The daily gazette., 1878-08-02
THE PHONOGRAPH AN ANCIENT
IRISH INVENTION.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir:
The question was recently asked: ais
Edison the inventor of the phonograph ?''
With all due credit to Mr.. Edison. de-
sire to ate that the phonograph, or a
similar instrument, was known to the
pagan Irish druids and the Tuatha-de-
danans before the second arrival of St.
Patrick. He found them at Tara and at
various other places on his mission. He
couldn't understand the mechanical con-
struction of them, but, regarding them
as objects of pagan worship, destroyed
them wherever found. The pagan Irish
also had some system of telegraphy, or
other means of rapid communication,
which was subsequently, known to the
Danes, who acquired the art during their
four hundred years sojourn on the island.
1t was this knowledge that made them
powerful, else how could they, living in
holes or caves under the ground, scattered
all over the entire island, assemble stimuli
taneously, and give battle to the Gaedhil.
1t is surmised by some writers that they
used signal lights from the raths or forts
in which they lived, but think the theory
impracticable, because the Irish were
well organized and continually on the
look out for any such evidences of sud-
den movement.
The guatha- de- -danans and the Druids,
who invented the talking and musical
machines, and perfected and improved the
arts, sciences, and mechanisms, were the
electricians, astronomers, inventors, mu-
sicians, historians, poets, priests, &C., of
ancient Ireland. When Europe was al
atati ha, t..
tellectual darkness the Druidical institu-
tions in Ireland were the only seats of
learning where the sciences were encour-
aged and brought into full development.
As men of science, they could produce
snow or rain, heat or cold, light or dark
ness. They were also skilled artificers.
Look again at the evidences of architec-
tural beauty and strength which are yet
left us IN the remains of old castles and
towers, which couldn't have been built
without the aid of powerful machinery,
the use of which they evidently under
stood.
Some historians assert that the Druids
were forbidden by the inviolable rules of
their institution To divulge to the people
any Of their theories or to commit them
to writing. These were composed in
NCloOo diiu OiCdSuIcu Ill tuc w u
| tedious course of study. Others main
tain that books were written, but Destroy
| ed by st. Patrick, who dreaded If the
knowledge contai ned in those works was
disseminated amosg the people they
would become as argumentative and as
| stubborn in their resistance to Christian
ity as the learned Druids. At all events,
| evidences which once existed of the in
| ielligence, power, and greatness of the
Pagan Irish are almost--in fact, entirely
l-obliterafed and lost.
| If Mr.. Edison had been alive at the
period mentioned, and an Irshman, he
would now be recognized as Druid.
Writers and compilers of Irish history
and traditions would now speak of him
as a magician who practifed the demoni-
| acal arts of magical incantation; and his
| useful and benz fetal inventions would
now be extikct and forgotten, like those
| that once existed in Ireland. In behalf
of the memory of Prof Edlson's forerun-
ners L pen this communication, and
deem it but an act of justice that they be
recognized and acknowledged as the
learned and experienced men all true
| sons of the Gael believe them to have
| been. The pagan Irish venerated and
adored the sun, and THE Sun, which is
read daily by thousands of their descend
ants, will no doubt cheerfully assist in
| their vindi cation. THos. j. BRosNAN.
NEW YORK, july 23