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prostrates himself before the holy relics until the hour of 

 vespers, when he is thrown upon the tomb of the blessed 

 Ninian, saying, holy Ninian, look upon this diseased frame, 

 it is pitiable to see, but see it in thy compassion. We are 

 wearied, we are sad, and can do no more. Here he lies, he 

 lives or dies, he perishes or is cured, when lo ! in the silence 

 of the night an object appears in heavenly light, clothed in 

 episcopal vestments. He approaches and touches the miser- 

 able suppliant, he bids him arise cured and to depart, giving 

 glory to God his saviour. 



If in such circumstances a cure was effected, and the 

 influence of the mind on the body is wonderful, the cure 

 must be due not to the relics. Ailred, however, does not 

 advert to this, but concludes his narrative by supposing that 

 the invalid devotes his restored health, and, becoming a shorn 

 monk, dies in the community. 



The cZiocese of Ninian is stated to have been the province 

 of Valentia, which contained several British tribes. 



But Ninian's fame spread throughout all Scotland. And 

 churches and places were named after him or dedicated to 

 him. And in the old church of St. Congan, at Turriff, in 

 Aberdeenshire, a painting in fresco was discovered, repre- 

 senting an episcopal figure, full length, entitled in Gothic 

 characters, S. NiNlANUS. Here the Bishop appears in epis- 

 copal vestments with a mitre and pastoral staff, while his 

 right hand is raised as in the act of pronouncing a bene- 

 diction. * 



In the Calendar of Scottish Saints the festival of St. 

 Ninian is 16th September ; and the date assigned to him is 

 A.D. 437. This date would make his age at his death up- 

 wards of 75. 



At this time the Romans were still in possession of the 



country, they not having retired from Britain till 446. After 



their departure the Picts and Scots combined to harass the 



Britons, and it is not unlikely that it was in these circum- 



* See Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, vol. 6, p. 427. 



