§ MR. GREGORYsaid, he would set before the House in a very few minutes the origin, object, and present position of the Royal Irish Academy, together with the claims which it possessed on the liberality of Parliament. It was founded by charter in 1786, for the promotion of science, polite literature, and antiquities; but as polite literature was now-a-days a robust plant, and quite able to stand alone, the Academy devoted itself exclusively to science and antiquities. Since its foundation up to the present time it has numbered among its members almost every resident Irishman distinguished in science, archæology, and general literature. It has illustrated the history and the physical phenomena of Ireland by works of originality and research, and by the acquisition of an admirable special library. In the twentieth volume of the Transactions of the Academy came out the famous treatise of Dr. Petrie which settled the question of the round towers of Ireland. It has additionally illustrated the history of Ireland 1597 by forming a museum which is the most important collection of Celtic antiquities in the world. In connection with that museum a catalogue has been formed by Sir William Wilde illustrating these collections. This work, involving a serious inroad on the time of a professional man, has been quite gratuitous; and he (Mr. Gregory) would venture to notice it as a work most amusing and interesting in itself, but invaluable to the student of Irish antiquities. This work, he regretted to say, was unfinished, and at a stand-still for want of funds to print it, although the MS. is complete. Then, as a scientific institution, besides the encouragement which the Academy gave by having papers of merit read before its meetings and printed, it bad published a series of tidal and meteorological observations round the const of Ireland of very considerable value, he might say, in one word, that the Royal Irish Academy stood to Ireland in the same position as the Royal Society and the Antiquarian Society do to England. He (Mr. Gregory) had mentioned a few moments previously that the catalogue of antiquities had been prepared gratuitously by Sir William Wilde. The members had manifested on every occasion the same public spirit and liberality. As a general rule, the members of the Society were not wealthy men; but within no long period of time appeals had been made to their generosity, and they had nobly answered those appeals. By private subscription they raised funds to the amount of £1,067 to purchase Dean Dawson's collection of antiquities; for the Tara torques they gave £190; for Sir William Betham's Irish MSS., £600; for Hodges and Smith's Irish MSS., £723. They did not, therefore, come to ask for Government assistance from any unwillingness to spend their own money; but the burden of these constant calls had weighed heavily on the Society. Persons of small means, but most eligible, had abstained from becoming members owing to their inability to respond to them. Lastly, what was no small recommendation to any Irish body, might be added, that it had ever been untainted by the suspicion of having been actuated in its selections or proceedings by political or sectarian motives. Though this might seem a strange compliment to pay a learned body, yet it is no small one, considering that philosophers, though dwelling in the templa serena of science, were but men, and how busily, until re- 1598 cently, our countrymen had mingled with their severer studies the pleasurable excitement of hating each other for the love of God. He had now briefly described the origin and scope of the Royal Irish Academy, and that such account was correct could not be doubted, for he had almost quoted the very words of the Report of the Committee on Scientific Institutions, Dublin, 1864. Now for its present condition. He regretted beyond measure to say that the evidence taken before the Committee proved that its condition, both as regarded exhibition and the carrying out of its other objects, was very lamentable, and all for want of a small assistance. First of all, take its most popular department—namely, the museum. That, he regretted to say, was unavailable for the public. It was the strong wish of the Academy that this most remarkable museum and the valuable special library should be made of general use; but from want of space, although there was enough space in the building, and from unavoidable badness of arrangement, the specimens were scattered through the house. Some of these specimens were of extraordinary value, and it was necessary that they should, when exhibited, be exposed to no risk; but to effect this a responsible curator and an attendant were absolutely necessary before the public could be admitted. To put the house in thorough order a small expenditure by the Board of Works was necessary, and £200 per annum was unanimously voted by the Committee of 1864, to enable the Society to appoint a curator and carry out other objects connected with the museum. Tim small addition would enable the Society to give the world the full benefit of its unrivalled collection of Celtic antiquities. Then for the library; that, too, was unavailable. It could only be reached by going through the museum. It required a clerk to attend to it for the safety of the books and MSS. Here, again, the Committee unanimously recommended £200 