10 



historical doubts respecting the origin of the various nations of this 

 quarter of the globe. Let it not be supposed that this is assuming 

 too much. It is the declared opinion of some of the wisest and 

 most learned of mankind. 



Having stated that a knowledge of the Irish language is easily 

 acquired, I did so, well aware that an idea directly the contrary 

 generally prevails. The cause of this erroneous opinion now re- 

 mains to be explained. 



From the description given of our language by some modern scio- 

 lists, many are apt to consider it insuperably abstruse. This idea 

 of imaginary difficulties has prevented many from prosecuting its 

 study. They are apprehensive that but little of value can be de- 

 rived from a language pronounced inelegant, dissonant, and almost 

 unattainable. When students find O'Flaherty, Archdeacon Lynch, 

 O'Conor and Vallancey, those luminaries of Irish lore, charged with 

 mistranslations,* and with giving as the meaning of some words sig- 



• Mr. O'Reilly, a modern compiler of an Irish-English Dictionary, with a Grammar pre- 

 fixed (both of which will be found noticed in their proper places,) has particularly laboured in 

 this worthy vocation. He has singled out the venerable Vallancey as the principal object of 

 unprincipled attack. A single instance of this treatment will suffice to shew the value of the re-^ 

 mainder. In an account of Irish writers compiled by him, and, by the way, abounding witli 

 mistranslations, printed in the Transactions of the Iberno-Celtic Society, Dublin, 1820, p. fix, 

 noticing a law tract in the Book of Ballimote, called by him the " Seanchas bheg," (which word 

 Mieg is a feminine adjective placed by this grammarian in concord, or rather discord with a mas- 

 culine noun,) he says "At the commencement of this tract, there is the following note, in the 

 late venerable Charles O'Conwor's hand-writing : " Elements of Law, obscure to me for want 

 of a Law Glosary. C<xt<ll r<x ConcOb<x;fi". This is followed by another note, in the hand- 

 writing of the late General VaHancey, in ungrammatical Irish. C;j<im JCh JO m<i;C mO Ctt/t- 

 , ;tAb. CiXCCll r<x OJ)*U<Xn/"e;. I understand them well, my friend. Charles Vallancey. Those wjto 

 understand the law dialect of the Irish," continues the critic, " and have compared with the original* 

 the translations of the fragments published by the General, in the Collectanea de Rebus Hiberni- 

 cis, are able to set a proper value on this boast," How will the liberal minded reader feel when 

 he finds that this envenomed shaft was let fly at the memoty of this distinguished man for an inad- 



