Legendary fictions of the Irish Celts

Legends of the Celtic Saints. 319
the narratives inserted in the acts, and may be accepted
or rejected by Roman CathoHcs without incurring
spiritual censure. These are the legends which we here
intend to discuss and quote.
ST. TATRICK.
Our subject requires that we should give the place of
honour to St. Patrick, whose biography, divested of its
legendary adjuncts, may be consulted in the great work
of Rev. Alban Butler. Jocelyn, Monk of Furness, most
credulous of hagiographers, is our darling authority.
Scant would have been his patience in following day by
day the footsteps of the great Apostle, preaching the
word of life, and indefatigable in instructing his neophytes
in the principles of the Christian faith, had not
these unceasing works of mercy been enlivened by
romantic and miraculous incidents. From the bushel of
wheat and chaff we offer our readers a measure filled at
good Father Jocelyn's granary ; we give our readers the
privilege of canying away one or the other. The outlines
of the saint's life may be given in a few words.
Patrick was born, according to the best authorities, in
the Roman colony of Tabernia, afterwards named Bononia,
now Boulogne-sur-Mer : his father, the Roman
Calphurnus ;
his motJier, first a beautiful Gaulish captive,
then wife to the Roman oihcer. In a descent on
the coast by Nial of the Nine Hostages he was captured,
and the next seven years of his life were spent in herding
swine in the North of Ireland. Making his escape,
he regained France ; and finding within himself a strong
vocation for the preaching of Christ to the Pagan Irish,
he entered on the course of theological studies, and
being in time ordained and appointed to the mission, he
returned to Ireland. After some conversions in the
North, and using a barn as his first cathedral, he preached