Matheson Collection > Gleanings from Irish manuscripts

GLEANINGS FROM IRISH MANUSCRIPTS
13. The Wooingof Ailbhe^ by Fionn the Wise,
of Éimhear by him of the Many Feats, of
his Grecian Love by Priam's son, they
never made the like.
14. The Dialogue of the Sages,7 too, Néidhe
and Athairne, author never penned its
equal, wizard I have never heard similar.
15. The Old Testament and the New the Gael
has in purity, and all the inspired Prophet
spoke he remembers without a mistake.
16. Let us cease — why continue? No philo-
sopher or poet wrote a piece of wisdom,
however sweet, that it hath not ready for
use.
17. It is not the language which has come into
disesteem but those who should defend it,
they who have been, alas ! obliged to
abandon their poems and verses all.
18. The true remnant^ of the best of the
Gaedhil should, then, strongly support
their country's poetry, in value great.
19. There is not, I think, one of the nobles of
Laoghaire's isle to whom it is more proper
to set it in repute than Górdún, by report
a warrior.
20. We are all affirming to Niall Naoighial-
lach's heir that for him it is appropriate,
and a duty till death, to uphold his
country's right.
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