The O'Connell Centenary Record, 1875. Published by the Authority of
the O'Connell Centenary Committee. (J. Dollard.)—This stately volume has a size and a weight that are quite heroic, and bears to ordinary books the same proportion that we may discover between the great Liberator and the petty agitators who have succeeded to him. It contains a whole O'Connell literature. An " Historical Sketch" of Ireland occupies somewhat more than sixty pages, and a "Memoir of O'Connell" about thirty more. Serious history and biography would be out of place in a work of this kind where no one would expect to find or be prepared to appreciate an impartial estimate of national or indi- vidual character and action. Then comes the "Account of the Centenary." Reports of meetings, resolutions of town-councils„ letters from persons of all sorts and conditions, speeches, verses, musical performances, portraits, pictures of statue; and other things quae nuns perscribere long= est, make up a lengthy record. Nor is the work concerned only with the occasion of 1875. It travels back to the past, and describes events and insti- tutions which claim some connection with O'Connell and the cause which he represented. The volume concludes with accounts of cele- brations of the great day in other lands. It is, perhaps, slightly too much to say that "all humanity joyously celebrated the event." The writer probably meant to say, "all that is worthy to bo called humanity ;" and this we do not care to dispute, the Teutonic, along with the Chinese and other inhuman races, forming an exception of no real significance. But no one is concerned to deny that the occasion was one of much interest. Readers a hundred years hence (and this volume has at least the physical characteristics which should ensure its permanence) will probably peruse with wonder some of these pages,— perhaps will smile, for instance, at the prophetic daring of the sculptor who engraved " Repeal of the Union " on the scroll which the Libe- rator holds in his band. But the Centenary was worth a memorial, and as an official record this book fulfils expectations. It might be as well to extract from its very miscellaneous contents whatever has any real value, and put it into an accessible shape.
Previous page
