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56 LEINSTER
escaped and reached the king's dun, and other miracles
were wrought in it. At all events, by whatever means,
Patrick made converts among the king's own kindred,
and Laoghaire, though he himself would not change,
left him free to preach, and probably welcomed his
help in writing down the laws and customs of Ireland.
For wherever Patrick went he spread the arts of peace,
and Ireland was not slow to profit by them. Take
one instance only. On the hill of Slane a great
monastery grew up, centre of learning as well as of
arts, so famous that in the middle of the seventh
century, Dagobert II, heir to the throne of France,
came here to be educated, away from the weltering
turmoil of Continental Europe.
Of that monastery there is not even so much trace
as can be seen of Tara's greatness, yet within four
miles of it are monuments of surpassing interest that
show the Ireland of a day before St. Patrick, and
others that show the Ireland which he made. On
the north bank, at New Grange and at Dowth, are
the burying places of prehistoric kings : gigantic struc-
tures of huge monoliths, stone slabs, each of them
man-high, so arranged that standing stones make a
passage, roofed with other huge blocks, and this
passage leads to a vaulted chamber, built in the
same marvellous fashion. How on earth these stones
were handled no man can guess, yet there they are