IRELAND UNDER ELIZABETH.
is still as far off as when O'Curry died. Being myself rather a student of history than of histories, I regard O'Sullivan's work more in the light of material for an Irish history of the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. than as itself supplying that want." It is in the spirit indicated by these words that Mr. Byrne has translated from the Latin and edited certain chapters in the history of Ireland under Elizabeth which bear the rather imposing title of "Compendium of the History of Catholic Ireland Dedicated to Don Philip of Austria, Most Potent Catholic King and Monarch of the Spains, the Indies, of other Kingdoms, and Divers Dominions, by Don Philip O'Sullivan Bear of Ireland." Mr. Byrne's work is one of love and of research, and will no doubt be justified by becoming of importance to the Irish historian of the future who may strive to be impartial; and there is a certain charm in the "quaintness of spirit "—if one may use the phrase—in which the writer tells us of "unconquerable ecclesiastical martyrs, of the fickle and shifting faith of the silly and the base, of the atrocious tyranny of the heretics, of con- spiracies of the nobles, of wars, battles, and various celebrated events well worth knowing." In many passages, too, the temper of " dissidence " which is not absent from the ranks of Irish "patriotism" to-day may be observed, as ]fl: "Now those who had not dared to charge with O'Sullivan against the opposing foe were quick enough to fall on the routed enemy, arrogating to them- selves with great blusterings the glory of the victory obtained by others."
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