30 



acquainted with the treasures preserved in foreign libraries, but from 

 time to time received at his hands the substantial produce of his dili- 

 gence, in the form of accurate copies of Irish manuscripts, accompanied 

 by critical emendations and historical inquiries, amply sufficient to 

 superadd to his credit as a painstaking scribe, the distinction of a sound 

 thinker, and an erudite scholar.^' Abroad, as well as at home, his merits 

 were acknowledged. Eaderus, the historian of Bavaria Sancta," in 

 testimony of his acquirements, designated him Pohjhistor;] and so well 

 did the name fit him, that it was caught up by his countrymen, and 

 a title so honourably borne in former ages, was confirmed to him by the 

 united suffrages of fellow- citizens and foreigners.!" The learned Gretser § 

 was willing to receive suggestions from, and John Bollandus to be 

 under obligations to him. While Professor of Theology at Dilingen, 

 Dorbbene's manuscript of Adamnan's Life of St. Columba was brought to 

 him from Reichenau;^ and there, with his own pen, he made the care- 

 ful transcript which furnished Archbishop TJssher with his Yarious 

 Eeadings,^*- supplied Colgan with a text,f f and provided for the Bolland- 

 ists of a succeeding generation one of the most valuable items in their 

 great depository 4+ 



Literary collectors are often narrow-minded, and the creatures of 

 jealousy and suspicion ; but from such weaknesses this good and generous 

 man was perfectly free. Coupled with an insatiable thirst for know- 



* Ussher, in reference to Marcellinus' Life of St. Suidbert, observes: — "Sed virum 

 ilium sagacissimum fugit, subdititium esse Marcellinum istum : cui a Stephano Vito, viro 

 antiquitatum, non Hibernise solum suae sed aliarum etiam gentium scientissimo, ita larva 

 est detracta." Brit. Ec. Antiqq., cap. xii., Works, vol. v., p. 458. 



Sigebertus Gemblacensis, an. cccxciv. S. Patricius Scotus in Hiberniacumsuis sororibus 

 venditur. " Ubi tamen Scotis legendum, Stephani Viti conjectura est haudquaquam 

 aspernanda." Ibid, cap. xvi., vol. vi., p. 377. 



" Et cum Hibernis, ut et Anglis, lepen ferrum denotet, et lepnan nomen inde de- 

 ductum quasi Ferreolum; hunc eundem esse Stephanus Vitus existimat." Ibid, p. 541. 



t " Stephanus Vitus gente Ibernus Soc. N. Theologus etsimul polyhistor. " — Kaderi 

 Bavaria Sancta, tom. iii., p. 75. 



X Ward corrects some erroneous readings in the Basil edition of Marianus Scotus' 

 Chronicle by emendations, " apud doctissimum polyhistorem Stephanum Vitum sacrse 

 Theologise Doctorem, ex suae Societatis Jesu Codicibus MSS." Rumoldus, p. 110. 



" Ad hsec addo Doctoris Stephani Viti Polyhistoris testimonium," etc. Ihid, p. 254. 

 See notes ft in this page, and note f , p. 34. 



§ Observv. in Philippum de Divis Eystettensibus, Cap. 9, p. 198. 



•| " Stephanus Vitus lectori. Nuper ex cosnobio Benedictinorum in Suevia celeber- 

 rimo Augia Dives dicto, vulgo Eeichenaw, allatus est ad me Dilingam vetustissimus 

 codex membranaceus," etc. See the Irish Archasol. and Celtic Society's edition of 

 Adamnan's Columba, p. xxxviii., note g. 



** Ussher refers to this copy in his Ecc. Brit. Antiq. Works, vols, iv., 456, vi., pp. 

 245, 523, 526, 527, 530, 541. His manuscript of White's collation is still extant. See 

 reference in preceding note. 



ft " Hanc nobis vitam communicavit R. P. Stephanus Vitus Societatis Jesu, vir pa- 

 triarum presertim sitientissimus^ et omnium scientissimus antiquitatum ; et hinc a diver- 

 sis jam Polyhistor appellatus ; sua manu descriptam, ex pervetusto codice MS. Monas- 

 terii Augiee Divitis in Germania." Colgan, Trias Thaum., p. 372 a. 



XX A.cta Sanctorum, Junii, tom. ii., p. 197. This article was edited by Francis 

 Baert, 1690. 



