The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-08-09

selves the apostles of barbarous, heath
en- nations, without any apparent in
ducement to such laborious undertaking,
except the merit of the work. By the
preaching of these men the Northnm-
brains, the East-Angles, and the North
ern Picts were converted. Converts
we're also founded by them in Burgundy,
Flanders, Germany, Italy. and other for
eign countries, where they were dis
tinguished by the rigid integrity and
purity of their manners. So that ireland,
| from the opinion conceived of their piety, |
was STYLED the Island of Saints
s.To this generous tribute of Lord
Lyttleton may be added the equality I'M
preiudiced authority OF another English
writer in our day. s'In Ireland (says
Mr.. Piowden) did our great Alfred re-
ceive his education Bede informs us
that the Anglo-Saxon King Oswald ap-
piled to Ireland for learned men to teach
his people the principles Of Christianity;
and foreign writer (Henrick OF st.
Germany under the French monarch
Charles the Bald, says: why should !
mention ireland? almost the whole ma
ton, dcspiring the dangers OF the sea.
resort thither with numerous train OF
philosophers.' Camden, also acknowl-
lodges that ireland abounded with men
of genius. when literature was rejected
!, everywhere else : and it is frequently
related by our writers, in praise OF a
persons education:
sExempio patrum, commotus amore Legend,
Ivit Hybernos, Sophia msrabilli clarus.
..Spencer confesses that Ireland had
the use of letters long before England,
and the younger Sealiger clarum ct ven
cradle nonen, says: 'du temps DE
Charlemagne ct 200 ans apres, omnes
fere docti Orlando" The historian OF
Charlemagne, Sangalus the Monk, as
serts that the colleges OF Paris and Pa
: via were founded by Irish monks; and
according to Polidore Virgil, King AL
tired sent Johannas Scotus Erigene, his
own tutor, from Ireland, to be the first
, public professor and teacher at Oxford.
. Ireland was formerly studded with seats
) of learning, and the College OF Armagh
alone contained, as we are told, at one
time, seven thousand students! How
t ever these bulwarks of our ancient
, learning may be sought to he deter
; mined BY the political vermin Of our day,
we may be solaced Ly remarking tina,
+ lthey were held in sufficient estimation
, by that pure and practical philosopher
!, who, by the piety OF his life, has given
a currency to virtue, and by the splen.
i dor of his intellect, shed glory on his
b country. I have often wished says
. DR.. johnson, that Irish literature were
. cultivated. Ireland is known to have
. been once the seat of piety and learn
ing, and surely it would be very &C
ceptable to all those who are curious
: either in the origin of nations or the at
:. Ifinity of languages, to be further In
= formed of the revolutions of people 81
= ancient and once so illustr4Ous.' With
. out. however, having recourse to tn
- venerable authorities of the dead, per
haps there may be found, even in GU
!. day. some faint and shadowy trace Q
/; our former learning. When our cite
and our seminaries re-echoed with tn
dismal war-whoop OF persecution, al
J. frighted literature fled for refuge to tn
!e rocks and recesses of the country
IS where, mid the sanctuary of solitud
d and secrecy of caverns, she nursed he
!. odsprings in the hope, and solaced Their
II with the history, of better times. Eve
10 there, still the spirit OF her elder da
q is not forgotten. Amid the mountain
81 Of Cerryss (says Mr.. Smith in his history
ne 1t is we'll known that classical learnin
D extends, even to q fault, among tn
H. poorer classes and O'Haloran observe!
al That it is worthy of remark, this PIT
up pensity is most prevalent where the pc,
ne ole have least communion with Il
ne adjacent plains, and speak pure Iris
~ Let us hope that the day is not lar di
Z, tant when this spark which still linger
10 shall be suffered to extend itself. an
OF perhaps should barbarism again owe
us cloud our hemisphere, Ireland ms
Sc shine in future times. as formerly.
as LIGHT TO THE NATIONS "-Chnrles Hb'
:. lips.