Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 205 



As to the paintings, or painted figures, which Dr. Ledwich incorrectly 

 calls portraits, if that learned writer had called to mind the description which 

 his favourite author, Giraldus Cambrensis, gives of the celebrated manuscript of 

 the Four Evangelists, preserved at Kildare, and ascribed to St. Bridget's time, 

 he would have seen nothing remarkable in the circumstance of the wall of the 

 chancel having been adorned with painted representations of the human figure; 

 And though this famous manuscript is not now to be found, the praise bestowed 

 on its caligraphy and illuminations will not appear extravagant to those, who 

 have seen the nearly cotemporaneous manuscript of the Gospels, called the Book 

 of Kells, now, fortunately, preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, 

 a manuscript which, for beauty and splendour, is not surpassed by any of its 

 age known to exist : indeed, in looking at this exquisite piece of penmanship, 

 it is difficult to avoid thinking that it is the very manuscript, so elaborately 

 described by Giraldus in the following words : 



" Inter vniuersa Kyldariae miracula, nil mihi miraculosius occurrit : quam liber ille mirandus, 

 tempore virginis (vt aiunt) Angelo dictante conscriptus. Continet hie liber quatuor Euangelista- 

 rum iuxta Hieronymum concordantiam : vbi quot paginse fere sunt, tot figurse diverse variisque 

 eoloribus distinctissima;. Hie maiestatis vultum videas diuinitus impressum : hinc mysticas Euan- 

 gelistarum formas : nunc senas, nunc quaternas, nunc binas alas habentes. hinc aquilam, inde 

 vitulum, hinc he-minis faciem, inde leonis, aliasque figuras pene infinitas : quas si superficialiter & 

 vsuali more minus acute conspexeris, litura potius videbitur quam ligatura. Nee vllam attendens 

 prorsus subtilitatem : vbi nihil tamen praeter subtilitatem. Sin autem ad perspicacius intuendum 

 oculorum aciem inuitaueris : & longe penitius ad artis archana transpenetraueris : tarn delicatas & 

 subtiles, tarn actas & arctas, tarn nodosas & vinculatim colligatas, tamque recentibus adhuc eoloribus 

 illustratas notare poteris intricaturas : vt vere hffic omnia Angelica potius quam humana diligentia 

 iara asseueraueris esse composita. Hsec equidem quanto frequentius & diligentius intueor : semper 

 quasi nouis obstupeo, semperque magis ac magis admiranda conspicio."* Topog.Hib. Dist. 2, c. 38, 

 p. 730. Francofurti. fol. 1603. 



I have now examined, at greater length perhaps than many would deem ne- 

 cessary, this remarkable description of the church of Kildare. But I felt it a 

 duty to sustain to the utmost of my ability, consistently with a regard for truth, 

 the authenticity of a document, so valuable, as showing the state of the arts in 



* Dr. O'Conor, quoting this passage, adds : " nee Appelles [Apelles] ipse similia efficere posset, 

 et manu potius non mortali efformatae ac depicts; videntur." But this passage is not to be found in 

 the edition to which he refers. See Her. Hibern. Scriptores, torn. i. Ep. p. 177. 