additional per annum for the salary of a clerk, and for purchase of books and binding. Considering the special character of this library, and the necessity of adding to it from time to time books illustrative of all scientific, historical, and archaeological matters connected with Ireland, this £200 was but a miserable dole. He (Mr. Gregory) really blushed at the niggardliness of his own report. He presumed that it was owing to having the Secretary for Ireland on one 1599 side of him, and a Lord of the Treasury on the other, that his recommendation was so parsimonious. For this library was of wonderful interest to Irishmen. It had recently received, by bequest of Mr. Halliday, a complete and extensive collection of pamphlets upon Irish subjects from a considerable back period up to the present time. But the glory of the Academy were its early Irish MSS., some of which were so full of historic interest that the House would pardon a brief description of them. There is a copy of the Gospels, said to be of the time of St. Patrick. There is a copy of the Psalms, said to have been executed by St. Columba, and to which a curious story was attached. St. Columba was a very aggressive saint in many particulars, but especially so in one. He invariably copied any book he found in the possession of any one else, which in those days was considered a violation of the rights of property. He paid a visit to St. Finnian, and in the dead of the night was accustomed to get up, go into his chapel, and there, by the help of a miraculous light which emanated from the tops of his fingers, he copied the saint's Book of Psalms. People in Ireland were quite as inquisitive in the 7th century as now. Some Irish gentleman, returning home late after dinner, saw the light in the chapel, and told St. Finnian. He claimed the copy. St. Columba refused to give it up. Diarmid, King of Ireland, sitting on his throne at Tara, was appealed to. His verdict was this—"Let the calf go with the cow"—that is, the copy with the original. In consequence of that decision, St. Columba, with a wail, shook the dust from off his feet, and left Ireland for Scotland. Some say this is the surreptitious copy. He was aware there was doubt about this manuscript being the true one, but Count Montalembert believed it, and he (Mr. Gregory) was content. Then there was the Book of Ballymote, of very early date, which was sold, in the year 1512, for 150 milch cows. Another MS. was of such value that it was given in ransom for the chief of the O'Dogherties and the son of O'Donel's chief poet; and it was in order to recover this MS. that O'Donel laid siege to Sligo in 1470. There were other MSS. also of great antiquity and interest. The Society was most desirous to print and circulate copies, which they were urgently requested to do by foreign societies, and which, had they belonged to foreign 1600 societies, would have been done long since. There was no chance of this being done owing to the penury of the Society. It was true £200 had been granted for an Irish scribe, but the whole of that sum had been expended in transcribing, translating, and cataloguing. Again, for scientific researches £200 per annum had been recommended, and also £200 for illustrating the transactions and proceedings. The whole amount recommended by the Parliamentary Committee was £1,000 per annum, in addition to the present grant of £500. This recommendation was unanimously supported by the Members of the Government on the Committee, and by English and Irish Members alike. Beside that, however, evidence was taken by the Committee showing the necessity of special grants occasionally when objects peculiarly connected with Irish history should come into the market. The Secretary of the Treasury need not shake in his shoes. That, of course, could rarely be the case, and he was not likely to be subjected to many importunities. At this moment, however, there was to be sold a collection of the deepest interest to Ireland. It was the collection of the late Dr. Petrie. The sum demanded was comparatively small, but the value to Ireland was very great. He had heard rumours that Kensington was about to put forth its rapacious claws and take that collection into the bosom of science and art. He protested emphatically against such a proceeding. It was a collection essentially Irish, illustrating Irish history, identified with Irish localities. He did not believe there could be inflicted a greater affront on Ireland, and one that would be more resented, than to bring that collection, aye, or any portion or particle of it, to Kensington. On the other hand, it would be a compliment to Ireland to purchase and present it to the Royal Irish Academy. