Mr. Burke's

ideas of

Irish an

nals.

christian æra, till the time that Henry Plantagenet assumed the sovereignty over their island. Having offered to the reader some, which we have selected out of nuinberless external proofs of the authenticity of the ancient Irish annals, it remains for us to furnish him with such a sketch or reference to these ancient documents of Irish story, as will enable him to judge of their authenticity, if philologically competent to conclude from their internal evidence.

There appeared in Dodsley's Annual Register publishing for 1802 an original letter of Mr. Burke to General Vallancey, in which he says, "will you pardon me for reminding you of what I once before took the liberty to mention; my earnest wish, that some of the ancient Irish historical monuments should be published as they stand, with a translation in Latin or English. Until something of this kind be done, criticism can have no secure anchorage. How should we be able to judge of histories, or historical discussion on English affairs, where references are to Bede, to the Saxon Chronicle, to Ingulphus, and the rest, whilst those authors lurked in libraries, or, what is worse, lay in the hands of individuals." And, "there is no doubt of a subscription sufficient to pay the expence. The ability to undertake it has been found. But if any accident should happen to you and Mr. O'Conor, what security have we, that any other like you should start up?" Since this letter was written by Mr. Burke, Mr. O'Conor has paid the debt of

Annual Register for 1802, p. 820.

nature. Kind Providence has still preserved, (and may it long preserve,) General Vallancey, who has never since suspended his interesting and laudable pursuits of Irish literature, which daily add new light, credit, and importance to this valuable part of the British empire.

account of

or's trans

there afterwards appeared in Dodsley's Annual Anticipated Register for the year 1803, the account of a work Dr. O'Conthen said to be in the press, entitled, Rerum Hyber- lation of the nearum Scriptores antiqui ex vetustis MSS. Codicibus descripti, recogniti, nunc primum in lucem editi.

djectis variis lectionibus, Glossario, Dissertationibus. Indiceque copioso a Carolo O'Conor, D. D. Το every person curious, anxious, or interested in the history, credit, or fate of Ireland, this advertisement *

* In order to excite the political and literary appetite of the public for this promised feast, beyond the chances of Mr. Dodsley's Register falling into the hands of his regular customers or subscribers, a separate account of this promised work was printed and circulated as widely as possible both in England and Ireland in 1805, with a view to extend the knowledge and whet the public anxiety for securing the valuable treasure. This advertisement, which so pointedly defeats Mr. Burke's apprehensions, and gratifies his country's wishes, is the more to be relied upon, as proceeding from the fountain head of the best information on the subject. The work, however, is still in the secret womb of the author's closet. The public nevertheless gives unqualified credit to this flattering publication, which confidently assures us, that in the grandson of Mr. O'Conor (the object of Mr. Burke's apprehensions) has been found the worthy inheritor and able representative of the peculiar attainments of his progenitor. (p. 4.) The Reverend and industrious translator has the anticipated credit of producing what will delight, instruct, and gratify his countrymen: Ut speciosa

annals.

Dr. O'Conor's view

ing.

is of incalculable importance. This prospectus of the great and valuable work is the more to be relied upon, as it can only have come from the pen or instruction of the author himself; for who else could have ascertained the plan and progress of a work in hand? This gentleman pursues his undertaking under the roof and patronage of the Marquis of Buckingham, and thus speaks of his liberal Mecenas.

"Authors of a more modern date unacquainted in publish- with the Irish language, and unprovided with original documents, have under all these difficulties, rather chosen to reject nearly the whole of the materials of this description, already before the public, than subject themselves to the questionable task of undertaking to winnow the few pure grains from the mass of chaff, with which they were mixed."

Underwhat patronage the work

was undertaken.

"Under these impressions, an English nobleman, to whom, for many years of his life, the investigation of every subject relative to the history of that part

dehinc miracula promal. Yet we have still to lament, that although Dr. O'Conor then announced, that part was in the press, some years have elapsed and nothing has been yet produced.

After the death of the great Mr. O'Conor, Dr. O'Conor, his grandson, became possessed of the valuable collection of manuscripts, and all the printed books, that have yet appeared upon this subject on the continent as well as in England and Ireland: by far the best collection in Europe. It has passed (no matter to the public for what consideration) from Dr. O'Conor to the Marquis of Buckingham; and, as Mr. Burke says, is now lurking in the library of Stowe, and lying in the hands of an individual who appears to enhance the value of his purchase by rendering it inaccessible.

of the united kingdom was a matter of duty, and to whom it was always matter of anxious interest and gratification to devote his time and study to every point connected with the true honor and national pride of Ireland, has given much attention and expence to collect from every quarter in both islands, the originals, or faithful transcripts, of all the known most ancient documents tending to illustrate its history prior to its connection with England, and having formed an Irish library, perhaps the most complete that exists, he was fortunate enough to find, in the Rev. Dr. O'Conor, the grandson of the late Charles O'Conor, esq. of Belanagare, in the county of Roscommon, a gentleman qualified, by his superior knowledge of the Irish language and indefatigable industry, to remove from a great and high-spirited people the imputation of being unacquainted with their own annals, at a time when even the Icelanders have published theirs. In publishing the original Irish annals with translations into Latin, Dr. O'Conor may be depended upon as contracting a solemn engagement with the public for the fidelity of his work *.”

thor's de

Dr. O'Conor further informs us (who else could The auknow or answer for his private labors and designs), claration of

*The following note is introduced upon this singular patronage of the most noble marquis, who acquired from his protegéthe whole collection of materials, from which this most desirable work is to be produced (p. 4.) "But however delightful and satisfactory the pursuit of recondite knowledge may be to the secluded scholar, sterile and useless to the world would prove the labors of the most

his own views.

Antiquity of the annals about

to be trans lated.

"that in the various notes and dissertations, which he has thought necessary for illustrating his originals, his first principle is, that ancient history rests on ancient history." And, "that though he feels anxious to remove the imputation of imposing on the world an imaginary race of Irish kings, he has been equally careful not to fritter away the authority of any one ancient genuine record of antiquity. The documents, which he is about to offer, will, on the contrary, contribute to render more interesting several traditions and monuments hitherto of dubious date, which will hereby be placed beyond the reach of controversy.” And Dr. O'Conor gives the originals as he finds them, with all their imperfections on their heads. But those imperfections will be found not to affect the historical part.

This learned and highly patronized translator (more correctly translaturus) of his country's ancient annals assures us, that all the writers of the northern foreign histories" are long subsequent in point of time to Cennefaclad, Flaan Mac Lonan, Malmure of Othna, Flan of Bute, Coeman, and other Irish writers, who preceded Tigernach, and whose metrical fragments and lists of kings exist in the Irish language and cha

erudite, when uninvigorated and uncheered by the warm beams of munificent patronage; happily, in the present instance, they have not been withheld, but have been employed with a generous profusion in calling forth the abilities of Dr. O'Conor into light and activity, thereby conferring on Ireland in particular, and the antiquarian and scholar of every clime, the most weighty obligation."