the Celts, they understood one another very well, which is hinted before. Now, who are these Goths, but Scythians? Who could they have letters from, but immediately, and in fucceffion, from their own ancestors? There does not appear any sort of reason, why they should: have had them from the Greeks or Latins, who themselves. had them from the Gomerians and Scythians originally, and, undoubtedly, much earlier than either of these two languages was formed? It appears, then, that what is faid: of Ulphilla's having first invented letters among the Goths, is trifling, for the reafons given; and alfo from this further confideration: that he is faid to have tranflated the: Gofpels into the Gothic language, from the Greek. Now, if the Goths were illiterate before, we must fuppofe that all the people must first have been taught to read their own tongue, with this new fet of letters; and that then he made his tranflation for their ufe. But Johannes Magnus, quoted above, fays, on the contrary, the Goths had the use: of letters at all times; and that Ulphilla was erroneously faid to have invented letters, only because he first translated the Scriptures into that language. THAT the Saxons had their letters and learning from Ireland, is well attefted by good authority; let us fee: what Camden and others fay. See Gibfon's Camden, under. Ireland, page 970. "THE Saxons, in that age, flocked hither, as to the great mart for learning; and this is the reason, why "we find this fo often in our writers: fuch a one was fent over into Ireland to be educated. And this paffage, in "the Life of Sulgenus, who flourished 600 years ago: 66 Exempla "Exemplo patrum commotus amore legendi "With love of learning, and examples fir'd, THE rapid progress that Patrick made, in the converfion of the whole Irish nation to Christianity, was influenced by their being a people more fufceptible of religious impreflions, from their being learned, and versed in music and poetry, than thofe of any other country. These are endowments, which foften the minds of men, and fit them for the reception of rational erudition, especially as they were fcrupulous obfervers of the moral rules which their wife men laid down for them, from time to time: and, therefore, as Bishop Nicholfon obferves, Ireland foon became the fountain of learning, to which all the Western Christians, as well as the English, had recourse, not only for instruction in the principles of religion, but in all forts of literature, legendi et fcholafticæ eruditionis gratia: for, within a century after the death of St. Patrick, the Irish feminaries of learning increased to fuch a degree, that most parts of Europe fent hither their children to be educated, and had from hence both their bishops and doctors. See venerable Bede, Hift. Ecclef. lib. iii. cap. 4, 7, 10, II, 27. Camden, in Hibernia, writes: "Subfequente "ætate Scoticis monarchis nihil fanctius, nihil eruditius "fuerit, et in univerfam Europam fanctiffimorum vi rorum examina emiferint." He fays farther, that they not only repaired to Ireland, as to the mart of learning; but also brought from thence even the form of their letters: " Anglo Anglo-Saxones etiam noftri illi ætate, in Hiberniam tanquam ad bonarum literarum mercaturam undique confluxerunt; unde de viris fanctis fæpiffime in noftris "Scriptoribus legitur; amandatus eft ad difciplinam in "Hiberniam. Indeque noftrates Saxones rationem for"mandi literas accepiffe videantur, quum eodem plane "charactere ufi fuerint, qui hodie Hibernicis eft in ufu. "NOR is there, fays he, any reafon to admire, that Ire“ land, which, for the most part, is now without the glory "of polite literature, was so full of pious and great wits “in that age, wherein learning was little heeded through"out Christendom; when the wisdom of Providence has "fo ordered it, that religion and learning fhall grow and "flourish, sometimes in one nation, and sometimes in an"other." Here our great author, Camden, has, from good authority, proved that the Saxons had letters and learning from the Irish; and venerable Bede mentions, that Coleman, one of the disciples of Aidanus, returned from England into his own country, and founded two monasteries; one in Bonfin, an island on the Western coafts of Connaught, for his townsmen; and another in Mayo, for the English; which last was held by them, and became very great in the time of this venerable author; for Coleman, very probably, fucceeded Aidan in the bishopric of the Northumbrians, and held it thirty years: to which Aidan was called by Ofwald, their king, who being many years an exile in Ireland, became well versed in the Irish language, and was there converted to Chriftianity, and all his foldiers; and afterwards called that holy bishop, and many other ecclefiaftics, to convert his fubje&s, from Ireland; Fff Ireland; himself interpreting to his nobility and people, the word, as it was preached to his fubjects, who could not understand the language; whereby, and from his own example, there was a very rapid progress made in propagating the Gospel; for numbers were converted and baptized; many churches were built, and monafteries founded: and his influence in religious, as well as his power in fecular matters, was foon become very extensive. At this time, about the year 651, and long before, there were vast numbers of English in Ireland, as well nobility as others, who left their own country, in the time of the bishops, Finan and Coleman, to study divinity, and devote themselves to a monaftic life; and were furnished with books, and every neceffary of life, gratis. Tuda fucceeded Coleman; and Keada, a disciple of Aidan, fucceeded in a bishopric of the Mercians; and then Eata, another bishop, one of the twelve young lads who were English, bred up under St. Aidan to the church: from these twelve, the English, who had not been taught the letters of their fathers, received the manner of writing the Irish letters; for they all became teachers of the Christian religion, when they returned to England. So that, about these times, there were two modes of writing in England; for all the religious, who had ftudied in Ireland, and they were the majority, wrote ever in the Irish characters. HOWEVER, I must set one part of the above quotation from Camden right, in which he is much mistaken; viz. nor is it any wonder that Ireland, which, for the most part, is now rude, and without the glory of polite lite"rature, was fo full of pious and great wits, in that "age, age, &c." Now, he relates from Bede, that Egfrid, king of the Northumbrians, about the year 684, landed in Ireland, and destroyed every thing in his way with fire and fword, which, fays he, put an end to all learning and religion. But twenty Irish hiftorians, of that very time, agree in saying, that Egfrid landed in a little territory, and committed hoftilities for a few days, till the forces of the then prince were collected; and that he and his forces were then driven on board his ships, having loft a number of his men; and did not attempt it afterwards. Now, it is well known, that Ireland continued to be called the Infula Doctorum & Sanctorum many centuries after that skirmish; and were never without schools and universities, to this day, notwithstanding the many viciffitudes and wars they fuftained, from time to time; nor was it poffible that learning or religion fhould have fuffered any fort of alteration from fuch a little affair, when both, many a time, withstood, and remained unshaken, in the midst of several sharp and desperate wars before. Now, though Ireland was called by fo honourable an appellation, for many centuries after the converfion of the inhabitants, yet Infula Sacra was a very ancient name given to that kingdom, which appears from Avienus Feftus, as quoted by Dean Swift, in the notes upon his verses on the fudden drying up of St. Patrick's well, near Trinitycollege, Dublin: Avienus flourished in the joint reigns of Gratian and Theodofius, about the year 379; and in his poem, de Oris Maritimis, has these words: Infula Sacra, et fic Infulam dixere prifci; eamque rum colit. Fff2 late gens Hiberno So |