Bede's si lence about proofs of his existence. The sum total of the proofs of this self-confident antiquarian against St. Patrick's existence in the fifth century, and his having preached the christian gospel to the Irish, is compressible into a very narrow compass. It is limited to the silence of Venerable Bede in his history of England; the doubts of master Ryves; the hardy assurances of Dr. Ledwich; the zealous adoption of these bold denials by Mr. Gordon, who lays claim to no antiquarian knowledge; and the servile devotion of Sir John Carr, the itinerant knight, of whose Tour through Ireland the most authentic part is his formal disclaimer of any knowledge or judgment in the antiquities of the country which he traversed. The first of these objections founded in the silence St. Patrick. of Venerable Bede, who lived within two centuries of St. Patrick, is removed by remarking, that the subject of the ecclesiastical history of the English nation would rather check than promote the venerable author's travelling out of his own into the ecclesiastical history of another country, in any matter which was not common to the history of that nation (Gentis Anglorum) which he had in hand. But where circumstances occurred affecting both countries, we find that old Saxon author speaking faithfully of Ireland, as he does of his own country. This venerable author, amongst the number of works which he has left to posterity*, wrote a martyrologe for every day * Cambden says of this author, "The reverend Bede, whom we may more easily admire than sufficiently praise for his profound learning in a most barbarous age." Remains of a large Work in the year, in which he mentions the death of St. Patrick, confessor in (Scotia) Ireland. Father Soller, concerning Britain, 1605, 4to. p. 183. Pits, whose work upon. the famous English writers was published at Paris, 1619, says (p. 130), that he was so well-versed in the several branches of learning, that Europe scarcely ever produced a greater scholar in all respects; and that even, whilst he was living, his writings were of so great authority, that by a council in England, afterwards approved by the whole church, they were ordered to be publicly read and chanted (as they still are, says Pits) in the solemn service of the church. Selden, Spelman, Stillingfleet, and others are equally loud in commendation of this author. Bishop Nicholson also commends him strongly; and says, he must be pardoned for stuffing his writings here and there with thumping miracles, the natural product of the zeal and ignorance of his age. He also charges him with too much partiality to the Saxons. Pits enumerates, as published amongst Bede's works, besides Martyrologium per singulos dies totius anni, the following which are the works of Probus, who, according to Ware, wrote in the tenth century, Ir. Writ. p. 19.; Vitam St. Patricii Episcopi Librum Unum; St. Patricius, qui et Sochet; De Miraculis et obitu ejusdem Librum Unum Domini et Apostolici viri Patris Nostri Patricii (p. 136). Pits composed his work in the reign of Elizabeth, though it were only published some years after his death, viz. A. D. 1619. As to Bede's Martyrologe, Dr. Ledwich endeavours to mislead and misrepresent. He affects to commend Bollandus and Cave, and misquotes them both in adducing their authorities against the authenticity of Bede's Martyrologe. The words of Cave (Hist. Lit. p. 403.) are, " which work (namely, the Martyrologe) he testifies in the appendix to his Ecclesiastical History was composed by himself (Bede). But some have heretofore remarked, that what is now handed about has been disfigured by frequent interpolations of others. Concerning this Martyrologe, Molanus, Rosweyd, and particularly Bollandus and his coadjutors (σuvepyo) may be consulted; in their preface to Jan. c. 4. and Prolog. to the month of March, T. 11. § v. et seq. the most erudite critic, that ever handled the subject of martyrologies, says, that the edition of Bede's where they profess to give the genuine Martyrologe of Bede from various ancient manuscripts (so they would have us believe). There appeared also separately an interpolated Martyrologe of Bede, at Antwerp, 1564." These words of Cave evidently deny not the genuineness of that Martyrologe of Bede (which mentions St. Patrick). The Bollandists assume credit for giving the genuine work of Bede. Now, if any persons were likely to have acquired authentic documents upon this subject, they were the Bollandists. This was a permanent and select committee of four of the most learned of the society of Jesuits, who resided at the professed house at Antwerp. They were nominated by the General of that order to devote their whole time to the collection