Notices of Books. Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum; or, Ireland's Ancient Schools and Scholars. By the Most Rev. JOHN HEALY, D.D., LL.D., M.R.I.A., Coadjutor Bishop of Clonfert, Commissioner for the publication of the Brehon Laws, Ex-Prefect of the Dunboyne Establishment, Maynooth College. Dublin: Sealy, Bryers and Walker, and M. H. Gill and Son. London: Burns and Oates. New York, &c.: Benziger Brothers. 1890. A WORK by the Coadjutor Bishop of Clonfert on the subject of Ancient Ireland one would naturally conclude beforehand is sure to be a learned work; but when it is noticed that the story of Celtic Schools in Erin is here brought down to only the AngloNorman Invasion, and there is further noticed the size of the work (an octavo of over 600 pages) a feeling of wonder may arise in some minds, that so much can possibly be said of so very remote a period. Not the least noticeable thing, however, about Dr. Healy's volume is the revelation it brings of the vast amount of respectable evidence available as to the Christianity of Ireland in the fifth, sixth and seventh centuries-for with these he is chiefly concerned. Another noteworthy feature is the style in which the book is written, and the manner in which, in the hands of the able author, the old world records of men whose very names are strange to modern ears is made readable, and even attractive. This quality, indeed, has particularly struck us; and we should like to remark, in passing, what an amount of interesting information concerning the character and contents of some of the chief monuments of ancient Erin is to be found in these pages. This knowledge of sources, their historical value, and the best available editions and translations of them is of considerable importance, and calculated both to inspire confidence and to lead on the merely superficial reader to become an interested and serious student. We do not know whether any other modern work, even pretends to take the English reader over the ground covered by Dr. Healy's volume, but we can hardly imagine how the task could be performed with a happier combination than there is in his volume, of a flowing, well-written narrative, popular in the best sense and intelligible to the least learned reader, growing naturally, also, out of an immense store of dry and erudite reading, with a critical discrimination between the authentic and the legendary, and a sufficient exhibition of literary and even bibliographical material to serve the purposes of the scholar. Of the latter class are the numerous valuable sketches of the contents and history of ancient works, which the author is fond of giving, whenever a monumental work happens to be mentioned; the sketch-e.g., of the contents of Sedulius's "Carmen Paschale" (p. 36), of the "Dicta Patritii" (p. 87), of the "Book of Armagh" (a long and highly interesting account, pp. 103-5), of the "Book of Lismore" (p. 474), and not a few others, in reading which we have been reminded of the admirable account of the writings of the Fathers in Alban Butler's notes to their Lives. As to the ancient documents available for the history of St. Patrick and their respective values, reference to Dr. Healy's pages is desirable. It is a point of not only nice critical judgment, but a point of considerable practical importance to determine the age, authenticity, and value of the writings, both those professedly by the Saint himself, and concerning him by contemporary or subsequent admirers. Of the former class are the Saint's famous "Confession," and his "Epistle to Coroticus," and also "St. Patrick's Shield." The author devotes half a dozen pages to the contents, history, and indubitable authenticity of the Confession. On a point which is made much of by Protestant writers, he remarks: It is singular that no reference is made to the Roman Mission, or to his ever having been at all in the City of Rome. But neither does the Saint refer to St. Germanus, although all the Lives agree in saying that he spent many years in Gaul with that holy and eminent prelate, nor does he even tell us where or by whom he was consecrated bishop. Nothing, therefore, can be deduced from his silence regarding St. Celestine and the Roman Mission, especially in face of the ancient and authentic testimonies which assert it (p. 73). The author also contends for the authenticity of St. Fiacc's metrical life of St. Patrick, as we now have it. This is also a point of considerable importance, as St. Fiace, who was a "young poet" in the retinue of Dubhtach on the Easter Sunday morning when St. Patrick stood before the king on Tara, wrote it soon after the saint's death. The author further considers that its acknowledged genuineness also "settles the question as to the use of letters and writing in Ireland before St. Patrick;" for no language could suddenly have attained