The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-10-25

Indeed? Yes, indeed! We have only
to 90 into the British Museum, open the
books of Gildas, of venerable Bede. of
Camden, of DIR. johnson, of Sir James
Macintosh or DR.. Warner, OF Thomas
Moore, to Ind detailed the services
which educated and pious Irishmen of
other days conferred upon the illiterate
Saxon and the emi-barbarOus Briton.
THE IRISH EMINENT IN LEARNING.
The degree of eminence in literature
and science to which the Irish nation at
tanned is not easily credited, and would
not be admitted on the authority of
their own historians, whose partiality
for their country. or whose vanity might
be supposed to influence their descrip-
tions. But the united testimony of a
crowd of foreign authors. ancient and
modern, from the venerable Bede, ''the
father of English history" writing in
the seventh century, to Michelet, the
French historian, writing in the present
century, must compel belief. Bede says
OF the Irish scholars:
Ireland supplied all Europe during
these ages with swarms Of jealous mis-
sionaries. Who announced the name Of
Jesus Christ amongst some nations, and
among others caused it to revive.
Camden, also an English historian, re.
marks:
The disciples of Patrick made SO great
progress in Christianity that in the
following age Ireland was called the
Island of Saints, and none could be
more holy and learned than the Irish
monks, both in their own country and
IN Britain, who sent swarns OF the
most holy men into all Europe To
them Lrxovium in Burgundy, Bohiense
in Italy, Hormipolis in Franconia. St.
Gallus in Helvetia. .Malmsburia in Lin
desfarn, and many ether monastries in
Britain, owe their origin. Our Anglo
Saxons went in those times to Ireland,
as ii to fair, to purchase knowledge,
and we often find in our authors that ii !,
person were absent it was genera ly
said Of him, by way of a proverb. tina,
he was "!Sent to ireland TO reeciUe his ed
atcation." 1t even appears that our an.
cestors, the ancient Anglo Saxons. had
learned the use Of letters IN Ireland, anc
from the Irish our ancient English an
| ccstors appear to have receiced ana
learned their method of forming letters
and obviously made use Of the same
characters which the Irish now make
use of.
Maide'phus, an Irish monk from
Iona. opened the fir school among
the Saxons at that place, now calico
Malmsbury but which, in the time le
fer to, was forest, wilderness. Her.
Maidelphus set up the first seminary o
learning that was established in Eng
ladd, where he taught the Latin Ian
Quare to the illiterate Saxons, taugh
til m how to Urite; and from this begin
ming !. city grew up around the spo
where the holy man taught religion an,
literature tive We hundred years ago.
VIRTUE HELD IN HIGH ESTEEM
Sir james Macintosh, the eminen
Scotch historian. remarks on the habit
of the old Irish writer's. which were t
!. celebrate the most learned and virtuou
men, instead of the most warlike men
OF their country: The vast collection
Of the lives of saints often throw liyll
on public events, and open glimpses int
the habits of men in those times. Eth
whole force OF this noble attempt to ex
alt human nature was at this perio
spent on the lives of saints-a sort {
mora! heroes. or demigods, wi hot
some acquaintance with whom it is har
. to comprehend an age when the con
memoration of the virtues then mo:
venerated, as embodied in those hol
men, was the principal theme OF til
, genius of Christendom." Referring t
| IL rv,l shp ,n1n 80 r. Il
published by DR.. C'Connor. of Belar
agare. great GRANDPA her of your Charlie
O'Connor. Sir James says:
, The chronicle of Ireland, written i
the Iris1 language, from the secon
; century to the landing of Henry III
have been recently published, with til
fullest evidences of their geauinene:
|, and exactness. The Irish nation, tnoug
. they are robbed of many Of their favor
tie legends by this authentic publicauol
r are yet enabled by it to boast that the
possess genuine history sereral ccntmri
:, more ancient than any other nation pc
I sesses in its present spoken Language
!. Indeed no other nation possesses ar
|, monument of its literature which 20,
j back within several centuries of the b.
ginning of those chronicles. Some
DIR. O.Conner's hearers may hesitate
admit the decree of culture and pro
n ,eritv he claims for his country, but I
: one. think. can deny, after persuir
Z his proofs, THAT THE IRISH WERE
LETTERED PEOPLE. WHILE THE SAxo,
WERE STILL IMMERSED IN DARKNESS An
) IGNORANCE"
o DR.. Samuel johnson. author OF Il
; Dictionary of the English languag
4 writing 10 DIR. O'Connor concerning Il
i antiquity OF the Irish language, in b
: letter (May 10. ND says: DIR. L
/ land begins his history # Ireland t
g late. The ages which deserve an exa
q inquiry, are those--for such these scc
-rhen Ireland irds the school Of
5 scca, the quie. hatitation Of sanctity a,
10 iuera.ure.
4 WE sH.sULD STUDY HER HISTORY.
I'll If Ireland then, be and has Del
Q what these great men admit, ought v
1t not feel humbled at finding her histo
If SO little known?-;o find her name n