and arrangement of the documents, which form that immense work of Hagiography, which, from the first of January down to the ninth of October, has swelled to fifty volumes in folio. The work goes under the name of the Bollandists, from father Bolland, the first that was placed at the head of the institution. Rosweyde, to whom Cave refers, was the first, who conceived and planned this great and useful work; he was a native of Utrecht, and died in 1629, and the next year Bolland commenced the work. Molanus published an edition of Usuard's Martyrologe, which was so much esteemed as to have been adopted and used as the Roman Martyrolege. It is obvious, that the aggregated contributions of so learned and extensive a body to one work, must have furnished more materials, document, and information, than the industry and learning of any individual could attain. The last volume was published in 1786; and the abolition of the order of Jesuits put a stop to this valuable work. Bede thus describes his own Martyrologe of the birth-days of the holy martyrs," in which I have studied diligently to note all that I could find, not only on what day, but also in what manner of combat, and under what judge, they overcame the world." This minute description of his own Martyrologe, the candid antiquarian Dr. Ledwich palms upon his reader in these words: "Whether he (Bede) ever composed such a work is very doubtful, as he barely hints at it in one of his com Martyrologe, published by Papebroch (one of the Bollandists) was more correct, than that published by Plantin. But he and the other learned authors, although they refer to interpolations in Bede, confine themselves to the introduction of some saints, that lived after the days of Bede, as did Florus of Lyons. Dr. Ledwich, the avowed oppugner of the existence of St. Patrick, admits, that the Roman martyrology is the oldest, in which we find the name of our apostle t. Bede died in the year 735; and he informs us, in the fifty-ninth year of his age, that he had then written his Martyrologe; and his biographers fix this to the year 731. The accurate Fleury puts the death of St. Patrick in the year 460. Less than two centuries, therefore, intervened between the death of St. Patrick and the publication of Bede's Martyrologe. Florus's Martyrologe, which was written about 830, is, according to Soller, but an augmentation of Bede. Patrick's The greater antiquity of the Roman martyrologe, Proofs of St draws the death and commemoration of St. Patrick to existence before Bedel closer approximation. And as no fixed period has positions!!!" In the second volume for March, Prol. xiv. where the Bollandists give Bede's Martyrologe verbatim, are con ained these few simple words, which head the article for 17th of March. In Scotia S. Patricii Confessoris. Led. Ant. p. 69. Father Soller published a superb and very learned folio edition of Usuard's Martyrologe at Antwerp, A. D. 1714; in which, for the 17th of March, is commemorated St. Patrick, in these words (p. 159): In Scotia natalis Sancti Patricii episcopi et confessoris qui primus ibidem Christum evange Lizavit. been given to the publication of the Roman martyrologe, though we find its use traced up to the sixth century, the conclusion is, that the existence of this apostle in Ireland is established by authority prior to that of Venerable Bede. Many of the foreign critics have spoken with strong and very proper severity of the incredible legends of St. Patrick; but the fables which enthusiastic ignorance, or pious credulity, have introduced into the legendary lives of this holy man, no more disprove his existence, than the fictions of the ancient phillids or bards negative the succession of the Milesian race of sovereigns. The judicious Tillemont*, in his notes to the life of St. Patrick, says, that seeing no solid ground for crediting the marvellous stories of his life, as reported by his biographers, he confines himself to St. Patrick's letter to Corotic, which is generally esteemed genuine and authentic; and to his confessions, which the Bollandists also believe to have been written as a sketch of his own biography by the Saint himself. Admitting, therefore, Dr. Ledwich's quotation from the Bollandists, that the general matter of the life of St. Patrick was put together by most fabulous authors, and that none of it was compiled before the twelfth century †, yet the writing of his life by the Bollandists, and by Tillemont (as well as by Baronius, Fleury, and numerous * Vol. xvi. p. 78. Ab auctoribus fabulosissimis consarcinata, nec ulla sæculo duodecimo priora. We mention Baronius as a person, who had more opportu nity than any other author, that ever wrote upon the mission of St. |