The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-08-19

They contain stories of finer imagina
tive quality than the early Welsh or Eng
lish stories. Their poetic elements are
n,ore instinct with nature and humanity
and they have more kindling and in.
spring influence on the Imagination Of
other peoples Skan flows forth from the
beginnings Of any other vernacula1
European literature.
This early literature is written in the
Irish tongue; and it consists at the be-
ginning of mythical histories full of wild
and romantic episodes. These which re
count the legendary invasions of Erin
in prehistoric times by tribes whose lead
ers were divine or half divine, are of the
highest interest to the critical mytholo-
qist. But they also contain, or have re-
ferred to their period, tales Of as great
interest to the seeker of fine literature.
1.-THE Three Sorrows of Story Telling"
belong to the distant world-the fate of
the Children of Lir, the story of the chill
dren of Tulreann, the story of the Sons
of Usnach. After this NEUROLOGICAL
cycle come the successive cycles of heroic
ta]es( having also their mythical elements)
the cycle OF Ulster, the cycle of Leinster
the first of which gathers round Con-
chobar. and Cuchullin. and the second
round Finn, Oisin and Oscar. Among
these heroic figures multitude Of other
heroes stands; each of whom, like the
knights of the Round Table, has his own
tale. Mingled through and through
these. stories there are number Of cpl
sodical legends, tales of battles, of voy-
ages, of distinctions, of slaughters, OF
sieges, of tragedies, of cowspoils. of
courtships, of caves, of adventures. of
war expeditions of feasts, of elopements,
of loves, Of inundations, of emlgratione
and Of visions. Along with these there
are number of poems and Of imagina.
tive tales partly in verse and partly in
prose: and the most of these belonged to
pre- Christian times.
The second volume of the series will
be lection Of stories edited by the
talented Dublin writer, ,Standish O'Grady,
entitled tsTales Of Elizabethan Ireland
The editor, OF this work is an accom-.
plished litterateur whose labors in the
field of Irish national literature have
stamped him as writer of rare ability
and wonderful perseverance. His knowl-
edge of the ancient traditions of the
peasantry, the manuscript material and
the folk lore OF Ireland fits him for this
important work in the new movement in
which he is already prominent men,
ber.
The well-known Nationalist and au-
thor. Dr. Todhunter, will contribute the
third volume of the series-a life of Pat
rick Sars6e]d. AS the Doctor is fam.
liar figure in Irish politics to most of
our Irish readers on this side of the wa
ter. all that may be said on the subject
of bis book is, it is according to the fit
ness of things that SO ardent patriot as
he should be the biographer of one of his
country's greatest military heroes
''The New Spirit of the Nation" will be
the fourth volume of the Irish Library.
It is collection of the latest poems of
the Nation between the years l845 and
1856, which we're never before published
in collection. It is edited by Martin
McDermott, and certainly the period
selected by him is the richest epoch in
The career of that wonderful organ of
Young Ireland.
The fifth volume of the series will be
work of DR.. Sigerson, of Dublin, that
master of elegant diction, and the title
of the book will be ''The Irish Mission
aries in the Great States OF Europe -
This work will be book to look for
ward to. To make the work as complete
as possible the authors researches we're
extremely exhaustive. It required an
intimate knowledge not only of the old
Irish manu- cripts but also # the history
of many of the European monasteries in
which manuscripts and missals written
by Irish missionaries are to be found to
this day, DR.. SiQerson is OF Danish de-
scent, but like many more of foreign ex-
traction, more Irish than the Irish them
selves.
"John Keough," work by J. F. Tay-
lor, will follow DR.. Sigerson's book and
then volume by w. B. Yeats, entitled
The Recent Poets of Ireland" will be
given to the public. Mr.. Yeats is one of
the younger members of the society, but
an active one. A sweet poet himself he
has counted it labor of love to bring
together the Irish poets of the present
day and prove to the world that Erin
has not yet lost her title Of the Land OF
Song.
E The new Irish Library will be printed
on fine quality Of paper and well
bound. The cover has been tastefuliy
designed and the titles of the work will
be wreathed In green shamrock on q
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