MARC H. 
places his death in 544, aligning to him the fame incre¬ 
dible age. The author of his life in the Acta Sanftorum 
agrees with this ftatement as to the time of his death, but 
makes him only 97 years old, fuggefting that this dif¬ 
ference of dates may be owing to their having been origi¬ 
nally written LXXXXVII. or CXXXXVII. and the firft 
numeral L being miftaken for C. Uflier alfo concurs in 
fixing his death in 544, but he makes his age only 82. 
He was canonized by Calixtus II. who held the papal fee 
from A. D. 11x9 to 1124. His character is thus fummed 
up by Giraldus. “He was to all a mirror and a pattern 
of life 5 he taught both by precept and example ; he was 
an excellent preacher in words, but more excellent in 
works. He was a dofirine to thofe who heard him, a mo¬ 
del to the religious, life to the needy, defence to orphans, 
fupport to widows, a father to the fatherlefs, a rule to 
monks, a directory to men of the world; being made all 
things to all men, that he might win all to God.” In 
confequence of the romances of the middle ages, which 
created the feven champions of Chriftendom, St. David 
was dignified with the title of the patron faint of Wales ; 
but this rank is hardly known among the people of the 
principality, being a title diffufed among them from Eng¬ 
land in modern times. Omen's Camb. Biog. 
Although the cuftom of wearing leeks on the firft of 
March, or St. David’s day, may feem to fome of our rea¬ 
ders to be a trivial fubjedl, yet to many others the follow¬ 
ing account may not be unacceptable or unamufing. 
We obferve, however, that this cuftom is fcarcely known 
in Wales. Mr. Owen ftates, that in fome diftrifts of 
Wales the neighbours of a fmall farmer, deftitute of means 
for cultivating his land, appoint a day when they all at¬ 
tend to plough his land, or to ferve him in fome other 
way ; and that at fuch time each individual carries with 
him his portion of leeks, to be uled in making pottage for 
the company. But this is a cuftom which, does not fub- 
fift at prefent. Some have fuppofed that the practice ori¬ 
ginated with a viftory obtained by Cadwallo over the 
Saxons, on the firft of March, 640, when the Welfti, in or¬ 
der to diftinguifh themfelves, wore leeks in their hats. 
To this Shakefpeare feems to allude, when he makes 
Fluellin fay, “ The Welflimen did good fervice in a gar¬ 
den where leeks did grow.” But a writer in the Gentle¬ 
man’s Magazine (vol. Ivii. p. 131.) traces it to a more 
ancient fource : “ Scholars,” he obferves, “ know that the 
leek, vgaaov of the Greeks, by a corrupt tranfpofition of 
pares-on, and porrum of the Latins, corrupted from Pur- 
orus, was an Egyptian deity ; and confequently the Britons, 
a colony of Egyptians, were worlhippers of leeks.” Dray¬ 
ton (Polyolbion, fong 4.) afcribes it to the holy aufterity 
of St. David, whofe retreat he places in the vale of Ewyas, 
on the borders of Monmouthfliire and Brecknockftiire s 
That reverent Britilh faint in zealous ages part. 
To contemplation liv’d ; and did fo truly faft. 
As he did onelie drink what cryffal Hodney yields, 
And fed upon the Leeks he gathered in the fields. 
In memorie of whom, in the revolving yeere, 
The Welfhmen on his day that facred herbe do wears. 
From fome lines in Poor Robin’s Almanack for March 
1757, it would feem that a cuftom fubfifted at that time 
of burning St. David in effigy, a counterpart of the mum¬ 
mery ftill praftifed on the 5th of November : , 
The firft of this month fome do keep, 
For honed Taff to wear his leek, 
Who patron was they fay of Wales, 
But it would make a ftranger laugh, 
To fee the English hang poor Taff; 
A pair of breeches and a coat. 
Hat, (hoes and dockings, and what not; 
All fluff’d with hay to reprefent 
The Cambrian hero thereby meant; 
With fword fometimes three inches broad, 
And other armour made of wood ; 
They drag hur to fome publick tree. 
