Page 2381 Advertisement 3

New Zealand Tablet, 23 November 1911, Page 2381

IRISH LITERATURE Men and women of Irish blood all around the world will take delight in this remarkable work in which, for the first time, the literary genius of the Irish race is adequately represented. “Looking at the work as a whole,” said the late Archbishop Ryan, “the thinking man must say: ‘The makers have done a great work never done before, too long postponed, and at last done well.’” “ Sighing,” sang Thomas Moore, “we look through the waves of time, for the long-faded glories they cover.” The scholarship and patriotism of the editors of this superb cabinet of Irish Literature reveal what these “glories” were, and the reader'can now fully understand what gave the Green Isle its historic reputation as the “ Island of Saints and Scholar's.” Keen regret there must always be for the death of beauty and the eclipse of national glory—for the passing away of that old Ireland of Scholarship, Genius, and Chivalry—for the Bard and the Red Branch Knight who rode away together into the mists so long ago. But there is every indication of a magnificent renaissance of the Irish race. The long tenacious fight for legislative independence is almost over, and the coming of the new era in politics is marked by a passionate revival of the Gaelic spirit in literature. The old poets, the old romances, legends, myths, the chivalric and beautiful fairy lore of Ireland, are being studied and retold by Irish scholars, poets, and story writers. And not alone by those of Irish birth, for the scholarship of Europe is enlisted in the work of bringing “The long-faded glories” of the Celtic genius once again to the light. The result of the careful investigation of Irish literary products from the earliest times is now first made accessible in these ten handsome volumes, beautifully illustrated, bound, and printed. > Every Irishman somehow feels that he is the heir to the treasures of a glorious national literature. He is right, and this new Work reveals to him what those treasures are, so long obscured by the waves of Time. Much of the old literature has gone irrecoverably, but happily, as these ten volumes show, enough still remains to introduce anew to the world the unique and beautiful literature of Ireland. The names of the Editorial Staff are a guarantee of the merits of the work— Editor in Chief, Justin McCarthy; Associate Editors and Advisory Committee: Douglas Hyde, LL.D., Maurice Francis Egan, LL.D., James Jeffrey Roche, LL.D., Lady Gregory, Charles Welsh, G. M. Russell, Stephen Gwynn, Standish O’Grady, D. J. O’Donoghue, Professor F. N. Robinson Professor W. P. Trent, Professor H. S. Pancoast, W. P. Ryan, John E. Redmond, M.P. ’ This Library of Irish Literature from the most ancient times down to the fascinating work of modern writers like W. B. Yeats, Lady Gregory, and Dr, Douglas Hyde, will be treasured wherever Ireland itself is loved. IRISH LITERATURE is sold Cash or Terms. The Price is moderate. For particulars apply to— H- RIDHALGH, Sole Australasian Agent, for Irish Literature and the Catholic Encyclopedia, 8 SPRING STREET SYDNEY.