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though we think the evidence of this author would fully support our 

 view, we candidly reject him as a witness unworthy of credit, at least 

 as he is represented to testify in the " Book of Armagh." Who can be- 

 lieve him, when he speaks of incense and wax candles burned in the 

 time of even our Saint Patrick, when he mentions as of that day 

 spades, gardens, meadows, hay for cows, and bearded monks ; when 

 he records that heifers were offered as an oblation to God and Saint 

 Patrick, that the holy man wrote primers, prayed that no one should 

 conquer Ireland before seven years previous to the day of Judgment, 

 and raised from the grave a saint 120 feet long and 100 years dead — 

 to be baptised ! Is this a witness to confront the belief of centuries ? 

 To " the Summary of Aidus " we equally object, when its author 

 professes of himself, "m^ knowledge is small, my authors doubtful, my 

 memory treacherous, and, what is worst of all, the common tradition 

 of the country is against me."* 



There are, however, some few arguments, not connected with this 

 Book of Armagh, which are advanced in the " Researches," against 

 the common chronology of Saint Patrick, that claim more especial 

 notice ; while it is premised that all the authorities, already cited to 

 the tact of his existence, do equally support the common computation 

 ot his era. The first of these arguments is based on a position laid 

 down by Doctor O'Conor, that monachism was introduced into Ireland 

 almost a whole century before the coming of Saint Patrick ; but the 

 principal witness, that Doctor O'Conor urges to establish this, breaks 

 down on examination. Gennadius is supposed to say that Caelestius, 

 an Irishman, and the fellow-labourer of Pelagius, dedicated him- 

 self from his youth to a monastery, and therefore monachism had 

 , been long known in Ireland previous to Saint Patrick. But Genna- 



* Researches, p. 404. 

 VOL. XVI. C C 



