204 [Proc. B.N.F.C, 



W. H. Patterson, M.R.T.A., also spoke in favour of the 

 scheme. 



Mrs. M'Alery, Rev. W. J. Christie, M.A., James Quinn, and 

 James M. Bradshaw were then elected members of the Club. 



27 November, 1894. 



A Special Meeting of the Club was held on Monday evening, 

 27 November, in the Museum, when a lecture was delivered 

 under the auspices of the Celtic Class by Douglas Hyde, LL.D., 

 T.C.D., upon " The Celtic Language and Literature." There 

 was a large and interested audience, who listened to Dr. Hyde 

 with rapt attention for over an hour and a half. 



The President introduced the lecturer. 



Dr. Hyde fully reviewed the work of the last three centuries 

 of Celtic poetry and romance, bringing into prominence and 

 colouring with a vivid glow the different literary efforts of a 

 struggling people — a race contending for the survival of their 

 language against odds rarely equalled in the history of nations. 

 The lecture contained copious quotations, some of which were 

 translated by Dr. Hyde, and others delivered in the native 

 tongue, in which many quaint stories and curious ballads were 

 introduced. Frequent bursts of applause greeted the lecturer 

 at the salient and passionate parts of his address. In concluding, 

 Dr. Hyde urged all those present to study the Irish language, 

 and thus preserve to the race one of the most cherished 

 heritages. An opportunity was now afforded them of doing so, 

 and if such was allowed to pass at the present time the most 

 valuable of all the living Aryan languages of Europe would be 

 lost for ever, to the eternal disgrace of our common country, 

 and (he added) the learned professors of the future in their 

 philological researches would quarrel over its bones. 



P. J. O'Shea, the conductor of the Celtic class, moved a vote 

 of thanks to Dr. Hyde, which was seconded by J. M'Ginley, 

 both in the Irish language. Dr. St. Clair Boyd and W. Gray, 

 M.R.I.A., also supported the resolution, both agreeing that the 



