The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-08-04


have been executed. have counted in
the Book OF Armagh, in small space
of three-quarters of an inch in length,
by less than half an inch in width, no
fewer than 15S interlacements OF a slen-
der ribbon pattern, and each Of these
ribbons was edged on each side with a
slender parallel white line Sir Edward
Betham says: The Book of Kells the
Book OF Dunma and the Book of Ar
magh are monuments of which all Irish
men may be proud, and may be exult-
ingly produced as evidences Of the civil
ization and literary requirements OF their
countrymen produced at a period when.
other nations of Europe were little re-
moved from utter ignorance and barbar-
ISM
II have only time to deal with few
manuscripts which have come down to
us, and would ask you to bear in
mind a few considerations which will
enhance their interest and value by en-
abling you to understand the circum-
stances under which they were executed.
(1) They were executed by the Irish
monks from the sixth to the eighth CEN
turies for the honor and glory OF God,
their aim being to render art subservicnt
to the enrichment and Identification OF
the gospels and books of the Bible. (2)
They were executed, not on smooth,
higl-toned paper, but on animal men,
brane-vellum-whicll is less smooth
and less even in color. Cd They were
done solely and entirely by hand In
those days the various mechanical in
struments and appliances which now
aid the draughtsman were unknown.
4) They were executed before the era
OF steel pens. The only instruments the
monks had were quills. (5) They are
all colored with various pigments which
I cannot reproduce on the screen, but
which are as brilliant and bright on
the originals today as the day they
were laid on by the monks 1900 years
ago. (6) The designs are all original
and exclusively Irish; no previous SINH
lar designs existed in other countries;
the plan of each ornament emanated
from the Irish monks, and from them
alone.
"The Book of Durrow, which is now
in the Trinity College, Dublin, is be-
lieved to be the most ancient of all the
Celtic manuscripts and to l,asebeen not
only the property but the handiworlS OF
St. COLUMBIA himself OF its connection
with Durrow, in Kings county, Arch
bishop Usher, who was the Protestant
bishop of Meath, 1o21-lo24, at a period
when every emblem OF the old faith was
eagerly sought out and ruthlessly de-
stroyed, found this very ancient manu-
script OF the gospels in the monastery
of Durrow, which the monks said be-
longed to St. COLUMBIA. He decided
that it should be preserved. and through
his interest it was presented to Trinity
College. 1t contains the usual request
of the Irisl, scribe for prayer expressed
in Latin, of which this is a translation:
I pray thy blessedness, O, Holy Pres
byter, Patrick, that whatsoever shall
take this book into his l1aaw, may re-
member the writer, COLUMBIA, who have
myself written this gospel in the space
of twelve days by the grace of God
The Book of Durrow consists OF copies
of the four gospels, each being preceded
by symbolical representation OF its
respective evangelist, enclosed within an
ornamental border, occupying the en-
tire page. These symbols Of the evan
gelists, like all early Irish drawings Of
animal figures, are rude and grotcsque
and contrast strongly from the stand
point of correct drawing with the in
genious ornamentation lavished on them
and on the rest OF the page.
"The Book of Kclls, for elaborate
ness of ornamentation and delicacy Of
design, is the most Observation-Disclosures
ted antiquity. 1t dates from the early
part of the seventh century and con-
tinued among the treasures of the
church of Kells, county Meath, down to
! 1921, when Archbishop Usher saved it
from destruction. After his death, with
his other inestimable treasures, it was
presented to Trinity College, Dublin.
"The high crosses still remaining in
ireland are forty-fvc in number, and
of these thirty-two are richly ornament
ed, the ornaments having the usual
form of intcrlacements and animal fig
ures. Many of the panels represent
Biblical subjects. The ornaments are
never incised, but are carved in relief
and this shows that the ancient Irish
must have used fne-cdgcd metal CHS
els: The dates of few of the crosses
have been determined with certainty
DR.. Petrie assigns the Tuam cross to
1125, and the North cross at Clonmac-
noise to two centuries earlier. There
are two famous ancient crosses at Mon
asterboice, in county Louth, near the
ruins OF two ancient churches and a
pillar tower"
Daniel Webster said, in his speech at
the Kossuth banquet in Washington, d.
c, January 7, 1852: 1--WE may talk OF it
as we please, but there is nothing that