Matheson Collection > Gleanings from Irish manuscripts

RISDEARD O CONCHUBHAIR
let the other people hold me excused for it, or
let them correct it. And every thing that they find
fault with — there is no need to offer an excuse
for me for it, because it is quite right, and if it
were not, they would not find fault with it.53
And I think, on that account, the clowns will
allow the book to pass without pointing out
errors ; that will not make them wise, and
neither shall it render the book incapable of
correction in many particulars.
Also I bequeath possession of this volume in
conformity with the custom of men of science,
namely, it shall not be given to the descendant
who is oldest in years or richest unless he be also
the most learned ; and if in that way disposal
[of books] were always made good would come
of it always, and there would be a very great
diminuntion of ignorance among those who
follow the profession. Anno Domini 1590.
[I think it will be admitted that this is a very
remarkable passage. The statement that Donn-
chadh Og attained to the highest proficiency as a
medical man without going abroad to learn any-
thing shows in the first place that European
knowledge in the science of medicine was
accessible in Ireland itself, and in the second place>
that while this particular distinguished authority
elected to conduct his studies at home, others of
his profession preferred to finish off their training
in other lands. Mrs. Stopford Green has devoted
some pages in one of her books to showing the
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