^niTK— Latin Writings of St. Patrick. 213 



On the other hand, the unique readings of B are too numerous to 

 mention ; and, speaking generally, they betray the hand of a rather 

 clever editor. Not only has he corrected the grammar of individual 

 words, but in very many cases the turn of phrase is altered. This is 

 all the more to be regretted, inasmuch as B more frequently agrees 

 with A against the rest than any of the others. Where A is absent, 

 the issue nearly always lies between B or Boll, and CF4. is 

 usually found on the side of Cr4, but deserts to B or Boll, occasionally. 

 One has to choose, that is, between rell. whose inferiority to A is 

 usually evident, and B or Boll, whose greater affinity to A is obscured 

 by its predominating artificial character. It seems the lesser of two 

 evils to follow CF4 as far as possible ; that is, except where its reading 

 is evidently a blunder or unintelligible. 



F3 and B are nearly allied, as will be seen from the examples of 

 group-readings subjoined. 



F3 is, perhaps, the most carelessly written of the six mss. Its 

 contribution to the list of unimportant variants is the largest of any ; 

 but occasionally it seems to have preserved the true reading. R, like 

 B, has been edited, but not so extensively. Interesting examples 

 are: — § 1. Calpurnium diaconem quondam filiimi Potiti for filiuni 

 quondam^ which suggests that Calpurnius had ceased to be an ecclesiastic 

 before his marriage ; § 1. Annorum eram tunc fere quindecini ioTsedecim 

 to make Patrick's captivity follow immediately upon the sin to which he 

 alludes in § 27 ; and § 14 gallias for exgallias BCF3 or exagallias A, in 

 order to mark an allusion to Gaul. 



List of Group-Headings. 

 AB. 



§ 1. Conuerterem (B) is nearer confirniareni (A) than is conuerterer. 

 § 2. Aperuit sensuni for ap. sens us. 



Adolisceiitiae ignorantiae meae A ; same order in B, which ins. 

 et ; adol. meae et igtior. CFiY^R. 

 § 4. Ins. 7iec ante. 



§ 6. Fratrihns et cognatis meis^ dat for acc. 



§ 9. Podrina ueritatis for Poet, uarietatis. 



§ 10. Spiritus gestit for Spir. gessit. 



§ 13. Transtulit et donauit for Trans, ut don. 



§ 15. Non eram dignus for Non etiam digti, 



§ 16. Excitahar ad orationem for Pxercitahar ad or. 



