Evening journal., 1888-06-09

by his elcquence at time when
the ear was the only channel OF
access to the Irish peasants mind. That
magic voice, that sublime audacity
that fluent speech. that mastery OF
both tongues, that native humor. made
him the dictator of Ireland through the
years of Catholic emancipation and the
1.-THE war. But within ten years
after the national schools hsd begun
their work his dictatorship was con
tested by younger men, who addressed
the people through the press. The
Young Ireland party addressed them
selves already to a nation of readc rs.
The Nation was their right hand. Its
songs and editorials were events. But
they were not content with these,
They wished to fill the place left vacant
by tho grand omission in the
Irish school system, and to teach
the Irish people their own his.
tory. Many Of my readers must have
seen the little books, bound in green
cloth, in which John Martin, Gavan
Duffy, and their associates labored to
arouse the national consciousness OF
the Irish people and to remind them
the pathos, the heroism, ard the glory
of Ifeland's past. Poor DR.. WhanIy's
school aystem was serving uses he had
not intended. His seeds of suseful
knowledge" were proving dragons
teeth, from which were sprinQing
armed men.
We are reaping the harvest of that
sowing. The intellectual results of
tne young Ireland movement pervades
the whole OF the home rule movement.
But have we followed in their foot
steps as closely as we might? Has not
the literary and intellectual side of
the national movement been allowed
to shift for itself, while the things
which bear the quickest results have
been promoted? We have had oratory
in abundance. We have had news
papers galore, and it would i'll
become me to depreciate their in
fluence. We have had some
splendid pamphlets. But a popular
book literature, stating Ireland's case
historically and argumentiveiy to the
rising generation and carrying on the
educational work of the young Ire.
land party, is what we have not had.
or not to anything like the extent that
the larger resources and wider audi
ence of the new time render possible.
| do not ignore the good work done by
A. III. Sullivan, the two McCarthys,
and others. But most of this too
much on the line OF meeting merely
present needs instead of laying found
ations for the future.
A national literature is indispensable
TO genuine nationality. Indeed there
10 no other genuine literature than
that, and that fosters the national
spirit as does hardly any other infiu-
'nce. The genius of Homer lifted the
Greeks out of the level Of the kindred
and neighbor nations of the same
tock, and made Thsrmopyle and
possible. The greatest gift
Athens could send Sparta in her time
# sore need was singer. Tyrtaus
Won the battles which uninspired,
ongless bravery failed to win. Scot
and would have sunk by this
ime into a mere province Of Eng
and but for the influence of Burns
nd her other poets. She is
mixing into that. say good judges,
inee she laid aside her ancient speech |
8 vulgar and took English litera.
ure into the pace of honor. The
iugwump is a sign of the same disease
a America. The final outcome of
hat tendency would be to take the
Jnited States back into the British
inpire.
Ireland must battle TOR her nation
lity with many arms, and this of a
ational literature is one. Her enemy
es close to her door. She uses
le same epsech as the great
ulk of the Irish people do. She has
, abundant literature, cheap and Sc.
nctive, holding English ideas in solu-
on, and intolerant of everything else
will not do to ignore this great en-
Inc for the Anglicization of Ireland.
he number of Irishmen who have
lccumbed to it, and have lost all ma
onal aspirations and ideas, gives us
arning OF the danger. The young
'eland party were right. The Eug-
sh influence must be fought with its
wn weapon, in this respect as in
hers.
In the work Of nationalizing dene-
onalized Irishmen, a national litera
ire would be an effective agent. Most
ien's attachment to their country
nds its origin and its nourishmsnt 10
ride OF country. Show a man that .
has country to be proud Of, and
-eat countrymsn whom it is an honor
own as such, and he begins to be
ltriotic. The Orangeman is Mr..
ale's imam without a country" Let
leave nothing undone to give him J
eland as his land of honor and ,
ltriotc fervor, and then Ireland viii
, at one.
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h.