54

TRINITY COLLEGE.

Gaelic, the Irish language is fastly fading. Even those who know it, cease, as a fact, to speak it. Professor Blackie hopes soon to have a Keltic chair established in the University of Edinburgh. When shall one be established in the Catholic University of Ireland ? What have the Universities in Ireland done hitherto for the language of Ireland ?

And first, as to the University of Dublin. To answer the question fully, let the reader accompany in thought the writer while he runs along the historic road of university education in the past, when Trinity had been first founded, and let him cast his eye quickly along that narrow pathway of literary patronage leading to the present, and then he will see at a glance all that has been done for the Irish language. In founding Trinity College near Dublin, one of the motives that "principallic" influenced Queen Elizabeth, it is said, was, that the people could have "ministers who could speak the Irish language," educated in Home University.

King James I., in his letter to the Lord Deputy in Ireland in 1690, publicly declares that this was the object for which, in the quaint language of the period, "our colledge of Dublin was first founded by our late sister of happie memorie, Queen Elizabeth, and hath been since plentifullic endowed by us, principallie for breeding upp nuires of that kingdom. And he commands "that choise be made of some competent number of towardlie younge men alredie fitted with the knowledge of the Irish tongue, and be placed in the Universitie, and maintained there for two or three years; and that these men be thought on before others."

Christopher Anderson, a native of Scotland, writing in the year 1846, on this subject, says in his work, "The Native Irish," p. 74. "That he is not aware of

any approach to a conformity with those instructions, 'till the days of Bedell," who, when Provost in 1627 and 1628, established an Irish lecture in Trinity College. All this died away, says Mr. Anderson, and again an attempt was made thirty years later (in 1656), under Dr. Winter, the Provost of Trinity College, in the time of the Protectorate. And this effort of Dr. Winters failed. The eloquent Dr. Jeremy Taylor knew, as he states, when Vice-Provost of Trinity, "The University near the City of Dublin, founded by Queen Elizabeth, was principally intended for the natives of this kingdom." And yet the learned and the earnest Jeremy did nothing for the language while Vice-Provost, or subsequently, while he ruled the Protestant Episcopal See of Down and Connor.

The author of the "Institutiones Logicæ," Dr. Narcissus Marsh, did during his provostship in 1680, all that an earnest and a learned man could do. He appointed an Irish lecturer, a Mr. Higgins, who, at one time, had eighty students in his Irish class. During his time, an Irish sermon was delivered each month in the College Chapel. But all these efforts met with much opposition. Mr. Anderson observes: "It is melancholy to contemplate the withering of such a seed-plot as this before the breath of blind political expediency." The truth is, that with the removal of Dr. Marsh, who was nominated to the Protestant Episcopal See of Leighlin and Ferns, and on the decease of Dr. Jones of Meath, "the whole cause was finally relinquished."

In the year 1711, the Rev. Dr. Hall, then Vice-Provost, supported for a few years at his own expense an Irish lecturer named Denny, to teach Irish privately to such scholars of the University as had a desire to learn that language. A Mr. Lyniger, too, was employed by Dr. King, Archbishop of Dublin. "But," says Anderson,

56

HENRY FLOOD'S WILL.

"there is no proof of his continuance after that period" (1713). However, all such efforts were in vain. The writer must quote once more Mr. Anderson, who, the reader should know, is not an Irishman, or a Catholic, and therefore must be held naturally as an impartial writer of public facts relating to an Irish non-Catholic College. What does he say? Writing before the publication of his work in 1846: "All suggestions were in vain; and from that time (1713) to the present day (1846), if the Irish language has been cultivated in schools of learning, it is to foreign countries far from the native soil and the seat of the language we must look to for that fostering care, and not to home Universities" (p. 76). And our zealous Gaelic friend from Scotia Minor observes in a note: "Within some years past there is one professor of Irish, where the language is at least professedly taught on Irish ground. This is at Maynooth. But in Trinity College to the present hour (when Mr. Anderson wrote his book, "Schools of Learning in Ireland"), nothing of the kind exists!

