to amend my list by the addition of Mr. Bagwell’s history. Mr. Gardiner did not occur to me — an act of unpardonable re- missness, for he stands in the foremost rank of historians. With regard to Miss Hickson, I very much regret that I am not able to en- dorse Dr Garnett’s views. This lady’s work is certainly valuable in material, but not his- toric in spirit. But that she should be men- tioned by Dr Garnett is ample compensation to her for being omitted by me. The only books which were “ accidentally” omitted are — Beeves’ (Adamnan) “Life of St Columba” (for my acquaintance with which I am in- debted to Mr. Lecky, as I am indebted to him for my acquaintance with many another good “Irish” book); Cornwallis Corre- spondence, Castlereagh Correspondence, Montalembert’s Monks of the West, Russell and Prendergast’s “ Preface ” to the State Papers, “ Irish Series,” 1603-1625; Harris Ware (“ Antiquities”). All others were omitted by design, or, as in the case of Gardiner, because they had not entered my head at the moment of writing.
I pass from Dr. Garnett to Mr. Alfred Webb. Mr. Webb has approached the sub- ject in his usual business-like and painstak- ing manner. I may approve or disapprove of his list, for, as he truly says, “ No two people could agree as to the same list;” but there can be no question as to my indebted- ness, and as to the indebtedness, if I may say so, of the readers of the Freeman's Jour- nal, to him for his thoughtful and helpful con- tribution to this discussion. I shall take his list in detail.
With respect to the books of “ General Reference,” I agree with him about Joyce’s “Names of Places,” and Lewis’s “Top. Die. ;” and certainly “ Thom’s Directory” is ascorehouse of valuable information of a certain {practical kind. It ought, 1 am free to say, have a place in the library of every Irish politician and publicist. But I should omit the rest of the works of “ Reference,” and I shall take the liberty of adding instoad of them a book which I have found to be of great use — Wel»b’s “Compendium of Irish Biocrraj)hy. ” Considering that I have found this book of grtiat use, 1 ought, perhaps, to have given it a ])lace in my list. But I left it out for “ar limet-ical ’ reasons,” to use Mr. O’Leary’s ph 1 respectiug the omission of DrSigorson’s “hiodeni Ireland.” This book of Mr. Webb — “The Compendium of Irish Bio- graphy ” — is eminently characteristic of the author — unpretending, but invaluable. It ought to be on the shelves of every Irish politician, publicist, and student. Under the title “ Romance,’’ Mr. Webh mentions Croker’s Fairy Legends, Joyce’s Celtic Romances, and Drummond’s Min- strelsy. Of these three, if Mr. Webb will permit, I shall select Joyce’s “ Celtic Ro- mances,” a charming book, and containingmore real Irish “ history” than some portly volumes dignified by that name. Of “Ancient and Ecclesiastical History,” Mr. Webb mentions Brehon Laws, Maine’s Institutes [sic, Early History of Institutions], O’Curry’s MSS Ma terials, and Manners and Customs; and Petrie’s Round Towers. Of these all except Brehon Laws and the Round Towers are on my list. I shall omit the Brehon Laws now. as well as previously, and for the same reason, because the average student wiU, I think, be content with the excellent account given of them in Maine’s admirable work on “ Early Institutions.”
Dr Petrie’s work should certainly be placed on a list of the “best books about Ireland,” if not on the “ best hundred.” Of the three books on Mr. Webb’s “Ecclesiastical” list, I have already mentioned “ Lanigan” and “ Dt Todd.” Of Mr. Webb’s ten “General Histories,” I have mentioned six. I am not sure that Harris Ware should be classed as general history, but it certainly should be on a list of the “Best Hundred Irish Books,” and has, indeed, as I have already stated, been accidentally omitted by me. I cannot add any of the other histories on Mr. Webb’s list. Keating is the only book I should think of adding. But the great defect of Keating is that he does not draw the line with sufficient clearness between the legendary and verifyable portions of Irish history. The other General Histories named by Mr. Webb are Harverty’s “ History” and Sullivan’s “Story of Ireland.” Of the thirty -seven “His- torical and Biographical” books mentioned by Mr. Webb, I have already mentioned twelve — viz, Carlyle’s “Cromwell,” Prendorgast’s “ Cromwellian Settlement,” ParuelTs “ Penal Laws,” Swift’s Works, Locky’s “ England” and “ Leaders,” Young’s “Tour,” Grattan’s “ Memoirs,” Molynoux’s “ Case of Ireland,” Duffy’s “Young Ireland,” Tone’s “Auto- biography,” Barrington’s “Rise and Fall,”
