Edwards AUTHOR'S PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION. THE following work originated in a treatise of mine on "Ireland from 1660 to 1760," which appeared about Easter of the year 1883, in connection with the curriculum of the Royal Gymnasium at Ostrowo. This dissertation received favourable notice in several newspapers and periodicals, and numerous requests were made to me, both personally and by letter, urging me to amplify and extend the work, and, in its enlarged form, to give it to the public. In acceding to the request, I have been mainly influenced by the fact that there exists no recent history of Ireland in the German language; and that in view of the peculiar rôle which this island has for many years played in the history of the British empire, not only professional students of history, but also many educated people feel the necessity of more accurate information respecting the past of that country. It is obvious that a history of Ireland can only possess any great interest for us Germans, in so far as it stands related to the events which have transpired in the powerful neighbouring kingdom. For this reason the Reformation appears to present the most natural starting-point for our historical research, inasmuch as before this period the dominion of England over the western isle existed more in name than in reality. As regards the terminus ad quem, I was strongly disposed to continue the historical narrative to the present time, or, at least, to the date of Catholic emancipation; nevertheless, I have felt bound to resist this temptation, because, to me, it seems scarcely possible yet to arrive at a definite and conclusive judgment on the history of the present century. I have accordingly preferred to break off with the accomplishment of the Union; for this event, which annihilated the independent Irish Parliament, and put an end to the separate political |