Read the following:

Before, however, dismissing the subject, it is of importance to record one most noble intention. It is worthy of special notice, as a substantial and standing proof of what one eminent man conceived to be a desideratum in Ireland. The late Henry Flood, Esq., of Farmly, in the county of Kilkenny, by his will, dated 27th May, 1790, had constituted Trinity College residuary legatee to a considerable part of his property, valued, in 1795, by Sir James Laurence Parsons, afterwards Earl of Ross, at £1,500 per annum, but since that period at about £1,700 annually. "I will," said Mr. Flood, "that on their coming into possession of this my bequest, on the death of my said wife, they do institute and maintain, as a perpetual establisment, a professorship of and for the Native Irish or Erse language,— with a salary of not less than three hundred pounds sterling a year." "And I do will and appoint, that they do grant one annual and liberal premium for the bost and anothor for the next bost composition in proso and verso, in the said Native Trish langungo, upon some point of anolent history, govora.

ment, religion, literature, or situation of Ireland; and also one other annual premium for the best and another for the next best composition in Greek or Latin prose or verse, on any general subject by them assigned,"-and I will that the rents and profits, &c., shall be further applied by the said University to the purchase of all printed books and manuscripts in the said Native Irish or Erse language, wheresoever to be obtained; and next, to the purchase of all printed books and manuscripts of the dialects and languages that are akin to the Irish language; and then to the purchase of all valuable books and editions of books, in the learned and in the modern polished languages."

Yet, notwithstanding this distinctness of this last will and testament, there seems to have been some defect or informality. The validity of the bequest was questioned. The College instituted a suit for the purpose of establishing their claim; but, in the end, failed of success. After a trial at bar, the will has been broken, and at the present moment, nothing approaching to any of its provisions exists in Ireland.

A Professorship of Irish has been established in Trinity College, Dublin, since 1840. The Rev. Thomas De Vere Coneys, was the first professor, and he held the Irish chair for twelve years, up to the time of his death. He was succeeded by Dr. Foley, who was professor up to the spring of 1861. Since that period the Irish chair has been filled by Rev. T. O'Mahony, M.A., M.R.I.A. Each of the professors has contributed a little to the stock of Irish Keltic literature.

In Trinity College lectures are given for twelve days in each of three college terms-a lecture of one hour to the junior class, and a lecture of one hour to the pupils who have made some progress in the study of the language. The average number in the Irish class is seven. this information I am indebted to the present distinguished professor, Rev. T. O'Mahony, M.A., M.R.I.A.

For

The learned French savant, Mousiour Gaidoz, editor

58

THE SECOND SPRING.

of La Revue Celtique, (published by A. Franck, 67, rue de Richelieu, Paris: and by Tråbner & Co., Ludgatehill, London) who has learned to speak and read and write Irish, visited Ireland some seven years ago. He did the present writer the honour of staying a few days at St. Jarlath's College. He spent some weeks in the Irish Metropolis, and while there, he did not neglect his Irish studies. He attended lectures given by Rev. Professor O'Mahony; and he states that on those occasions, when he was present, only one pupil had been in attendance .Possibly Mons. Gaidoz attended the junior class, or that some portion only of that class had been present, or that the professor wished to give the benefit of the entire lecture to the distinguished French visitor.

SIXTEENTH-The Catholic University, the youngest public national institution for the education of the great body of the rising youth of Ireland-the latest in daterises before the writer's view and comes to close this line of causes-which directly or indirectly affect the growth or decay of the nation's language.

It cannot be denied that some twenty years ago, the Catholic youth of Ireland entertained high hopes of what tho then infant Catholic University was likely, in days to come, to effect for country and creed, and for the country's cause the venerable Gaelic tongue. At all events, the writer, while a student in Maynoth, felt very confident in the future success of that hopeful seat of Catholic teaching; nor could he then understand how it could possibly be anything but the fruitful mother of myriad children devoted to religion and learning. He had fondly hoped that the second spring had at length come, when Ireland was destined to be in her renewed life once again, what the Venerable Bede said she had been-Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum,—“ the island home