60 



exile, we have it not in our power to adopt their interpretation, ex- 

 cept in a few instances. 



Secondly ; Be it known to you, that those works from which 

 we have extracted these words, which those persons already men- 

 tioned, who were recently teaching, glossed and expounded, are 

 The Amhra Choluim Cille — the Dialogue of the two Sages — The 

 Festology of the saints — The Festology of Gorman — Book of 

 Hymns — Vocabularies — The life of Patrick — Old Vellum Manu- 

 scripts — and old books on paper, in which I have found many ob- 

 scure words expounded — the Forus Focal — a treatise called, A 

 sister to wisdom is philosophy, and a great portion of the other 

 books expounded by the said Boetius. 



Thirdly ; Be it known to the reader, that we intend no more, 

 in compiling this little work, than to give some portion of know- 

 ledge to youths and to the ignorant, and to stimulate the learned, 

 whom we have already mentioned, to give a more improved and 

 copious work of this nature. The reason why we have not spoken 

 here more at large of the various meanings of the words which 

 the learned ascribe to many of them, and that we have forborne to 

 shew the derivation of many more, is, that the study of such things 

 belong rather to men of science, and not so necessary for all to be 

 acquainted with, as it is to be able to read and understand the old 

 books. 



Fourthly ; Be it known to the young and ignorant, who are resolv- 

 ed to learn to read the ancient books (a remark not necessary for the 

 learned of my fellow countrymen) that the authors seldom minded 

 writing a slender vowel with a broad or a broad with a slender, or 

 aspiration of consonants, such as b, c, "D, ^, &c. and even seldom 

 placed an accent over a vowel. They also commuted one letter for 

 another, such as c for 5 and c for t> ; for instance, ctoc for CI05, 



