New-York tribune., 1873-09-02
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
GoDKIN's IRELAND.


II forms however, a series of comments on the re-
heious condition of Ireland at different opochs.
rather than exhaustive history of the development
of religion in that country. The author is more ad-
dicted TO disqusition than TO narrative; he deals
largely IN local antiquarian Details he seems bent
on the detection Of error rather than OF the Illus
tratiOn of truth and has thus furnished the hstori-
cal student with valuable book Of reference lnstead
of giving volume of popular interest to the genera
reader. Mr. Godkin's style is forcible and lmpres-
siye He presents some attractive picturesque
sketches which happily relieve the prevailing dr'-
ness of discussion and his narrative always betrays
q perfect clearness of conception, as well rs the
strength Of positive conviction leading motive
Of the work is to examine the statements ol MI
Froude in his recent history of " The Enghsh III
Ireland which popular writer Is convicted Oh III,
credible looseness in his use of authorizes anu ol
angular inaccuracy and exaggeraton IN hls eAnioF
tion of facts. .:,
Mr. Godkn pays Just. as well as an eioquoi' W.
ute 10 the services Of the early IRISH MONKS III III"
fusiuc intelligence and culture among the Northern
nations He fully recognizes the large ueoV VI graz,
itnde which they owe to Celtic genius learning ana
xeal OF these Irish apostles COLUMBIA was the
l.ader and the chief OF his celebrated religious
bouse ON the island Of Iona, the author gives SIN
Rularly graphic description
The buldinc which 81. Columbia erected as church
- a low 0uadrauguar structure, made OF wooden
stskes and Tattcs. Around it separate cells or huts
WcTc constructed, Of she same materials Tor the MONKS
and fbe visitors who went there scholars 10 Oe h
sructed. they now 20 TO university a portion oi
their TIME was spent IN manual iaDo5' gi IN tbe
waters around the coast The Duke OF Argyll the owner
Of Inc island states that supports 200 cows and
stHree of the pachy yderms 20 dear 70 inc Cuth
and sIiis in abuudauce we're brought by wealthy pill
STims and grateful disciples Thus. though huts were
were not wautlug. As missionaries went out into
all lands, they were not unmndful OF the focK
whence they were hewn INC sacred ne WIS ts tFo[ F
Jerusalem, and each OF them might exclan, LOT lot
se thee may NY ilIt n & ylge' H. Increased
Nv contributions from thousand streams. Above al,
sic princes and the preates who came to bury thelF
dead within the sacred precincts did not come empty
handed. Iona. during 900 years-he golden age OF the
Irsh Church-contiDued 10 he the fruitful mother OF
inconsistencies and 20 ia an interesting fact that during
TOo years every ABBOT but one was an Irishman. Al
length the Danes found out this sanctuary ana pun
ann,isfor 5e{: TGstqL0 omniuia Tns7laiun a GeHtR
bus" But 200 years long time Tor monastery TO
flourish. Think Of all that the British islands have Wit
messed and suffered since the revolution OF 1859!
81. Columbia was 10y nature a ruler OF men. Remark
ably TALL handsome. well built, with powerful phys
iQue, great musical gifts, magnificent voice for both
singing and speaking gentle spirit and simple III his
habils, fu Of beuey0ence and noble ASPIRATIONS, ms
very presence inspired homage. He was idohzed by the
monks and students; and II was quite natural IN thOse
a@cs Of duty That LEGENDS sloNla nave clustered
he like o the famous Irish saints bore the name Of
o. the transformations Effected by the legend dmOugers
OF the pghth, ninth, and tenth centuries.
The author examines, with an unspaTing hand the
fTadluOns of other Irish saints, whose history has
been 80 interviewer with senseess legends that it is
almost impossible to obtain clear view of the facts
in the case. He remarks Of the Acta SanctOum,"
that they are for the most part rabies almost too ab
surd for the entertainment of children in nursery
and nearly rs destitute of any basis in fact the
Irish fairy tales. He adds the following sensible
suggestions;
We can gather, however from them and from other
source. from the monuments ana TRADITIONS OF the
country and In other lands, in England Scotland France
aud GERMANY that there were numerous schools il Ire
land The early Of Christianity which were cele
bTaieG throughout Eu4Opti mat 'Lty "tIe iequshtu
by many foreigners, who became aterward men OF emf
that OF the lnsh ecceslastics and Of the
Irsh utopie HAD passion for learning ana rdOId-
nary zeal II prOpagatng their opinions with an uu
aud science But when behold the ruins OF abOeys
and colleges which lrshmen founded i'll Scot
60 come away with false impression OF their
euont'; tOINvtIns f u,g ,iiO,v Eo"c nstu ht
generally the Irish teacher, or professor, or apostle only
planted the nom which sprung the gigantic oak.
Au unwilling exile or IN ardent missionary from his ma
uye land he TOOK up hs abode IN some quiet retreat
generally secluded romantic spot ana there he began
20 leach such pupils a came TO him. As ms fame spread
abroad disciples increased them the Of
wealthy men, or powerful cheis OF even OF priuces dls-
gustcd wlth the strikes violence, and hl0Odhed that
prevailed Ia those turbulent uInes. They brought with
thelh presents Hntl"i SonITluuohs Io ne support %
The httc fraternity. Tue young men OF practical turn Of
Iyae the soil around them to SOW and 10 plant for the
support aud shelter Of the community The results
corn, hourhlug plantations. In due time came
OF land III various parts Of the country,
primitive hut. or oratory,v was added building
after building, Chapcls, SchOOlrOOms aud ultimately
large church and abDcy with dorm0res, rofecOrios.
and ali the rest Of the mOnastlc accommodation which
see IA the that attest the former grandeur OF
those establishments But before there "a
buldinc-ceutures before the president became "a mi
tercd abbot and lord OF Parliament the irish founder
had passed away perhaps 10 repeat the immortal work
IN other locality, leaving " greater
talent for organization, aud steadier perseye.
rance and capacity for government to carry on,
extend, and perfect the work the foundation when
ne Rad lad. The pioneer Of civilization docs moi de-
eerVe less honor because results which he never cOntem-
plated have arisen from ms laOOrs. When George
ftepntnAon constructed a steaD-ugue which Travelled
the rate Of miles hour he had idea that loco
mOtiyes would be made twelve times rate or
of the enormous extent and power of the present r.
way syste Yet there are few books 30 full Of interest
the Lives OF the early Engineers: would that
could have accounts authentic of the labors, aud
stTuggles. Of the founders of the Irish
mOnasteriesl
The relations of Professionalism with the Roman
Catholic Church in Ireland afford the subject of an
elaborate discussion, abounding in biographical
notices Of eminent ecclesiastcs and forming of
the most instructive portions of the volume. Mr.
Godkins labors in this line furnish important
contribution to the recent history of the rival
churches and open TO the reader mass Of novel in
formation which can scarely be obtained elsewhere
AZ 80 convenient form.
Blanca CdppeiIO is the title of a five-act trag-
edy, verse, which will be- published early in Autumn
Nv Messrs. Hurd Houghton. The author is Mrs Elz-
abeth g. Kinney well known her poems and for her
newspaper letters written during many years residence
"a Italy. Her forthcoming drama was composed AT
Florence, the OF the romsutc and ragical story
upon which 1t is based aud the whole career OF
the beautiful and guilty Banca the "goldenhaired sor
ceress,' who rose from a m6salrance with a humble
clerk to he the wife of the Grand Tuscany-with
whom she IeEished by poison III the prime OF her leaut