to the grammatical perfection and the richness and flexibility there evidenced. Its language, he observes, is "much superior, in every respect, to the debased Gaedhlic of the last three centuries." Then there is the "Tripartite " or three-divisioned life of the National Apostle, in reality, three homilies probably preached on three festival days, in praise of the saint. There is no intrinsic evidence for the date of its composition, hence wide differences of opinion amongst judges. O'Curry followed Colgan in attributing it to St. Evin of Monasterevan in the sixth century; Dr. Whitley Stokes contends. that it cannot be earlier than the tenth, and is probably of the eleventh century. Dr. Healy replies to the arguments of the latter, and sides with Colgan. Now it is the Tripartite Life which informs us (as also does the scholiast on St. Fiacc's hymn) that Pope St. Celestine commissioned St. Patrick to his apostolate of Ireland; a statement which, whatever the silence of the Saint's "Confession," is in keeping with the unmistakable spirit of the ancient Irish Church towards Rome, as may be gathered from other places in this volume. About the "Lorica," or St. Patrick's Shield, which the "Book of Armagh" tells was universally recited in the eighth century, the writer has an interesting remark: Patrick knew that the Druids of Laeghaire possessed magical powers; they even claimed dominion over the elements, and, therefore, strong in the faith of the Holy Trinity he .. calls to his aid not only the Holy Trinity, but all the elements created by God, but sometimes perversely used by the Druids for evil purposes. [A remark which reminds one of the Bishop of Clifton's argument for the hymn-character of the Account of Creation in the first chapter of Genesis]. I bind unto myself to-day The strong name of the Trinity, Three in One, and One in Three. I bind unto myself to-day The virtues of the star-lit heaven, The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks, Around the old eternal rocks. . This is merely a specimen of the beautiful Gaedhlic hymn as translated-and well translated-by Mrs. Alexander. Even to this day the original is chanted by the peasantry of the South and West in the ancestral tongue and it is regarded as a strong shield against all evil natural and supernatural (p. 76). This last is not the only little touch of realism in the book which will interest the untravelled English reader. There is another and, as our own observation also tells, a correct one, much later on in the volume, which is equally pleasing. Speaking of St. Finnian's (he died about 550) intimate knowledge of the Holy Scriptures as being the secret of the attraction which drew so many to him and made his name so famous in ancient Ireland, the author claims for the newly converted Irish that they had a deep thirst for sacred knowledge, and adds: We know of our own knowledge that it is so still. There is not a congregation in the wildest part of Ireland that will not listen with the most intense interest to a preacher who can clearly and literally explain the Gospel or Epistle for any Sunday. They will be more attentive then than at any other time; they will catch up his smallest word; they will take it home with them and tell it to their children, and the children sometimes will take it home to their parents. And they are right, for the words of God are far beyond any words of men (p. 203). But it is time we gave the reader a consecutive outline of this story of Irish scholars who were also saints. There are two Introductory chapters, one on the State of Learning before St. Patrick, in four excellent sections on the three privileged classes, the Druids, the Bards, and the Brehons, and on the Ogham Alphabet; the other chapter, on Irish Scholars before the National Saint, Cormac MacArt and Sedulius; whilst a section on Celestius claims that he was not an Irishman. Then we have the education of St. Patrick, and the state of learning in his day. In the fifth chapter, the great schools of the fifth century, the schools of Armagh and Kildare receive full treatment, and in the sixth chapter, some minor schools of the same period, viz., those of Noendrum, Louth, Emly, &c. The seventh, a remarkably valuable chapter prefatory to the specific treatment of the monastic schools of the sixth century, traces a general view of an Irish monastery of that early period, its buildings, its discipline, and its routine of daily life. We are struck with the close likeness between this description and the passages descriptive of British Monasticism at the same period in the article, "Anglicanism and Early British Christianity," in our number of last January. Of these Monastic schools, a chapter is devoted to St. Enda and the Isles of Aran, and their Pagan and Christian remains, another chapter to St. Finnian of Clonard, a chapter