The Irish standard., 1909-04-10
Eloquent Tribute the Irish Race by the Professor of
English Literature in University Of California
at San Francisco.
DELIVERED BEFORE THE KNIGHTS OF St. PATRICK
Prof Gayey Was Received With Great Applause and His
Address Made Profound Impression
on the Audience. 5a

Prof. Charles Mills Gayley. who is at
the head of the Department Of English
Literature In the University OF Cali
fornia, delivered a magnificent address
on the subject of Irish Influence on
Civilization" before the knights Of st,
Patrick. at their banquet in San Fran
cisco. on March II. He said in part:
If we are to consider soberly the
tion. it is necessary that we determine
first the essential quality Of the Irish
race. Let us turn to an estimate Of
the Irish spirit which should be i'm
partial, for 1t is made by an English
man--a sane, keen. and kindly critic Of
irish Observation-Disclosures Arnold. He
says that the characteristic Of the Celt
Is his ardent aspiring after life, light
and emotion; 1t is to be expansive. ad
vspturous and gay. In other words to
be animated But says Matthew
Arnold, In his cold, English way. that
very ctaractsristic carries with 1t Its
defeat, ms bsad. nature 81 this cslt
III always .rsady go react aGainst the
sdespotism of fact And, as such. 1t lacks
the measure, balance and patience ne.
cessary to success, In spite. therefore.
Of the gayety, the humor, the kind
heartedness, the chivalry. the boldness,
the brilliance, the delicacy Of taste, and
the imagination OF the Celt,' he has,
according to his English critic, failed
of the highest success in tho realms Of
poetry Of music, Of art. Of science, Of
business and Of politics. Do we
agree with Matthew Arnold? Is it
true, as he says. that only by infusion
Of the blood Of the creeping Saxon
an infusion compounded Of measure
and balance and patience-the Irish
man has attained to anything in the
way Of achievement or greatness?
Shall we grant that the 1rishman, with
no such infusion Of foreign blood in his
veins, has never attained to the ideals,
to which patience and balance and
measure as we'll as his own animation
are necessary? say no. by no
means. say more. What difference
does 1t make to me, what difference
does 1t make to you, what difference to
the Irish characteristic as shown in
whether Ireland has inter-
mingled It's blood with foreign strains
or not? 1t is not the blood only, it is
the common mood that makes the ma
tion. And 1t Is the national mood that
makes the citizen. Tradition, trimming,
atmosphere and purpose as well as
blood constitute the mood, the spirit.
Are we any less sure of the American
CHARACTERISTIC, because In American
veins there courses the essence Of the
varied bloods Of the world? BY no
means. Whether Scotch Irish, Eng.
lish- Irish, American Irish, or. Milesian-
Irish, 80 long as ireland is his mother,
the Irishman is the son Of Ireland, no
matter who his father was. What was
1t that Horace said OF the literature Of
Greece? When Greece was conquer
ed she took captive her barbarous con-
queror.' SO, too, 1t may be said. Hi
hernia CAPITA forum victorem tepit.'
When ireland has been conquered she
has every time taken her conquerors
captive. Hence the proverb. Ipsts
Tiiberniores IIibernicis.' The sons Of
,1reland's conquerors are more Irish
than the Irish themselves 1t is true
Of the sons Of Danish invaders, Of
strongbow's Normans. Of Cromwelps
soldiers, who had married Irish moth
ers; the sons Of these mothers were
more Irish than their Irish grandsires.
What matter whom IIibernia weds, so
long as fIibernia's sons perpetuate the
spirit OF the Irish soil? OF that spirit
we speak. Can 1t be maintained that
IN religion, and philosophy. in poetry,
and music. and art, An science and
business and politics. the contribution
Sof rrtshmen. has failed sof signal IN
s4 Ekf ia si ia, Y sis