Picts; but we have now to speak of those nations in a different light.

Among the luminaries of the church of Ireland in the sixth century, Columba, or St. Colum (or Colan), bears a conspicuous name, as the apostle of the Highlands and islands of Scotland, and the father of the college of Iona and its Culdees.

This great man was born in the year 521; and educated under the care of Gemman, and others, who were held in high repute for the sanctity of their character, and their acquaintance with sacred literature. Columba was held in great estimation; as from his proficiency in various studies, and the holiness of his conduct, his seniors soon perceived clear intimations of his rising greatness.

"Ireland," says Dr. Smith, "had now for a long time enjoyed the light of the Gospel, and abounded in saints and learned men; while the isles and northern parts of Scotland were still covered with darkness, and in the shackles of superstition. On those dismal regions, therefore, Columba looked with a pitying eye; and, however forbidding the prospect, resolved to become the apostle of the Highlands. Accordingly, in the year 563 he set out in a wicker boat, covered with hides, accompanied by twelve of his friends and followers; and landed at HII, or HIONA, near the confines of the Scottish and the Pictish territories. This place he probably chose, as being conveniently situated for his attending to the important concerns which he had to manage in Ireland, as well as for the work which he had in view in Scotland.

Before this time Christianity had found its way among the Scots of Argyle, who are stated to have been evangelized by St. Patrick, before they come over from Ireland. The South Picts, or the inhabitants of the eastern and the central lowlands, had received Christianity from

Ninian and his coadjutors. The mission of Columba had for its object the wildest parts of Caledonia, and the numerous islands that were destitute of the light of the Gospel.

Columba was now in the forty-second year of his age; and needed all his vigour of mind and body, in encountering those difficulties which presented themselves to him, when he undertook the conversion of the Norther Picts to Christianity. The nation was in so barbarous a state, that some of them, regardless of the sanctity of his character, made more than once an attempt upon his life; and the king, not more civilized than his people, ordered his gate to be shut when the holy man first approached it. The priests, or Druids* too, as they were most interested, so they were most forward to oppose him; and wanted neither eloquence, influence, nor art, to effect their purpose. The country itself was wild, woody, and mountainous, and greatly infested with wild beasts, from which the life of the saint seems to have been more than once in imminent danger. And what appears to have been the greatest difficulty of all, he was at first so little master of the dialect of that people, at least of some among them, as to need an interpreter when he preached to them.

Columba, so far from departing from the purity of re

* We have, among the poetic fragments of Merlin, the Caledonian, a dialogue which passed between the Bard and St. Colum, who is there called Sgolan, or the Colan, the definite particle being prefixed to proper names, according to the Greek manner. In the Welsh version we still have Yr Jesu; and it was common to say, Yr Jevan, &c., as among the modern Scotch we have, The Graeme, The Bruce, and The Wallace. See the Welsh Archaiology, Vol. I. The fragment seems to contain a penitential confession on the Bard's part; and he prays for pardon to the Creator, and appeals to the saint whether he had not suffered sufficient penance for his fault.

ligion, or accommodating it to the corrupt state of the heathen Picts, under the pretext of inducing them more readily to embrace the gospel; continued to live with the most rigid austerity. He fasted whole days, and spent whole nights in watching and prayer. He submitted to constant fatigue of body, and anxiety of mind abroad, or the most intense application to study at home. His self-denial was such that, at the age of 76, his bed was the bare ground, and a stone his pillow. Although his manners were thus rigid, and not likely to allure proselytes, his labours were attended with the most astonishing success. In the course of a few years the greater part of the Pictish kingdom embraced Christianity. So highly was Columba respected, that not only the affairs of the Pictish churches, but in a great measure those of the Albanian Scots, and the Irish, were placed under his superintendence and direction.

He was highly revered by the king of the Picts, and by all the neighbouring princes, who courted his acquaintance, and liberally assisted him in his expensive undertakings. He was received with the highest demonstrations of respect and joy wherever he went ; when at home, he was resorted to for aid and advice, as a physician both of soul and body, by multitudes of every rank and denomination.

and

He was a man of faith and prayer; and much devoted to the study of the Holy Scriptures, in transcribing copies of which he was engaged to the day of his death. His talents were of a very superior kind, and an uncommon greatness of soul is marked in every part of his extensive schemes; the happy execution and success of which are pregnant proofs of wisdom, perseverance, zeal, and abilities. His firmness and fortitude, his prudence and address, must have been great, when we consider the various and arduous undertakings in which he was

engaged, and in which he proved so eminently successful.

Notwithstanding the rigid self-denial of Columba, in the midst of his austerities he was possessed of a very tender heart: as a proof of this, his inflexible hostility to human slavery ought to be noticed. It is said that a certain master, who was sick, had a female slave, whom he had hitherto refused to release. This so grieved the noble spirit of Columba, that he refused to administer medicine to him; and assured him that his disease would soon prove fatal, unless he accepted the condition upon which he offered his assistance; the liberation of his female slave, an act of humanity which, till now, he never could be prevailed upon to perform. His zeal for the abolition of slavery was so assiduous, that his endeavours proved successful throughout the Highlands; and the system was never afterwards restored.

The following anecdotes of Columba are taken from Dr. Smith, for the illustration of his amiable character :A crane had one day taken its flight across the seas from Ireland; and by the time it drew near the shores of Iona, was so spent that it was obliged to alight in the water. The saint foresaw that this was likely to be its fate; and had already ordered one of his monks away, (though it was at the most distant part of the island,) to take up the poor bird, and save its life. Bring it, said he, to the nearest house, feed it, and take all the care you can of it for three days, till it be well refreshed, and recover its strength, so as to be able to cross the sea again to its native home. The monk obeyed, and the saint was thankful. Such a circumstance affords us a fine picture of the benevolence of Columba's disposition. Another incident, of a like nature, occurs in the account we have of the transactions of the saint's dying day. He had been to see and bless the provision of his monks, from

whom he was on that day to take his departure. On his return to the monastery, he sat down on the way to rest him his old white horse, which used to carry the milk vessels betwixt the monastery and the fold, observed him, came where he was, reclined his head upon his breast; and, as if sensible of his master's near departure, began to express his grief by groans, and even tears. Dermit offered to turn him away, but the saint forbade : let him alone, said he; let him alone, for he loves me; and I will not hinder him, on this occasion, to drop his tears in my bosom, and shew the bitterness of his grief. To thee God hath given reason; but see (that they might not be despised), he hath planted affection even in brutes; and in this, even something like a prescience of my departure. Now, my faithful and affectionat e friend, begone; and may you be kindly cared for by Him who made you!

The religion which Columba taught, with the exception of certain austerities, tended to promote every thing amiable, useful, and just. Neither the absurd practices nor unscriptural tenets, now beginning to find their way into the Catholic church, were propagated by him; and they were afterwards nobly opposed by his successors.

His monastery became the chief seat of learning perhaps in Europe, for those ages; and the nursery from which not only all the monasteries, and above three hundred churches, which he himself had established, but also many of those in neighbouring nations, were supplied with learned divines and able pastors.

"He thus kindled," says Dr. Smith, "a light which shone in a dark place for many generations; and, by its kindly beams, cherished the seed which he had sown, and brought it forward to an abundant harvest.”

The monks of Iona encountered the most dangerous voyages, in quest of situations where they might plant

VOL. II.