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was, he regretted, not present; but the Secretary of the Treasury would remember the universal acclaim with which the purchase of the Blacas collection was hailed by the country. He never knew an Irish Member yet who objected to any special grant for the acquisition of treasures of art and science for the honour and glory, and benefit of England, and he hoped in their case similar liberality would be shown to Ireland in a matter where she had such overwhelming claims as the acquisition of Dr. Petrie's collection. But besides an arcliæological collection of great 1601 value, Dr. Petrie left behind him two daughters. He would not ask the Government to acquire them for the nation, yet he did ask that it should be borne in mind that these ladies were in want, and that they represented a man who was an honour to Ireland, and whose investigations were held in respect on the Continent, wherever archaeology is cultivated. He (Mr. Gregory) was astonished at the result of the application to the Treasury. The increased grant was the recommendation of a Select Committee perfectly unanimous. It had since been urged on the Treasury by the Lord Lieutenant in the warmest manner. He believed, moreover, that it was the full intention of the late Government to have acted with liberality towards this Institution. He presumed it had been withheld on the ground of its being a private body; but private societies were encouraged in this rich country; and he could safely say that if the Society were enabled to throw open its doors, it would be far more of a public body than any society subsidized in England. In his opinion it had peculiar claims. It was the one essentially Irish Institution. It investigated and kept up research in one of the languages of one of the great families of mankind—a language which would probably in another half century be extinct. Dr. Johnson says—
I have long wished that the Irish literature were cultivated. Ireland is known by tradition to have been once the seat of piety and of learning, and surely it would be very acceptable to all those who are curious either in the origin of nations and the affinities of languages to be fully informed of the revolution of a people so ancient, and once so illustrious.This was the very work the Academy was doing, and wished to extend. It was bringing to light the customs and laws of an ancient and peculiar race. As Mr. Hepworth Dixon's book on New America revealed the rise of new ideas on morality, and religion, and law, totally different from those amid which we live, so these old MSS. revealed old ideas on morality and law totally differing from those which obtain at present, but the traces of which may be still observed among the Irish peasantry. Surely an Institution so thoroughly identified with a country and with all its sympathies, and which was doing its work right well, was deserving of encouragement, and he felt convinced that the Chancellor of the Exchequer would agree with him. He (Mr. Gregory) would finish 1602 his observations with the concluding words of the Report of 1864—We should bear in mind that Dublin is not a provincial town, but the capital of a country; that these learned associations do not merely tend to interest and keep together in the capital of Ireland a number of persons of high intelligence and attainments, but that the prudence and influence of such persons must influence and elevate society. State assistance, judiciously applied to Institutions such as these, though its results cannot be proved by figures, makes itself felt throughout the country, and encourages the formation of tastes, studies, and researches, and an activity of intellectual labour the value of which it is impossible to over-estimate.
§ MR. HUNTsaid, he regretted that the hon. Gentleman had not postponed the question, his noble Friend the Chief Secretary for Ireland not being in his place, and the Vice Presidency of the Privy Council being at present vacant. He could assure the hon. Gentleman that the Government were not indifferent to the promotion of science and art in Ireland, and that they sincerely sympathized with his desire that the Royal Irish Academy should flourish. A large sum of money would be proposed in the Estimates for the present year, for the purpose of improving and extending the usefulness of the Museum of Irish Industry, a grant which was recommended by the Committee of 1864, and he thought the hon. Gentleman could hardly blame the Government for not proposing to do more for the Academy during the present year. What had been the intentions of the late Government he could not say but neither in 1865 nor in 1866 did the grants exceed £200. Certainly, during the two years that had elapsed since the Commission reported, the late Government had not done all the Commissioners wished. The applications for assistance from Institutions of this kind were so numerous that it was impossible to entertain them all; but the Government would promise to consider the circumstances which the hon. Gentleman had mentioned. With regard to Dr. Petrie's collection, he was not aware that it had been offered to the Government, but whenever such an offer was made, it would receive due consideration. With respect to the daughters of Dr. Petrie, there were at present a large number of similar applications; but at a particular period of the year the First Lord of the Treasury dispensed a certain number of pensions, and this case would be taken into consideration by him at the proper time.
§ MR. O'REILLYsaid, he hoped that 1603 some additional support would be given to the Royal Irish Academy, which was the only Institution in Ireland for collecting and publishing materials for Irish history. The materials for English history had been published, and were to be found in the great Libraries; but many standard works of Irish history were yet in MS., and many of the printed works were of singular rarity; so that students of Irish history laboured under peculiar difficulties.