And hang hur up in effigy. 
Von. XIV. No. 978, 
341 
St. David and the leek are again fneered at in the almanac 
for March 1759. Gent, Mag. Feb. 1787. Time's Te/cfcope, 
1815. 
17. St, Patrick, the tutelar Dint of Ireland, was born in 
the year 377, in a village called Bonaven Tabernics, probably 
Kilpatrick, in Scotland, between Dunbriton and Glafgovv'. 
He is, however, claimed as a Cambrian by Mr. Jones, in 
his Welfti Bards, who makes him a native of Caernarvon¬ 
shire. His original name was Succathus. At the age of 
fixteen years, it is faid he was a flave, and continued fix 
years in this degraded condition. He afterwards became 
a difciple of St. Martin, who inducted him into the clerical, 
office. After the unfuccefsful labours and death of Pal- 
ladius, who had been fent by Celeftine, the Roman pontiff, 
into Ireland 3 the fame pontiff employed Succathus in this 
million, and changed his name to Patrick. He arrived 
among the Irifti A. D. 432, The fuccefs of his miniftry, 
and the number and importance of his pious exploits, 
Hand upon record as undoubted proofs, not only of his 
refolution and patience, but alfo of his dexterity and ad- 
drefs. Having converted great numbers to the Chrillian 
religion, he founded, in the year 472, the archbifliopric of 
Armagh, which has ever fince remained the metropolitan 
fee of the Irilh nation. Others fay, that, after having la¬ 
boured in effecting the purpofe of his miftion for iixty 
years, he died in the year 460. Hence this famous mifii- 
onary, though he was not the firft who communicated to 
the Irilh the light of the gofpel, has neverthelefs been 
juftly entitled the Apoftle of the Irifti, and the father of 
the Hibernian church; and is ftill generally acknowledged 
and revered in that honourable character. The venerable 
Bede has written his life in two books 5 and Jac. Warrens 
publiflied bis works at London in 1656, in Svo. Mo/keim’s 
Ecc. Hijl. vol. ii. 
MARCH,/. Military movement | journey of foldiers, 
—Thefe troops came to the army harafled with a long and 
wearifome march, and caft away their arms and garments, 
and fought in their fliirts. Bacon's War with Spain, 
Who (hould command, by his Almighty nod, 
Thefe chofen troops, unconfcious of the road, 
And unacquainted with th’appointed end, 
Their marches to begin, and thither tend. Blackmore. 
Grave and folemn walk : 
Waller was fmooth, but Dryden taught to join 
The varying verfe, the full refounding line. 
The long majeftic march and energy divine. Pope, 
Deliberate or laborious walk.—We came to the roots of 
the mountain, and had a very troublefome march to gain 
the top of it. Addifon on Italy, —Signals to move.—The 
drums prefently ftriking up a march, they make no longer 
(lay, but forward they go direftly. Knolles. 
Of all the mechanical parts of war, in modern times, 
none is more effential than that of marching. It may be 
juftly called the key which leads to all fublime motions and 
manoeuvres of an army ; for they depend entirely on this 
point. A man can be attacked in four different ways; 
in the front, on both Hanks, and in the rear; but he can 
defend himfelf, and annoy the enemy, only when placed 
with his face towards him. Hence it follows, that.the 
general objeft of marching is reduced to three points 
only 1 to march forwards, and on both (ides, becaufe it is 
impoffible to do it for any time backwards, and by that 
means face the enemy wherever he prefents Jiimfelf,—The 
different fteps to be made ufeof are three: flow, faft, and 
oblique. The firft is proper in advancing, when at a cpn- 
fiderable diftance from the enemy, and when the ground 
is unequal, that the line may not be broken, and that a 
regular fire may be kept up without intermilfion. The 
fecond is chiefly neceflary when you want to anticipate 
the enemy in occupying fome poll, in pafling a defile, and, 
above all, in attacking an intrenchment, to avoid being 
a long while expofed to the fire of the artillery and (mail 
arms, See.' The third ftep is of infinite confequence, 
both in the infantry and cavalry ; columns may be opened 
4 S and 
