Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-15

terms az men to the value Of $50 q year
and exemption from ordinary college
dues, and several women have already
obtained them.
The Harp Of Brian Boru.
The library Of Trinity College is one of
the most interesting places In all Ire
land. and 1t has two relics which are In
comparable in historic and artistic value.
One is the harp of Brian Boru, the great
est king in Irish history. He ruled all
Ireland for forty years, in the tenth and
eleventh centuries. and it Is said that he
was the only native who ever was sue
cassful in keeping Ireland in peace. This
is 1.-The Harp that Once Through Tara s
Halls and inspired that beautiful ballad
Of Tom Moore. Its authenticity has been
questioned and some people assert that IT
once belonged to Henry VIII Of England,
but no loyal 1rishman will admit the pos
sibility Of such thing.
The other relic, which cannot be ques-
toned, is a copy Of the -Four Gospels
known as 1.-THE Book Of Kells," because
it was made by the monks of monas-
terry founded In 546 by st. Columkills or
st. Columba-the name Is spelled both
ways-and the antiquarians think that 1t
dates back very nearly to that year. 1t
is often described as the most beautiful
book in the world" and one may easily
| believe such claim to be true. About
size, are covered with the most exquisite
pen work that you can imagine, embossed
| with gold leaf and Illuminated in brill
liant water colors with perfect harmony
and marvellous skill. 1 have seen all the
great collections Of missals In the world,
but have never found, so fine and perfect
an example as this. There are many
equally fine. but of smaller size, In the
museums in London and the continental
cities. Mr.. Pierpont Morgan has several
l spoctuAna Of that sort of work but the
Book of Kells is unsurpassed both for its
artistic perfection and the size of it's
pages. which are two. three and four
| times larger than the best of other works
auired months to execute; each Is differ
ent In design and coloring. but is har-
monious with the rest and 1t is difficult
10 saw which Is the most wonderful and
| the most beautiful.
Lost and Found by q Peasant.
The book was in the monastery at Kells
| in 1901 when that institution was raided
| by the Spaniards. and the book which
| had covers of gold. was stolen by some
| ignorant soldier. who stripped it and
| threw the text into a bog. where 1t was
| FOUND coverless by a peasant few days
| later and taken to Archbishop Usher.
He recognized It and kept II in his library
until his large and unique collection of
| books and manuscripts was purchased by
Cromwell and presented to Trinity Col
| lege. There are other remarkable books
| IN the collection. including several chron-
| !cles OF the early history Of Ireland.
which are priceless. and one marvels at
the artistic skill and labor that they rep
| resent They are also important as illus
| trating the culture and learning of the
people of Ireland at a period when Eng
| land and the continental countries of Eu-
| rope were still submerged in the bar
| ba rism of the middle ages.
| The Library of Dublin University is one
Of several government repositories under
| the stationers act. and receives a copy of
! very book printed In the United Kingdom.
BY this method its shelves have been rap
| idly filled and the catalogues contain more
than million entries.
There is another known as the National
| Library only a few squares away. 1t oc-
| cupies a beautiful building erected at a
cost Of $75O.00O. to correspond with the
| National Museum, which occupies the
| other side Of a quadrangle. 1t was
opened in 1880 and has about 100000 vol
umes. There is a reading room seventy
| two feet square, with glass dome. where
many people come daily to consult works
| Of reference. and certain persons have
the privilege Of taking books away.
| About half a mile from Trinity College,
| on the road to Phoenix Park. Is the an
| Gent prison of Dublin called Newgate.
| after q similar institution in London and
1t has had similar history. 1t has been
the scene Of horrible Incidents: it has
detained many of the purest and ablest
martyrs for Irish liberty within its walls,
and hundred years ago 1t was fire.
quently described in sketches Of Irish life
| In lines similar to those that were written
of the Fleet prison and Newgate in Lon
tons outside the walls in public, and the
night before they were hung favored