32 THE peesident's address. 



Whether this asceticism extended to the drink is. perhaps, 

 open to doubt. As we have seen, St. Findchua ordered for his 

 visitors a vat of ale fit to make fifty men drunk ; and it is signi- 

 ficant that the only poetical composition attributed to St. Bridget 

 that has come down to us should begin : - 



" I should like a great lake of ale 



For the King of Kings. 

 I should like the whole family of Heaven 

 To be drinking it eternally? "* 



But in many cases there was a nobler motive in the hearts 

 of these venerable fathers, than one of mere following in the 

 traces of their pagan predecessors, and outrivalling them. A 

 clue to their conduct may be found in an incident related of St. 

 Columba. 



One day he saw a poor widow gathering sting-nettles. He 

 asked her the reason. She replied that she had no other 

 food. The old man trembled with emotion, went back to 

 his cell, and bade his attendant give him thenceforth nettles 

 only to eat. He had come among the Picts to be an apostle 

 to poor as well as to rich, mean as well as noble, and he 

 would not fare better than the lowliest among those to whom 

 he ministered. The story goes on to say that the disciple, 

 seeing the aged master become thin and pinched on this meagre 

 diet, employed a hollow elder stick with which to stir the nettles, 

 over the fire, and he surreptitiously introduced a little butter 

 into the hollow of the stick, that ran down and enriched the 

 porridge, f 



There are, moreover, remarkable instances among the Irish 

 ascetics of their standing high above a narrow formalism. Some 

 travellers came to Euadhan of Lothra during Lent, and he at once 

 produced a meat supper, and, to exhibit true hospitality, not only 

 sat down at it himself, but bade his monks do the same. 



Some travellers came to St. Cronan, and he at once produced 

 all he had for their refreshment, and sat down with them. 

 " Humph!" said a stickler for rule, "At this rate, I do not see 



*Tlie whole hymn is printed in O'Curry's "MS. Materials for Irish History," 

 1861, p. 616. 



t " Book of Lismore," p. 302. 



