The Fine Arts and Civilization of Ancient Ireland: Illustrated with Chromo and Other Lithographs, and Several Woodcuts (Classic Reprint) (Hardback) | Released: 28 Apr 2018

Excerpt from The Fine Arts and Civilization of Ancient Ireland: Illustrated With Chromo and Other Lithographs, and Several Woodcuts

That a style should thus have arisen in Ancient Ireland, have attained a perfection beyond which we cannot imagine it possible to pass, should have been practised for centuries, and been difl'used through Europe for ages, and yet have declined, perished, and be all but totally forgotten, and this, too, within the historic period, constitute a series of events that fill us with astonishment, and serve to show how worthless history may be, and how necessary and valuable are the labours of the archaeologist to enlighten and correct the statements of the historian. Besides presenting select examples from Irish Art, we purpose using these examples as proofs of ancient Irish civilization. The examples, we trust, will interest the mind by their novelty, and improve the taste by their excellence; they will gratify the national heart, because they are national and glorious; they will be esteemed by the student of humanity, because they are the productions of a peculiar and a gifted race, and because they are facts in the history of that race; and we fondly hope that they will show, beyond a possibility of question, that Irish civilization - that debated point among historians - can no longer be a subject of doubt.

In connection with Irish civilization, we could hardly neglect to notice the Round Towers, buildings so remarkable in their form, and so national. We will examine the principal theories which have been advanced by the most distinguished antiquarians to explain the origin and the use of these very singular monuments.

We hope that our work may be considered a credit to the Irish press. We have copied our examples from the original remains, and executed the lithographs; the woodcuts have been almost all engraved by Mr. G. Hanlon, and he has done his part with that delicacy and skill for which this talented Irish artist is so celebrated.

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