J. F. Campbell Collection > Transactions of the Ossianic Society > Volume 4

To obviate the difficulties found so seriously to obstruct the
translation of the Brehon laws, arising from the imperfect Irish
dictionaries extant, Mr, Hudson opened a subscription, to assist in
defraying the expense of the compilation of a work, which would
facilitate the study of the ancient records of om- country. Of this
project the Rev. Dr. Todd thus speaks in his opening address as
President of the Royal Irish Academy, April 14th, 1856 ; " Our
late lamented associate ilr. Hudson, to whose patriotism the
library of the Academy owes a valuable addition, deposited in my
hands, before his death, the sum of £200 in government securities,
as a contribution towards the publication of the Irish Dictionary.
This sum with the interest since accruing upon it, which I have
added to the principal, is all that is available in the way of funds for
carrying out this important national object." In addition to this
sum (we have been informed) he proposed giving a further subscrip-
tion of £1000 ; but his demise took place before he was able to carry
his intention into effect. " It will be one of the many permanent
monuments of his career," — says the Xation,* " to write the
simple ti-uth of him will sound like the hyperbole of an epitaph. Of
all the systematic attempts to encom-age the ancient or modern lite-
rature of Ireland, made for the last twenty years, or to create a wider
interest in om* arts, history and antiquities, one thing may always be
safely assumed, whoever shines like a dial-plate on the front of the
transaction, William Elliott Hudson was hard at work at the rear ;
the organizers of it were gathered round his hospitable board ; his
pen was slaving in its behalf; and his pm-se opened with a
princely munificence to pay its way to success. His contributions
to several, totally separate objects within the last few years
counted to our certain knowledge, by hundreds of pounds in each
case. And he had the singular property, in common with Davis, of
being totally indifferent to any reputation for his share in the work,
if only it were done. Nor was his literary enthusiasm, as it some-
times is in this country, restricted to dead ages and institutions, for-
swearing the future and the present."
• Of July -lad, 1853.