The Irish standard., 1897-06-05
Learned Men of the Emerald Isle
in the Dark Ages.
PROFESSOR ZIMMER's TRIBUTE
Says 'Ireland Can Lay Claim to
aCreat Past"
her ANCIENT CIVILIZATION.
Interesting Contribution by a Ger
man Sayant.

lnteICStIuS NUntl lUutlVn Wy q OSA
man Savant.
r-<'}-e' r W.
In his valuable treatise on "The Irish
Element in Mediaeval Culture" Prof.
thinner Of Greifswald, Germany, among
many other interesting things, says that
"Ireland can, indeed, lay claim to a
great past; she not only can boast OF
having been the birthplace and abode
of high culture in the fifth and sixth
centuries, at the time when the Roman
Empire was in the course of being un-
dermined by alliances and inroads of
German tribes, threatening to sink the
whole continent into barbarism, but also
of. having made strenuous efforts in the
seventh and up to the tenth century to
spread her learning among the German
and Roman peoples, thus forming the
actual foundation of our present civiliz-
ation."
Again, Prof thinner says that ION the
Emerald Isle ancient culture found a Sc
cure footing and an asylum. There
flourished Christianity that swayed
the hearts and minds of the people; and
the supporters of this religion, the
priestly leaders of the people, held firm
ly to the doctrines Of the great fathers
of the church-Ambrose and Augustine
with equal reverence for the ancien,
classics. They fostered the noblest secu-
lar culture in conjunction with Chris
tianity. They labored strenuously t
spread among the various German and
Romance peoples the most precious
treasures of classical learning in the
spirit of an enlightened Christianity"
Prof thinner, however, arrives at the
conclusion, that, among all these Illus
trious men of the Middle Ages, mot one
was distinguished for remarkable orig
1nality, with the single exception Of Jo-
hannes Scotus Erigena, and that the
reputation of having opened up strictly
new paths to knowledge cannot certain
ly be claimed by them; however, they
were instructors in every known branch
of science and learning of the time, pos
SCISSORS and bearers of higher culture
than was at that time to be found any
claim to have been the pioneers, to have
laid the corner stone of western culture
on the continent, the rich result OF
which Germany shares and enjoys today
in common with all other civilized ma
tions''
Describing the characteristics of such
as Dungal, Johannes Scotus Erigena,
Clemens, Sedulius Scotus and Moengal,
thinner says that they were imbued
with a purely Christian training, Sc
verely simple habit of mind, Joined to
the highest theoretical attainments
based upon thorough knowledge of the
best standards of classical antiquity;
these Irishmen had high mission in
trusted to them, and they faithfully ac-
complished their task.
If the great Irish missionaries and
teachers of the Middle Ages, while dis
playing the highest grade Of talents, did
not, with the exception of Johannes Sco-
tue Erigena, manifest great inventive
genius in originating arts, sciences, or
systems of philosophy, it was because
the times and conditions were unpropi-
tious. Their utmost efforts were re-
for, fhn nf tn
extinguishment the light of science, OF
keeping from total obliteration the arts
of refinement, of preserving the Grecian
and Latin lore of previous age. They,
however, improved or developed many
arts and sciences, such as calligraphy
illumination Of manuscript. architecture:
geography, astronomy, music and thera-
peutics.
thinner is of the opinion that all the
manuscripts. lin the peculiar Irish char
acter found on the continent of Europe
were written In ireland and carried
thence; that the Irish who settled on
the continent discarded the distinctive
character used by them at home, in or
der that the works written on the con-
tinent might be readily legible to the
continental students in the system OF
writing to which the latter were accus-
toned. There are many extant manu-:
scripts the texts Of which were written
in the ordinary character, while the
notes, CLOSES, and commentaries were
written in the peculiar Irish character
It may therefore be inferred that the
manuscripts containing the distinctive
Irish character form only small pro-
portion OF the whole number of extant
manuscripts written by Irishmen in Lat
! u and Greek. Thus the assertion that
modern nations are indebted chiefly q
tke Irish missionaries of the Middle
- ~ - - atio6aq