THE WORLD'S DEBT TO THE IRISH 
the precious metals is very appropriately a chalice, 
the well known Chalice of Ardagh. It is very inter- 
esting to realize that this supreme triumph of crea- 
tive art in precious metals and precious stones was 
dedicated to the service of the Most High in the 
sublime memorial service that Christ asked should 
be done in commemoration of Him. The legends 
connected with the Holy Grail and the sublimity of 
reverence evoked with regard to it, will make those 
who may not appreciate the Mass through faith 
understand something of the feelings that such 
devout believers as the old Irish were, had for the 
chalice. This one was made by a great artist crafts- 
man with his heart and his soul in the work. 
For this reason and because it is the outstanding 
piece of jewel and metal work, it seems worth while 
to give a detailed description of it as made by one 
who had studied it faithfully and assiduously and 
had the taste and knowledge to appreciate it 
properly. Only someone who had studied it very 
carefully and often and knows it on the background 
of familiarity with objects of more or less similar 
kind made at other places and other times, would 
have the right to express an opinion with regard to 
such a creation. Fortunately there is readily avail- 
able a detailed description of the chalice written by 
Miss Margaret Stokes in her little volume “Early 
Christian Art in Ireland.” This is one of the series 
of Art Handbooks made for the South Kensington 
Museum of London so as to help visitors to appre- 
ciate treasures of this kind and therefore to be de- 
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