Standish O'Grady; selected essays and passages

INTRODUCTION
French-Breton scholar. It was really no great discovery at all,
for the fact is quite patent in the heroic and romantic literature ;
yet, be the cause what it may, no one ever announced it before.
Everyone had rationalised or euphemerised the ' Book of
Invasions.' Of course, like everyone else who has ever dipped
into this antique Irish literature, I could not fail to be deeply
affected by the great story of Cuculain's heroic defence of
Ulster against the banded host of the rest of Ireland. This
story kept simmering in my imagination and finally eventuated
in my writing the ' History of Ireland : Heroic Period, vols.
I. and II.' Naturally I was a good deal laughed at ; I did
not mind that, but certainly was disappointed that so few people
bought the book. Nevertheless, time worked in my favour,
and after a few years the whole impression, a score or so each
year, was quite bought off. I have not had a copy myself
for a great many years, and this is the more singular seeing
that the price was almost prohibitive, viz., 15s. So my juvenile
enthusiasm concerning the ' Heroic Period ' was justified by
results. I need hardly add that I could not get a publisher
for that work ;
I had to print and publish at my own expense.
" Now, though the whole impression was sold ofi, this
did not take place till after the lapse of many years, and, in the
meantime, though I still continued my studies in Irish History,
I had come to think that writing was not my forte. However,
though the professors and educated classes in general laughed
at or ignored me, a good many young men and young women
quite unknown to me did not ; such as Miss Tynan, Miss
Eleanor Hull, Mr. Yeats, Mr. RoUeston and others. These
young people, growing up and going to I/sndon, were good
enough to talk about ' The Heroic Period." So London
publishers wrote to me and asked me to send them something
for publication, and this is the origin of my other works, ' Finn
and his Companions,' the ' Flight of the Eagle ' and others.
The fact reminds me of a noble utterance of Finn, who otherwise
was a little inclined to the strong assertion of his own
incontestable merits. ' Small, in sooth, was my consideration
in Erin till my sons and my grandsons, and my gallant nephews
and grand-nephews grew up around me.' "
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