A Celtic Psaltery

Graves, Alfred Perceval, 1846-1931Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 167K words
Chapters: 17

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.A Celtic Psaltery by Alfred Perceval GravesAuthor: Graves, Alfred Perceval, 1846-1931,Language: English, Class: PB: Language and Literatures: General works, Release Date: Dec 2, 2004

Editor's review

This book is a collection of Celtic psalms and religious poetry compiled by the Irish poet Alfred Perceval Graves, presented in English as a public-domain e-book. Its value lies in gathering prayers, praises, and meditative texts from the Celtic tradition into one volume, giving readers direct access to an island-flavored tradition of religious poetry. The psalms are simple in language and strong in rhythm, suitable both for literary reading and as an entry point for devotional or folk-cultural study. As an early digitized public-domain book, the text has no modern annotations, and some allusions require readers to look them up themselves. It is suited to slow reading in a quiet setting, a few pieces at a time, to absorb the cadence and imagery of Celtic Christian culture. Readers interested in English poetry, Celtic culture, or religious literature can use it as a small anthology; those needing scholarly introductions or detailed background should consult other materials.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in Celtic culture and Irish religious poetry
Literature lovers who wish to encounter a public-domain religious poetry anthology in the original English
Devotional or ritual practitioners seeking short prayer poems as material
Beginning readers researching Celtic Christian texts

Not a good fit for

Rigorous researchers needing modern scholarly annotations and detailed introductions
Readers unaccustomed to English poetic language who expect a bilingual edition
Readers of general histories seeking a systematic overview of Celtic history

Reading tips

Read two or three pieces a day, first aloud and then in meditation, to feel the rhythm and wording of the psalms.
Mark biblical allusions or Celtic proper names as you go, and look up the background in one sitting.
Read alongside Celtic music or natural settings to strengthen the atmosphere of the text.
If used for research, first read the table of contents to grasp the thematic distribution, then select relevant pieces for close reading.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book bilingual?

According to the information, the book is in English and is a public-domain e-book; no bilingual edition is mentioned. Readers should read the original English text and, if they need Chinese reference, find a translation or supplementary materials themselves.

Are there annotations or an introduction?

The information does not mention modern annotations or a scholarly introduction. As an early digitized public-domain book, it is closer to the presentation of the original text, and allusions and background require separate consultation by the reader.

Is it suitable for devotional reading?

Yes. The book collects Celtic traditional psalms and religious poems that are short and concise in language, suitable as material for daily devotion or quiet reading, though readers must decide how to use it themselves.

Why is there no information on modern typesetting or table of contents?

The information only states that it is a Project Gutenberg public-domain e-book and does not provide typesetting details. Early e-books usually retain a plainer textual form, and the reading experience is primarily plain text.

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About the author

Graves, Alfred Perceval, 1846-1931 Author · British · 1846–1931

Alfred Perceval Graves (1846–1931) was a British writer known for collecting and adapting traditional Celtic poetry and sacred verse. His representative work, A Celtic Psaltery, draws on ancient religious and folk poetry from Ireland, Wales and beyond, presenting it in English verse that combines the solemnity of devotional song with the plainness of folk ballad. Such work circulated in the Celtic cultural revival of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and helped English-language readers encounter Celtic spiritual traditions. Public information on the details of his life is limited; only one of his works is currently held in this catalogue, which is not enough to give a full picture of his output. Judging from the surviving work, he leaned toward translating and compiling traditional texts rather than building a body of original poetry.