AN ESSAY ON THE ANTIQUITY OF THE IRISH LANGUAGE. BEING A COLLATION OF THE IRISH WITH THE RUNIC LANGUAGE. WITH A PREFACE PROVING IRELAND TO BE THE THULE OF THE ANCIENTS. ADDRESSED TO THE LITERATI OF EUROPE ... by Vallancey, Charles - 1772

Dublin: Printed by S. Powell, 1772. x,[2],63,[1]pp. Octavo. Extracted from bound volume. Title leaf folded up at bottom preserving early annotations when bound, several old stamps of a defunct mercantile library, moderately foxed and occasionally spotted, last two leaves torn at gutter and the last detached; an unlovely but intact copy. First edition. A prospectus, of sorts, for the author's expanded 1773 Grammar. During his assignment to the military survey, Vallancey "became interested in the history, language, and antiquities of Ireland. He never acquired the vernacular or a real knowledge of the Irish of the old manuscripts of which he says he made himself 'master as far as his leisure would permit' ... Vallancey may be regarded as the founder of a school of writers who theorise on Irish history, language, and literature, without having read the original chronicles, acquired the language, or studied the literature, and who have had some influence in retarding real studies, but have added nothing to knowledge" - DNB. BRADSHAW 576. ESTC T63111.