CHAPTER I.
Celtic Literature--Antiquity of our Annals--Moore--How we should estimate Tradition--The Materials for Irish History--List of the Lost Books--The Cuilmenn--The Saltair of Tara, &c .-- The Saltair of Cashel--Important MSS.

preserved in Trinity College--By the Royal Irish Academy--In Belgium.
The study of Celtic literature, which is daily becoming of increased importance to the philologist, has proved a matter of no inconsiderable value to the Irish historian.

When Moore visited O'Curry, and found him surrounded with such works as the _Books of Ballymote and Lecain_, the _Speckled Book_, the _Annals of the Four Masters_, and other treasures of Gaedhilic lore, he turned to Dr.Petrie, and exclaimed: "These large tomes could not have been written by fools or for any foolish purpose.

I never knew anything about them before, and I had no right to have undertaken the _History of Ireland_." His publishers, who had less scruples, or more utilitarian views, insisted on the completion of his task.

Whatever their motives may have been, we may thank them for the result.