IRISH LITERATURE IN ENGLISH. The beginning of Anglo-Irish literature can be traced to at least the 14th century. Michael of Kildare (Michael Fitzl3ernard),.a mendicant friar, wrote a collection of poems in Latin and English or Anglo-Norman, and, as one of them has reference to the building of the walls of Ross in 1265, a late date in the 13th century, or an early one in the 14th, may reasonably be assigned to him. Friar Clyn, who died at ICH kenny in 1349, wrote 'Annals,' which are use ful for the happenings of the 25 years preced ing that date. The Pride of Life,' a morality play, one of the earliest of its class in the Eng lish language, was written in 1345, and there is ample evidence that mystery and morality plays were performed at Dublin and Kilkenny at dif ferent times in the 14th century. About 1390 Lionel Power wrote the first treatise on music in English. Some annals belong to the '15th century. Bishop Bale of Ossory wrote and pro duced at Kilkenny in 1552 a tragedy and a comedy. Father William Good, an English Jesuit located at Limerick, wrote in 1566, at the request of Camden the antiquarian, a 'Description of the Manners and Customs of the Wild Irish.' A little later, Richard Stani burst (1547-1618), who was born at Dublin, wrote for Holinshed's 'Chronicles,' published in 1577, a 'Description,' and part of a 'His tory) of Ireland. In 1582 Stanihurst translated four books of 'Virgil his Aeneis) into quanti tative hexameters on the false prosodic model which Gabriel Harvey and his friends were at that time trying to introduce into English versi fication. James Usher (1581-1656) a nephew of Stanihurst, was, in intellect and scholarship, one of the greatest men that Ireland ever produced. He was °learned to a (Selden), the °great luminary of the Irish church* (Johnson), "not unworthy to rank with Duns (D'Alton). One of the earliest students of Trinity College, Dublin, he became bishop of Meath, and was afterwards promoted to be archbishop of Armagh and primate of Ireland. His magnum opus is the 'Armales Veteris et Novi Testamenti,> written, like most of his books, in Latin. His works in English are mostly on theological or controversial sub jects. Thomas Campion (1567-1620) is also said to have been born in Dublin. A versatile genius — lawyer, physician, composer of music, and litterateur— he wrote four masques and some really excellent lyrics. Sir John Denham (1615-69), another Dubliner by birth, is still remembered for his poem, 'Cooper's in which occurs the celebrated apostrophe to the river Thames. Wentworth Dillon, Earl of Roscommon (1633-84), wrote many transla tions and occasional verses. His best work is his poetical 'Essay on Translated Verse.' Son of the Earl of Cork, Hon. Robert Boyle (1627-91), one of the most famous experimental philosophers of his age and one of the founders of the Royal Society, was born at Lismore, County Waterford. His writings are voluminous, but are mostly of a technical character. His 'Occasional Reflections on Several Subjects' supplied hints to the two great satirists, Butler and Swift. His brother, Roger Boyle (1621-79), who became in turn Lord Broghill and Earl of Orrery, played an important part both in Irish and in English his tory. He was the author of six tragedies and
two comedies, of a romance, 'Parthenissa,' and of a 'Treatise on the Art of Charles Leslie (1650-1722), son of the bishop of Raphoe and Clogher, abandoned law for the ministry, and became a noted controversialist. Many years of his life were spent in disputes with Catholics, Quakers, Socinians, and Deists. His well-known work, (A Short and Easy Method with the Deists,' had an immense vogue. Wil liam Nfolyneux (1656-98) was the only member of the Irish House of Commons to protest against the ratification of that act of the Eng lish Parliament (1698), which was meant to destroy the Irish woolen industry, and suc ceeded in its object. He followed up his pro test by the publication of his 'Case of Ireland being bound by laws [made] in England This book, which is now regarded as a classic on the constitutional relations between Ireland and England, was ordered by the English Par liament to be burned by the common hangman. It is noteworthy that Molyneux begins his argu enunciating, in almost the same words, the principles which 78 years later were placed in the forefront of the American. Declaration of Independence. John Toland (1670-1722), the Deist, born near Redcastle, County Derry, was the possessor of a pointed and vigorous style. He wrote many books, of which the most famous is 'Christianity not Mysterious.' This work started the deistical controversy, which plays so prominent a part in the English liter ature of the first half of the 18th century. The Irish Parliament ordered the hangman to burn it. Thomas Southerne (1660-1746), born at Oxmantown, near Dublin, gave up law for the drama and then entered the army, in which he rose to the rank of captain. His prospects of further advancement being cut off by the Revo lution of 1688, he once more turned his atten tion to production for the stage. He has 11 plays to his credit. His comedies, while amusing, are, in accordance with the taste of the times, of the gross order. His tragedies, 'Isabella, or the Fatal Marriage,' and are pow erful and pathetic. He was the first writer in the English language to denounce the slave trade. George Farquhar (1678-1707) was born at Derry. From being an actor, he became a playwright, and he has left us eight sparkling comedies, of which the last, 'The Beaux' Stratagem,' is the best. Nahum Tate (c. 1652- 1715), born at Dublin, and Nicholas Brady (1659-1726), a native of Bandon, published in 1696 their joint metrical version of the Psalms, which in time took the place of the older trans lation by Sternhold and Hopkins. In 1692 Tate succeeded Shadwell as poet-laureate. He wrote most of the second part of 'Absalom and Achitophel,) with a very good imitation of Dryden's manner. Toward the end of his life Tate fell on evil days, and he died, a prisoner for debt, in the Mint. Brady wrote a tragedy and a (History of the Goths and Vandals.' He also translated the into blank verse.