The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21). Volume XIV. The Victorian Age, Part Two. IX. Anglo-Irish Literature. § 13. Crofton Croker. The treatment of national stories was first raised to the level of an art by Crofton Croker, in his Fairy Legends and Traditions of Ireland, first published, anonymously, in 1825—a set of folk-tales full of literary charm. For, just as Moore took Irish airs, touched them up and partnered them with lyrics to suit what was deemed to be British and Irish taste, so Croker gathered his folk-tales from the Munster peasantry with whom he was familiar and, assisted by literary friends, including Maginn (who is credited by D.J.O’Donoghue with the authorship of that humorous pearl of great price Daniel O’Rourke), gave them exactly the form and finish needful to provide the reading public of his day with a volume of fairy lore.   37