each to Clonfert and its Saints, and to Moville and St. Finnian, and another and long chapter to Clonmacnoise and the famous St. Ciaran. The Columbian Schools receive full treatment in three chapters. The schools of Bangor, Clonenagh, and Glendalough receive due attention in turn, the latter leading to a valuable chapter on St. Laurence O'Toole. Next come the schools of the seventh century which being disposed of, chapters on Celtic art, Irish scholars abroad, and Gaedhlic schools and scholars down to the eleventh century, conclude a volume of unusual historical and religious interest. How vast an amount of information, as valuable as little known, these pages contain, will perhaps be sufficiently surmised from this sketch to rouse interest in the volume itself. The author says, in his preface, that the first three centuries of the period be here treats, form "certainly the brightest page of what is, on the whole, the rather saddening but not inglorious record of our country's history." Sceptical objections have, however, been insinuated as to the celebrity of those ancient schools, but the author gives quite sufficient evidence to banish all such scepticism. The ancient Celtic monks appear to have been not only eminently learned, but eminently holy men. Asceticism and study went hand in hand; and to their poetic sense and keen perception of the beauty of nature, and love of solitude was joined a severity of mortification which recalls the rigours of the Thebaid. In conclusion, it is worth while to mention that the learned author most happily does not write as a controversialist. He has banished from him the spirit of controversy, which, he rightly observes, tends to obscure rather than make known the truth-adding this admirable remark: "It is better from every point of view to let the facts speak for themselves; and hence not only in quoting authorities, but also in narrating events, we have, as far as possible reproduced the language of the original authorities." Certainly the learned author never forgets he is an Irishman: why, indeed, should an Irish bishop withhold due and warm praise of his own faithful country or be shy of manifesting enthusiasm. This, however, does not interfere with an impartiality of which there are many instances throughout the book. We must not overlook, also, that he brings into prominence the intercourse between the Monasteries of Britain and those of Ireland, and the fact that St. Enda of Aran, before he became himself a Monastic founder studied under St. Ninian at Candida Casa or Whithern. But St. Ninian, according to Bede, "had been regularly instructed in Rome in the faith and the mysteries of truth." A most important statement of Bede [says our author], for, as we shall see, very many of the founders of the earliest and greatest of our Irish monasteries were trained at Whithern, and the founder of Whithern himself was trained at Rome. . . . thus directly connecting the fathers of Irish monasticism with the discipline and dogma of Rome (p. 166, and cf. pp. 192 and 217). The volume is well printed in good sized type; we have, indeed, noticed one or two, but not more, typographical errors. An excellent map of Ireland showing the ancient schools is prefixed to, and an Index, correct as far it goes but insufficient, closes the volume. On Right and Wrong. THIS By WILLIAM SAMUEL LILLY. London : 1890. HIS book, like all Mr. Lilly's publications, is marked by high purpose and serious thought. It deserves, therefore, and requires, serious notice; the more so because it deals with subjects intimately connected with religion itself. It is true that Mr. Lilly disclaims all concern with Christian views in ethics, and professes to treat morality by the light of reason alone. But no Christian writer is allowed to ignore Christianity. Revelation not only furnishes religious truth beyond what nature can tell us of, but corrects and clears up our views of natural teaching itself. All the same, no enterprise can be more useful at this moment of the world's history than to try to convince thinking men of the difference between spirit and sense, between mind and matter, between relations and the absolute. This is Mr. Lilly's purpose. He has carried it out in that philosophical yet popular style which he has made his own, showing an acquaintance with books and writers of every age and almost every country which is little short of marvellous. He writes strongly yet calmly. Perhaps he is a little too respectful to some of the loud-voiced unbelievers with whom he deals; and perhaps he bows down just a little too profoundly to an idol called Kant. But all this, as also his civility to a person he calls Aquinas, and a page about Louis Veuillot which reads as if it had been composed for the "first Whig" himself, are doubtless only a sacrifice to that largeness and liberality which |