The Louvain collection, formed chiefly by Fathers Hugh Ward, John Colgan, and Michael O’Clery, between the years 1620 and 1640, was widely scattered at the French Revolution.  The most valuable portion is in the College of St. Isidore in Rome.  The Burgundian Library at Brussels also possesses many of these treasures.  A valuable resume of the MSS. which are preserved there was given by Mr. Bindon, and printed in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy in the year 1847.  There are also many Latin MSS. with Irish glosses, which have been largely used by Zeuss in his world-famed Grammatica Celtica.  The date of one of these—­a codex containing some of Venerable Bede’s works—­is fixed by an entry of the death of Aed, King of Ireland, in the year 817.  This most important work belonged to the Irish monastery of Reichenau, and is now preserved at Carlsruhe.  A codex is also preserved at Cambray, which contains a fragment of an Irish sermon, and the canons of an Irish council held A.D. 684.

[Illustration:  DOORWAY OF CLONMACNOIS.]

[Illustration:  CLONMACNOIS.]

FOOTNOTES: 

[1] Work.—­Lectures on the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish History.  This work was published at the sole cost of the Catholic University of Ireland, and will be an eternal monument of their patriotism and devotion to literature.  A chair of Irish History and Archaeology was also founded at the very commencement of the University; and yet the “Queen’s Colleges” are discarding this study, while an English professor in Oxford is warmly advocating its promotion.  Is the value of a chair to be estimated by the number of pupils who surround it, or by the contributions to science of the professor who holds it?

[2] Leinster.—­Book of Leinster, H.2.18, T.C.D.  See O’Curry, p. 8.

[3] Ballymote.—­Library R.I.A., at fol. 145, a.a.

[4] Lecan.—­Trinity College, Dublin, classed H.2.16.

[5] Uachongbhail.—­O’Curry’s MS. Materials, p. 11.

[6] Same.—­Ibid. p. 12.  The Psalms derived their name from the musical instrument to which they were sung.  This was called in Hebrew nebel.  It obtained the name from its resemblance to a bottle or flagon.  Psaltery is the Greek translation, and hence the name psalm.

[7] Devastated.—­This was probably written in the year 1001, when Brian Boroimhe had deposed Malachy.

[8] Fene-men.—­The farmers, who were not Fenians then certainly, for “Cormac was a righteous judge of the Agraria Lex of the Gaels.”