u 



MAC GURTIN's IRISH GRAMMAR.— Lovain, 1728. 



The next Grammar that appeared after Lluyd's is that of Hugh 

 Mac Curtin, entitled, " The Elements of the Irish Language, 

 grammatically explained in English in 14 chapters. By H. Mac 

 Curtin. Small 8vo. — Lovain, 1728. 



This grammar is very scarce in its detached state, but that 

 scarcity is less felt in consequence of its being re-printed with his 

 English-Irish Dictionary in the year 1732. The Preface is excel- 

 lent. In it he states the reasons for undertaking his Grammar, 

 and ably refutes the objections brought by prejudice against such 

 an undertaking, by shewing the advantages derivable from an ac- 

 quaintance with our language and records. The three first chap- 

 ters treat of Orthography. The 1st. Of the modern Alphabet, in 

 which he gives the Irish characters of the Letters, their names from 

 trees, and their pronunciation by corresponding Letters in English, 

 Latin or Greek, and classes the Letters into their respective subdi- 

 visions. The second treats with clearness and propriety of the in*- 

 fluence of Consonants on each other by Eclipsis and Suppression. 

 The third of the Vowels — their nature, quantity, pronunciation and 

 orthography. On this subject he has left room for future labourers in 

 that way. He has classed the vowels into broad and slender ; but 

 has not pointed out their various quantities, long, short, obscure, 

 and diphthongal, nor has he shewn the provincial peculiarities 

 of pronouncing them. He has divided them into Diphthongs and 

 Triphthongs according to terms of art, taken from the characteristic 

 or leading Vowel of each ; but has not shewn the various quantities 

 of such of them as are occasionally long and short by nature. In 



