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“ thor of the Ogygia, one of the chief Irish critics, and several 
“* others, they could scarce interpret one page. What is most valu- 
« able among them,” adds Mr. Lhwyd, “ are their old laws, which 
“< might give some light to the curious as to their national customs.” 
Several of those volumes, with memorandums in Mr. Lhwyd’s hand- 
writing, accounting for the manner in which he obtained them, are 
now in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. These volumes 
were some years since presented to the Library by Sir John Sea- 
bright, in the hope that the learned Members of that College would 
cause some of the most valuable of them to be published, with 
literal translations, into English or Latin.* 
Sir James Ware, in the eighth chapter of his “ Antiquities of Ire- 
“ Jand,” + says, “There are yet extant, as I have heard, some 
“ books in Irish, containing the laws of some of the ancient kings 
** of Ireland before the coming of the English, which doubtless are 
“ very necessary to understand the government among the ancient 
“ Trish, AND DESERVE A FULL SEARCH.” 
The Right Rev. Doctor Nicholson, Bishop of Derry, says,— 
Our historians generally agree that there was, very early, a body 
of laws in this kingdom ; and they do as unanimously allow that 
they grew up to maturity, froma very weak estate at first.—By the 
** guidance of their law maxims, and other like rules, the Brehons 
“ (or judges) of several provincial kings, determined all controver- 
 sies brought before them; and their general axioms were the 
* leges Brehonice, whereof several specimens are to be seen in our 
“ public and private libraries. The most complete collection that 
“ we have of these is in the Duke of Chandois’ library, and even 
“ this is far from being perfect. It contains twenty-two sheets and 
* See Edmond Burke’s letter to General Valancy. 
+ Folio edition, Dublin, 1705, page 23. 
