A View of the State of Ireland: From the First Printed Edition

• Hardcover - 01 October, 1997 - Blackwell Publishing, Incorporated
• Usually ships in 24 hours
• By: Edmund Spenser, Andrew Hadfield and Willy Maley
• ISBN: 0631205349

Buy this book from Amazon.com

Amazon.com Price: $86.95

Other books you may find interesting

• The History and Topography of Ireland (Penguin Classics)

Reviews by readers

Fanning the Flames of Hatred and Violence

As difficult as it is to give a "star rating" to a book that advocates the genocide of an entire nation, this volume is a valuable scholarly resource. And, indeed, the total destruction of the Irish "race" is Edmund Spenser's aim and rallying cry in writing this volume, addressed to the first Queen Elizabeth. The text takes the form of a Platonic/dramatic dialogue between Irenaeus, lately returned from Ireland (as was Spenser), and his compatriot, the reasonable Eudoxus.

A capsule-summary of the book's tone is possible by a brief description of the half-dozen pages that Spenser spends describing a single article of traditional Irish clothing: the mantle, a long, warm cloak worn by common countryfolk. Even the clothing of the Irish, Spenser/Irenaeus argues, is an incitement towards crime and vice: the mantle can be used to hide anything from weapons to stolen goods to illegitimate pregnancies, and serves as both shelter and bed for outlaws, as well as serving as an effective shield in swordplay. This simple garment, he concludes, must be outlawed. Elsewhere, he also attempts to dissuade British functionaries similarly stationed in Ireland from taking Irish wives or wetnurses, because the women will infect your home and family, resulting in somehow "going native."

So be warned, this is a hateful volume, advocating step-by-step for the Irish people to be killed off so that England can flourish without a sore on her side, and warning, in fact, that the "great scourge" of Ireland presents an eminent danger to the Queen if she does not immediately invade and crush that nation. He argues that the Irish people are so barbarous that English laws will not rule them (and Irish "law" is simply "wrong," encouraging immorality), that the Irish people are uncivilizable, and thus barely human. This book, in many places, does become difficult to read, but read through 20th century eyes, the faulty logic of its arguments is ridiculous enough to prompt giggles--if they were not so deadly serious, and had not been taken seriously by the author's contemporaries.

I would definitely recommend this (quite readable for its age) book to anyone interested in Irish or English history, as well as--perhaps more urgently--to scholars of any of the major 20th century genocides.

Top of page