AN GAOḊAL.
43
and published by G, P, Putnam's
Sons., New York and London, is an
interesting book for Irishmen.
Though the author is a German
and unwilling to omit mention of
his own countrymen, yet, like all
other eminent writers, he accords
Ireland that pre-eminence in litera¬
ture and sanctity which obtained
for her throughout Europe the ap¬
pellation of Island of Saints and
Scholars. The learned author tax¬
es England by
“A blundering policy, as well as by
intentional oppression and perse¬
cution,"
with destroying Irish civilization.
To show that Zimmer is no ful¬
some flatterer of the Irish, except
in so far as he is compelled by facts
and proofs of history, we here re¬
produce the last paragraph of his
book. —
The opinion of the most able writer on the
Carlovingian period, in regard to one representa¬
tive of that time (Drummer's article on Alcuin in
the "General German Biography"), may, with
some modifications, be held, concerning all these
men — viz.: that, among them all, not one was
distinguished for remarkable originality, with the
single exception of Johannes Scotus Erigena, and
that the reputation of having opened up strictly
new paths to knowledge cannot certainly be claim¬
ed by them. However, they were instructors in e
very branch of science and learning of the time,
possessors and bearers of a higher culture than
was at that period to be found anywhere on the
Continent, and can surely claim to have been the
pioneers, — to have laid the cornerstone of West¬
ern culture on the Continent, the rich results of
which Germany shares and enjoys today, in com¬
mon with all other civilized nations."
[“Cursed be the laws," and cursed
be the nation that would deprive
us of such brillant antecedents,]
Be it remembered that not more
than half a dozen of Scholars in
Europe are as competent to write
on this subject as Prof. Zimmer,
the world-famed philologist. Is it
because Germans read his writing
you will not hear one of them ap¬
ply the terms "Ignorant Irish." Do
Irishmen know these things? No,
and that is the reason their kinsmen
should have such testimonials pos¬
ted on the dead walls of America !
British sympathizers in America
are leaving nothing undone to rep¬
resent the United States as Anglo-
Saxon. Hence it behooves the Irish
to do something to expose that fal¬
lacious claim. The most effective
way of doing this is, to go over the
several directories in the cities of
the United States and compare the
Keltic names with the non-Keltics
in them. We believe that fully one-
third of our white population is of
Irish origin.
We request our friends in all the
large towns which publish directo¬
ries, to send us such comparative
tables. Some years ago we made
such tables in Brooklyn, and it did
not take much time to do it. Tho'
this mode of computing the names
would be unfavorable to the Keltic
element because there is not a pro¬
portionate number of them in mer¬
cantile business, yet Kelts could af¬
ford to miss some and maintain the
proportion which we indicated.
Expose the falsity of the charge of
ignorance which the English have
manufactured against us. If Theo¬
dore Roosevelt ignored the charge
of perjury made against him, he
would not be governor elect of the
State of New York today. He saw
that his success, and that of his
party, depended on his refutation
of these lies, and it cost him and
his party a lot of money to do so:
Will the Irish advertize the proof
of their innocence by covering the
dead walls of America with it; and
which proof is supplied by the Gael
with the certificates of Spalding
and Zimmer!
We would like to know from the
New York Sun (which is now an
English paper what gave rise to
the 'Grecian Bend' in England some
thirty years ago?
