Illuminated Title-page, and ancient Irish Ornamental Letters, of which an account is given at the end, form remarkable features in this Book. The Publisher is happy to have been enabled, through great exertions, to complete this national work, composed by the illustrious and learned O'Clerys, and to present to his countrymen, as a rare production of Irish genius and patriotism, these faithful Annals, after they had been buried in libraries, and lost to the literary world for more than two hundred years; and he confidently hopes, that his future undertakings in Irish literature will receive the support of all patriotic and enlightened Irishmen.
To complete the present publication in the best manner, excessive labour has been encountered, and great expenditure incurred, but no trouble or cost has been spared to render the work as perfect as possible, and a copy of it should be found in the public and private Libraries of the United Kingdom, for without these Annals the real history of Ireland must remain unknown, as they contain, together with full historical memoirs of the Anglo-Normans and English in Ireland, by far the most copious and accurate accounts, and interesting information ever published on the Milesian Irish, their Kings, Princes, Chiefs, and Clans—their laws, manners, and customs—their religious, literary, and charitable institutions. Colleges, Churches, Monasteries, and Houses of Hospitality—their Bards, Brehons, eminent Ecclesiastics, and learned men—their Music and Minstrels—their arts of War and Peace; but are particularly rich in accounts of their military affairs, their forces and arms, their heroes and warriors, their battles and victories; and, altogether, furnish a full and impartial record of the most important events in the entire range of Irish History.
The writers candidly reveal the vices as well as the virtues of their countrymen, and demonstrate the defects, with the good qualities, in the Celtic character, the same
