so distinguished and so individual, have not, save in a few scattered lines, been expressed—I had almost said, have not been perceived by the poets who live in that scenery. A vast subject-matter, then, almost untouched, lies before the future Irish poets.

I have said that Art has only shown itself of late in the Irish poetry of this century; nor is there any attempt on my part to claim for the poems in this book a lofty place in literature. The river of Irish poetry in the English language is yet in its youth. It rose a hundred years ago in the far-off hills, and wrought its turbulent way down the channelled gorge it carved for its stream out of its own mountains. Other streams have joined it, bearing with them various waters; and it has only just now issued from the hills, and begun to flow in quieter and lovelier lands, glancing from ripple to pool and from pool to ripple, among woods and meadows, happy, and making its lovers happy. It is the youngest child of the Goddess Poesy. Let it be judged as a youth. In time, if it remain true to its country's spirit, the stream that has just emerged from the mountain torrent will become a noble river. STOPFORD A. BROOKE.

October 1900.

To the living authors who have kindly sanctioned the inclusion of writings of theirs in this collection we desire to express our sincere thanks. We also gratefully acknowledge permission given by the undernamed publishing houses to make extracts from the works set opposite their names:

John Lane - BALLADS IN PROSE, and UNDER QUICKEN BOUGHS by Miss Nora Hopper; THE EARTH-BREATH, by A. E.

J. M. Dent & Co. — THREE Bardic Tales, by John Todhunter. Cameron & Ferguson, Glasgow — POEMS by Leo' (J. K. Casey). William McGee, Dublin - KOTTABOS.

Blackwood & Sons-SONGS OF THE ANTRIM GLENS, by Moira O'Neill.

Elkin Mathews - POEMS, by Lionel Johnson; ROSES AND RUE, by Miss Alice Furlong.

Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. ST. AUGUSTINE'S HOLIDAY AND OTHER POEMS, by the Most Rev. Dr. Alexander, Primate.

Macmillan & Co.- POEMS, by Mrs. Alexander.

T. Fisher Unwin BARDS OF THE GAEL AND GALL, by George Sigerson, M.D., F.R.U.I.; POEMS, by W. B. Yeats.

We have also to thank Lady Ferguson and Mrs. Allingham for permission to include extracts from the works of Sir Samuel Ferguson and of William Allingham, and the Rev. H. Wynne for a similar favour in regard to our extract from Mrs. Wynne's volume Whisper.'

It would be impossible to enumerate here all the works which have been of use to us in the compilation of this anthology, but special acknowledgment must be made to the editors of previous anthologies whose labours have lightened ours. Among works which have been of special service to us are Sir Charles Gavan Duffy's BALLAD POETRY OF IRELAND; THE HARP OF ERIN, and other collections edited by 'Duncathail' (R. Varian); POETS AND POETRY OF IRELAND, by Alfred M. Williams; THE BALLADS of IRELAND, by Edward Hayes; IRISH MINSTRELSY, by Halliday Sparling; A Book of Irish Verse, by W. B. Yeats. Mr. D. J. O'Donoghue's DICTIONARY OF IRISH POETRY has of course rendered us great service as a work of reference. We have also to thank its author for the willingness with which he has placed at our disposal his unrivalled knowledge of Irish literature. Mr. John O'Leary has also kindly permitted us to draw upon his valuable library of Irish works, as well as upon his no less valuable store of judgment and information. The late Mr. John Kelly lent us a very extensive collection made by him of fugitive verse from Irish periodicals, for which we regret that we cannot now thank him.

THE EDITORS.