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unpublished Irish manuscripts, which can scarcely be too 

 highly valued. I must, at the same time, express my regret, 

 that in Great Britain and Ireland public support is given in 

 most instances to societies which publish their books privately 

 for the use of their members, in consequence of which system 

 the books are very little or not at all known on the Continent. 

 I think it would be of great importance, if the old Irish literary 

 remains could be more generally known in Europe than has 

 hitherto been the case. Ireland has an immense advantage 

 over Scotland, England, and all other countries, which are 

 now partly, and were once completely inhabited by a Celtic 

 people, in that it has preserved an entire literature, whilst 

 other countries have preserved little or none at all. All 

 nations of Celtic descent will, therefore, be obliged to turn 

 their eyes to Ireland, when seeking information concerning 

 the ancient manners and institutions of the genuine Celtic 

 people. I have also learned, with the greatest surprise, that 

 the most interesting and most important documents from the 

 Celtic time — I should say the most remarkable documents in 

 existence in Ireland — I mean, the old Brehon laws — have never 

 been published. The Irish annals, and all the other exist- 

 ing Celtic remains, will scarcely throw so much light upon 

 the real state of the institutions of Ireland and other Celtic 

 countries, as those venerable laws; and I think now is the 

 time to publish them, while the Celtic is still a spoken lan- 

 guage, which it probably will not long continue to be, and 

 while there are still men alive who are competent to do it. 

 It is said that the publication of these laws will be a very 

 expensive work : but if the British Government will not do 

 for Ireland, what it has done for England, Scotland and 

 Wales, by publishing their old institutions, — if Trinity Col- 

 lege, in possession of which the manuscripts are, cannot do 

 it, — then I hope that there are in Ireland men who will do 

 honour to themselves and their native country, by publishing 

 its most remarkable literary remains; and I hope that they will 

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