The Irish standard., 1888-01-07
ON IRELAND'S MlNSTRELSY.
Lady Wilde's Contribution to a London
Journal on this Interesting
Subject.
THOMAS DAVIS GREAT GENIUS.
Colonel Blacke's Famous 'still Put Your
Trust in God My Boys But Keep
Powder Dry"

Lady Wilde contributes to a London
journal the following review Of "lrish
AinstrelsY,' a work which forms one
Of the Canterbury Series now in course
of publication:
There are two memorable epochs in
Irish historv-one tha era Of Grattan
and the Volunteers. when the doctrine
of true political freedom was first de-
veloped and victory achieved over the
servile bondage to England by the
strong will of earnest, resolute men;
and the second was the era OF lS48,
when the intellect of the nation re-
eeived it's most splendid impulse, and
with this noblest results, Emancipa-
tion hatl<been gained, and the Catholics
OF Ireland, after two centuries OF in
suit and degradation, were just then
beginning to feel and know that they
had human rights, and strength to gain
them if they 80 willed. But the utter
ance of people, though always vehem-
ent. ia often incohereut, and then it is
that she men Of education and culture
are needed to interpret and formulate
the vague loagings and ambitions Of
the passionate hearts around. Thus 1t
was that the literature Of l848, under
the guidance Of eminent and gifted
men, became the glowing incarnation
Of the desire Of a whole people to raise
their country TO her fitting place among
nations; the spirit power was The
mighty force they used to overthrow
narrow intolerance, bigotry, and preju-
dice, and to give the fierce popular in
stincts for right and justice a higher
direction than mere reckless revenge
over the oppressor. The leaders soon
gathered around them by elective atfin-
ity all the glowing genius OF the coun-
try, an impassioued race of poets and
orators, famous afterwards III the MS
tory Of the period as the Young Ire
land'' party, whose words of power, to
use Chaucer's phrase, were like a
trumpet laundering in Ibe ears OF the
people. The poets, above all, touched
the heart of the nation, when with q
madness OF inspiration they chaunted
the wrongs and hopes of the people in
cadenced words. Most Of the Songs IN
Mr.. Sparlings collection date from this
period, when the whole lite of the ma
tion moved to music. Even the peas
ants and artisans Of the time became
poets. and some Of their strong, fiery
verses, the product Of powerful emotion
are included in the 'lrish Minstrelsy,' "
and show how even the rudest elements
were kipdled and transfigured oy the
glory Of the new light,
Thomas Davis, the chief OF this young
baad Of thinkers and workers, was AL
incarnation CT passionate genius-the
most powerful of the poets, the most
d brilliant of the essayists. His words
like a fiery cross. flashed through the
length and breadth Of the land, awaken
ing mind, heart and brain from tae dull
apathy Of centuries of oppression. With
the tempest in his soul and the light
ming on his lips he poured oat for the
people the divine wine of intellect that
lifts humanity from the animal to the
voa.. Bat his brief life CT work for Ire
Z land soon ended; it was scarcely more
than a three years fever, and then in
3 the very prime of his youth and genius,
and the full triumph OF his successful
leadership, as with a rainbow gleam ne
sprang into the sunlight and SO died.
He is we'll represented in the selections
IN several of his most striking poems
ssFontenoy'' and 1.-THE Geraldines,'
I ...rhe Volunteers Of 's2, . and others as
celebrated and as popular. Charles
Gayan Duffy, however, as editor OF the
& &; Nation. had the chief direction OF the
new. movement. A man of the highest
I culture, of exquisite literary taste and 9
5claar and pow werful writer both in prose
and.verse. he was eminently fitted for
/. .o,,,,ide and counsellor to all the young,
5sf,arv intellects that composed his stan,
lille his winning manners and earnest
sympathy 1l,, with all that was noble and
ssIs$haantiful in literature and art gained
s53their. admiration and love. Asa poet
Ya.ha Satands in the first rank Of the nation
a ,,ards. One Of his best poems, .sIhe
Il SSsM Mnnster Of the North, is included IL IL
% tn selections and the strong, herce
s ys.i 6, ,aii1. az the rhythm shows the true