Page:The best hundred Irish books.djvu/55

 # Greville — Past and Present Policy of England Towards Ireland.
 * 1) Nassau Senior — Essays Relating to Ireland.
 * 2) Mill — England and Ireland.
 * 3) Goldwin Smith — Irish History and Irish Character.
 * 4) Mr. Bright — Speeches on Ireland.
 * 5) Sigerson — Modern Ireland.
 * 6) A M Sullivan — New Ireland.
 * 7) Matthew Arnold — Burke’s Speeches on Irish Questions
 * 8) Godkin — Land War in Ireland.

It is a calamity that we have no life of O'Connell, and no edition of his speeches which is worth placing in any list of Irish books. O'Connell's "Life and Speeches," given to the public in a worthy form, would be a history of Ireland in the pleasantest way, from, let me say, the Union to 1847. Such a work is exactly, I fancy, what the Editor of the Pall Mall Gazette would be most likely to ask for. Unhappily, he cannot have it. But I believe Mr. M‘Cullagh Torrens is engaged on a Life of the Great Agitator; and when it comes out I doubt not it will be worth a cartload of many other books about Ireland.

I now pass to Sir C Gavan Duffy. He has set me a difficult task, but I shall try and do it. And I wish to impress on the readers of the Freeman's Journal that I do not pretend to prepare perfect lists. The time at my disposal does not admit of that. But I hope that by suggesting the undertaking to more competent authorities, I may help forward the work of compiling an "Irish Historical Library" which will stand the test of any criticism. Sir C Gavan Duffy wishes me "to prepare two lists—one for a Students’ Irish Library, the other of works recommended for general reading in Ireland." I shall try to do this, confining myself to the number twenty in each list:—

LISTS FOR SIR GAVAN DUFFY — A STUDENTS' IRISH LIBRARY.

1. O’DoBovan — Annals of the Four Masters 2. O’Curry — MS Materials for Irish 3. O’Curry — Manners and Customs (with Sul- livan’s Introduction) 4. Maine — Early Institutions 5. Davies — Discovery, etc 6. Brewer — State Papers, 1515-1625 7. Carew — Pacata Hibemae 8. Prendergast’s and Russell’s Irish State Papers. 9. Prendergast — Cromwellian Settlement 1ft Stcurv — Wara 11. Macaulay — History of England 12. Lecky — History of England in Eighteenth Century 13. Curry — Civil Wars 14. O’Connor— History of the Catholics 15. Wolfe Tone — Autobiography 16. Mountmorres — Irish Parliament 17. Madden— United Irishmen 18. Cornwallis — Correspondence 19. Leland — History 20. Plowden LIST FOR GENERAL READING IN IRELAND, 1. Gavan Duffy — Bird’s Eye View 2. Walpole — The Kingdom of Ireland 8. Mitchel — Histoiy of Ireland 4. D’Arcy M'Gee — Arte MacMurrough. 5. Lecky — Leaders of Public Opinion 6. Mitchel — Hugh O’Neil 7. O’Connor — Military History 8. Gavan Duffy — Young Ireland 9. Parnell — Penal Laws 10. Sigerson — Land Tenures 11. O’Callaghan — Irish Brigades 12. Matthew Arnold — Burke on Irish Affairs 13. De Beaumont — Ireland, Social, &c 14. Sigerson — Modern Ireland 15. Richey — Irish History 16. Cornewall Lewis — Irish Disturbances 17. Goldwin Smith — Irish History, Irish Cha- racter. 18. Davis- --Essays and Poems 19. Hayes-'-BaUad Poetry 20. Greville — Past and Present I must now add my final list of “ The Best Hundred Books,’’ and conclude this long paper. There are many letters to which I would wish to allude besides those I have men- tioned, but time or space will not permit. I write, indeed, in haste and under some difficulties; but if I have succeeded in any degree in directing public attention in Ire- land to the study of Irish history, 1 am satisfied that the shortcomings of my paper will be excused, and that the desire to do a good work will be accepted in some measure for its successful execution. THE BEST 100 IRISH BOOKS. EARLY IRISH HISTORY. 1. O’Curry — Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, with Sullivan’s “ Introduction 2. Richey — Lectures on Irish History. 3. O’ Curry — MS Materials for Irish History 4. Todd — Life of Saint Patrick. 5. Adamnan — Life of Saint Columba. & Montaletnbart — Monlrs oi