that you have rendered a most valuable service to the country by introducing this matter to the public. It is a subject to which attention was urgently required. The department of Irish literature »ii which I personally feel the deepest interest is that of history and antiquities, and 1 regret to say that it is the one upon which our people have exhibited the most indifference. liven the best educated Irishmen seem to care a great deal more about the history of other countries than that of Ireland, which they are too often inclined to think either too unpleasant or too insignificant to study. The discussion, however, which you have opened in the Freeman's Journal will arouse an interest in the subject that will compel people to think and read a great deal more about it. Many of us can Remember the impulse given to Irish literature by the brilliant young Ireland writers some forty years ago, and the contemporary light shed upon it by the learner writers of the Archaeological and Celtic Societies; but a great deal of the fever then created has since died away, and we may well look with satisfaction on any effort for its revival at present.
A great deal has been done in late years to supply materials for Irish history. Our library shelves are piled with volumes of State papers relating to Ireland, which were previously stored away in Government offices, and Irish documents of the utmost interest have been discovered by the indefatigable diligence of Mr. Gilbert in private libraries, and published in the "Historical MSS" Collections; but it is well to know, in order to reconcile us to our previous knowledge, that the broad facts of Irish history were pretty well known before, and that the flood of light shed upon them by the new documentary evidence serves chiefly to render our knowledge of them more authoritative, and to confirm statements of early Irish writers, to which Englishmen had re- fused to give credence until they became con- firmed from their own official archives. History written without research is of very secondary value. Written at ti»'st hand, it may be taken on the writer's own authority, for what that may be worth ; but iu aU that the historian is not cognisant of himself, we expect him to refer us to the authority for his statements. We have some very eloquently written books on Irish history, with scarcely a single reference to an original authority from beginning to end, but the deficiency in this respect is overlooked for the sake of the brilliancy of the style, or the eclat of the writer's name. In a book of practical utility, however, we expect to find not only correctness, if not eloquence of style, but evidence of research, and such reference to authorities as will enable us, if so inclined, to read more on the subject from original sources.
Perhaps I am wandering somewhat from the object to which my letter should be confined, but I cannot resist the wish to avail myself of the opportunity you so kindly afford me to ex- press my gratification at the movement iu Irish literature you have set on foot, and, at the same time, to suggest a few honest truths to my countrymen. Ill-natured folk say we are not a book-buying people, nor a book-read- ing people. Books must be very cheap indeed when we buy them; but I trust that you will have induced many of your readers to try and acquire a» many as they can of the hundred best Irish books, and to read them. I do not think it
necessary on my part to suggest any list of books in addition to those so well enumerated by "His- toricus" and his distinguished commentators. With the MS catalogue of "books relating to Ire- land in the Library of King's Inns," now before me, it would not be difficult to extend the list from a hundred to ten times that number, but I think the list so carefully compiled by Mr. Webb in the Freeman of the 23rd inst, and extending to the precise hundred names, might be made, with a few emendations, to answer ever practical pur- pose. It is very methodical and very nearly com- plete. I would, however, add one book especially to it — namely, Mr. Webb's own "[[Compendium of Irish Biography]]," the very best thing of the kind on the same scale ever attempted in our literature. It is written in a thoroughly Irish spirit, is the result of vast labour and re.search, and contains an amount of Irish history and bio- graphy which we would find it very difficult to make out for ourselves. — Faithfully yours,
MR. JUSTIN HUNTLY M'CARTHY, M.P.
TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMAN.
House of Commons, March 27.
Dear Sir — I have read with great interest the paper by "Historicus" and the animated and at- tractive correspondence which has come breathing at its heels. A student of many literatures, Irish literature has remained and must always remain, the nearest and dearest to me; but if I had not been prompted by your kind invitation I should scarcely have ventured to add any opinions of mine to those of the divines, scholars, and states- men who have agreed or disagreed wnth the author of the original paper. However, being so prompted, I^find that I have something of my own to say. I must speak with aU the strength and all the admiration at my command — and I am amazed that there should be any need for me so to speak — in favour of two illustrious names which have not received due justice in the correspondence. One is that of a great poet, the other that of a great orator. James Clarence Mangan is one of the greatest poets on the roll of Irish literature. Thomas Francis Meagher is one of the most bril- liant orators that has ever appealed to the spirit and fostered the progress of national liberty. Even the praises of Mitchel's generous and elo- quent voice seem inadequate to do jus- tice to the genius of the poet who has made our old Irish songs a possession for ever "unto all the generations of men," and who stands as a lyrist of flawless beauty of form and exqui- site perfection of idea with Rufinus and Ronsard, with Tibullus and Tennyson, with Hafiz and Heine, As for Meagher, I should like him to be to the students of Irish oratory what Demos- thenes was to Athens, what Cicero was to Rome, and what Vergniaud was to the wandering stars of the Gironde.
I must also plead most earnestly for the an- cient legends of Ireland, not merely in the ad- mirable popular form of Professor Joyce, but in their original shape, and whenever possible in their original language. They deserve a place in universal literature with the oic poems other Hellas, with the stately epics of Rome, and with that magnificent record of National myths, "The Shahnameh of Firdusi." I have already testified my admiration for these legends of ours by the
