353 



It is, however, to the resources of the Nation that we must look, 

 to aid us in accomplishing what is truly a national object. As it was 

 long ago pronounced to be a symptom of the health of a State, and 

 an element in its well-being, that all should interest themselves in 

 the weal of each, and that if one member suffer, the whole body 

 should suffer with it; in order that thus whatever injury was 

 offered to a part might be repelled by the energy of the whole, and 

 that every limb might be animated by one pervading vigour : so too 

 it is another fruit and sign of the dignity and happiness of brother- 

 hood, another opposite and contrast to the misery of savage isola- 

 tion, when not the present only of a nation's life, but the past and 

 future also are regarded with a vivid interest ; and, caring for poste- 

 rity, men care for their ancestors likewise. Each people owes it to 

 the human race, to do what in it lies for preserving its own separate 

 history, and guarding its own annals from decay : and each, accord- 

 ing to its power, should cheer and help the rest in their exertions to 

 accomplish this, which is an object common to all. Ireland is rich 

 in records of an ancient civilization ; and looks with a just hope to 

 Britain for assistance towards rescuing those records from obli- 

 vion, and from the risk of perishing obscurely. Though this Aca- 

 demy possesses many manuscripts, and although many are contained 

 in the Library of our national University, enough has not been done 

 until they have been placed beyond all danger of destruction, and 

 made accessible to students every where, by printing and by publish- 

 ing them, with notes and with translations, such as can be sup- 

 plied by some of the few persons who are now versed in the ancient 

 Irish Language. For doing all this well, opportunities can now be 

 had, which the lapse of a generation may almost remove, which the 

 casualties of each year may diminish. 



We have had more occasions than one to hear, this evening, of the 

 assistance recently and wisely given by Government to Science. Nor 

 ought ( I think) the presence of the representative of our Sovereign 

 and Patron, to restrain me from avowing the hope, in which you all 

 will join, that our desire, long since expressed, for the publication of 

 our Irish Records, may after no long time be granted ; and that the 

 State may soon resolve to undertake, or to assist in undertaking, a 

 task for which the materials and the labourers are ready, but of which 



