Whimsical conjectures made by Dr. Ledwich.

Fourthly, The letter, or treatise itself, had been preceded by an introductory epistle, to which its author had annexed a picture or painting emblematic of the world. This was represented as in an ark, with three chambers, In the upper part were birds emblematic of the angels in the heavens. In the middle part were men (as Noah and his family,) as on the earth. In the lower part were animals and reptiles representing souls in the infernal regions. In the subsequent letter, (to which Dr. Ledwich alludes,) "De Statu Ecclesiæ," a more particular explanation was given of this fanciful representation of the universe. Surely, here was no proper place for a discussion on Saint Patrick.

Fifthly, The letter was written near the beginning of the twelfth century, when even Dr. Ledwich admits the history of Saint Patrick was well known, and he was was deemed the apostle of the Irish. The argument, drawn from this letter, against the existence and primacy of Saint Patrick, is, of course, very frivolous and inconclusive.*

If Dr. Ledwich had succeeded in his attempt to prove the nonentity of Saint Patrick, a new and very important subject of inquiry would have naturally presented itself

• Usser. Vet. Epist Hib. Syll. p. 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, et ad SS. It may be necessary here to remark that the edition of Ussher's Sylloge which I have used was printed in Dublin, A. D. 1632.

xl

Whimsical assertions made by Dr. Ledwich.

for investigation, viz.-" where-when-by whom, and for what end was the fable of this imaginary apostle invented?"

On this subject, our learned antiquary institutes a curious inquiry (page 66, 67,) and gives a truly astonishing solution of the difficulty.

We are informed by him, that Saint Patrick was dubbed the Patron-Saint of Ireland, in the ninth century. This age, "famous," he says, "for reviving and incorporating Pagan practices with the Christian ritual, observing that Rome had her Mars, Athens her Minerva, Carthage her Juno, and every country and city her proper and peculiar deity, whose guardian care was its greatest protection and security, conceived it a very becoming employment for Christian saints to assume the patronage of a Christian people, and to interest them the more in this new occupation, they brought their bones or relics wherever laid, and deposited them in the principal church of the metropolis." (Page 66.)

And again, "If the Irish had no other examples, France was sufficient for their imitation, in constituting a tutelary deity for their isle. France was the asylum of the learned Irish, in the ninth age, from the Danish tyranny." (Page 67.)

Refutation of these assertions.

Thus we find our national saint annihilated, and one of the wildest theories that ever floated across the human imagination substituted in his stead. The mind of our antiquary, possessed with a kind of credulous scepticism, a sort of dogmatizing doubt, rejects the probable and implicitly believes in the impossible. We proceed to refute him, (no difficult task,) from his own words and arguments.

Dr. Ledwich says, *that, in the sixth century, "the religion of the Irish kept them from mental degradation, the sure consequence of superstition. Instead of compiling pious fictions and lying miracles of imaginary saints, they were exercising their genius in acquiring languages, ecclesiastical history and the liberal arts."

Admitting this to be a fact, it is to be presumed, that, in this inquiring age, the Irish, thus occupied with ecclesiastical history, had a perfect knowledge of every thing that related to their own conversion.

In the succeeding century, (the seventh,) the Irish were still more learned. "It was now," says Bede, (as quoted by Dr. Ledwich himself, page 355,) “that many noble English and others of inferior rank, leaving their native country, withdrew to Ireland, to cultivate

Refutation of Dr. Ledwich's assertions.

letters, or lead a life of greater purity. Some became monks, others attended the lectures of celebrated preachers. These the Irish most cheerfully received, and supplied, without any recompense, with food, books and instruction." "This disinterested love of learning is unparalleled" says Dr. Ledwich, "in the annals of the world." Now, surely, in this age, (the seventh), the natives of this country must not only have retained the knowledge of ecclesiastical history, transmitted to them from the last century, but they must have communicated it to their foreign guests and pupils whom they so greatly delighted to instruct.

In the eighth century, the learning of the Irish was still more remarkable. To Ireland Charles the Great looked for literary aid, in his efforts to promote the diffusion of scientific knowledge through his vast dominions. Dr. Ledwich himself notices this circumstance, (page 360,) and in pages 357, 358, 359, he gives ample proof of the philosophic attainments of the Irish, their profound knowledge of Greek, their skill in the dialectic art, &c. &c.

It is clear then that in this age, (the eighth,) the stock of knowledge derived from the two preceding centuries, must have been increased, not lost or dimin ished.

Dr. Ledwich refuted from his own premises.

Dr. Ledwich, in support of the very positions relative to Irish literature, which we have now stated, quotes from Eric of Auxerre, the following remarkable passage. "Why should I mention Ireland? Almost the whole nation, despising the dangers of the sea, resort to our courts with a numerous train of philosophers, of whom the most learned enjoin themselves a voluntary banishment, to be in the service of our most wise Solomon." "The prince here meant," adds our antiquary, "was Charles the Bald, who, like his predecessor, flattered the Hibernian literati to his court." (Page 360.)

Again, page 362. "It is observed," says Dr. Ledwich, "by William of Malmesbury, that the loss of libraries, in England, in the ninth century, drew after it that of learning, and mental darkness diffused itself over all the inhabitants of the isle." "Such a consequence did not follow the Danish invasion. The flourishing state of letters here, for many centuries, had greatly multiplied books on every art and science then known: numbers of these were carried to the continent, and more were secreted by the clergy in their devious retreats." Here we have plain proof from Dr. Ledwich's own words and quotations, that, in the ninth century, the Irish literati had neither lost their science nor their books.