at
present under consideration is a case in point. He must have had a copy
of the Cin of Drom Snechta in his possession, and he must have known who
was the author of the original, as he states so distinctly the time of
its compilation. Keating's accuracy in matters of fact and
transcription, however, is daily becoming more apparent. This statement
might have been considered a mere conjecture of his own, had not Mr.
O'Curry discovered the name of the author in a partially effaced
memorandum in the Book of Leinster, which he reads thus: "[Ernin, son
of] Duach [that is], son of the King of Connacht, an _Ollamh_, and a
prophet, and a professor in history, and a professor in wisdom: it was
he that collected the Genealogies and Histories of the men of Erinn in
one book, that is, the _Cin Droma Snechta_." Duach was the son of Brian,
son of the monarch _Eochaidh_, who died A.D. 305.

[10] _Besides._--O'Curry, page 16.

[11] _Sages._--M. Nigra, the Italian Ambassador at Paris, is at this
moment engaged in publishing continental MSS.

[12] _Vellum._--The use of vellum is an indication that the MSS. must be
of some antiquity. The word "paper" is derived from _papyrus_, the most
ancient material for writing, if we except the rocks used for runes, or
the wood for oghams. Papyrus, the pith of a reed, was used until the
discovery of parchment, about 190 B.C. A MS. of the _Antiquities of
Josephus_ on papyrus, was among the treasures seized by Buonaparte in
Italy.

[13] _Acquainted_.--O'Curry's _MS. Materials_, page 24.

[14] _Collection_.-A recent writer in the _Cornhill_ says that Lord
Ashburnham refuses access to this collection, now in his possession,
fearing that its contents may be depreciated so as to lessen its value
at a future sale. We should hope this statement can scarcely be
accurate. Unhappily, it is at least certain that access to the MSS. is
denied, from whatever motive.

CHAPTER II.

Tighernach and his Annals--Erudition and Research of our Early
Writers--The Chronicum Scotorum--Duald Mac Firbis--Murdered, and _his_
Murderer is protected by the Penal Laws--The Annals of the Four
Masters--Michael O'Clery--His Devotion to his
Country--Ward--_Colgan_--Dedication of the Annals--The Book of
Invasions--Proofs of our Early Colonization.

Our illustration can give but a faint idea of the magnificence and
extent of the ancient abbey of Clonmacnois, the home of our famous
annalist, Tighernach. It has been well