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nay, very much detesting the same, as I have most manifestly proved in the book I have writen, "De Temporibus;" but, like an impartial historian relating what was done by or with him, and commending such things as are praiseworthy in his actions, and preserving the memory thereof for the benefit of the readers; viz., his love of peace and charity; his continence and humility; his mind superior to anger and avarice, and despising pride and vainglory; his industry in keeping and teaching the heavenly commandments; his diligence in reading and watching; his authority becoming a priest in reproving the haughty and powerful, and at the same time his tenderness in comforting the afflicted, and relieving or defending the poor. To say all in a few words, as near as I could be informed by those that knew him, he took care to omit none of those things which he found in the apostolical or prophetical writings, but to the utmost of his power endeavoured to perform them all."

As I have said, the Columban monks naturally became the teachers of the community, and their are numerous notices of persons of distinction residing in the monasteries for the purpose of being instructed. Oswald, the King of Northumbria, when driven into exile, lived for several years in Iona, and was there instructed. The clergy had a great reputation for learning, and Bede tells us that many of the nobles and princes of the English resorted to them for instruction. In what their learning consisted is an interesting question. That they wrote Latin well is evidenced by writings which have come down to us, and we are told that when Columbanus, in the year 590, went to Gaul, he was able to converse freely in that language. It would also appear that he had some knowledge of Greek, for he talks about the meaning of his own name in that language. It does not appear, however, that, previous to their coming in contact with the outer world, they had any knowledge of Roman or Greek literature, or of the writings of any of the fathers of the Roman, Greek, or Eastern Churches. And Bede more than once, as in the passage I have read about Aidan, mentions that they taught only what was contained in the Scriptures. The literary remains of the Church which have come down to us, consist entirely of the lives of saints, with the exception of an account of the holy places, written by Adamnan, from information given to him by a bishop of Gaul, who was driven to Iona by stress of weather, and resided there for a winter-some letters of Columbanus to the Pope, and to a Council of the clergy of Gaul; and there are some hymns and poems attributed to St Columba, but whether any of them are authentic

seems doubtful. That he wrote poetry, and was a friend and patron of bards, is beyond all doubt, and Bede mentions that writings of his were said to be in existence in his time. It would rather appear, therefore, that as the lives of the Columban clergy were an effort to translate its teaching into practice, so their learning consisted in a knowledge of the Bible, the transcribing of which was one of their chief occupations.

Their architecture was of the simplest and rudest, and if their general state of culture were to be judged by it, we should pronounce it of the lowest. Their churches were constructed of wattle work of branches, covered with clay. We frequently hear of the cutting of branches for the building or repair of churches; and Bede tells us that when Aidan settled at Lindesfarne he built a church there, after the manner of his country, of wood thatched with reeds. The monks, as has been said, lived in "bothies," and these seem to have been erected by the occupants, and to have been of slight construction. In the Irish Life of St Columba, we are told of his asking, when he went to a monastery for instruction, where he was to set up his bothy, and in another place mention is made of a bothy being removed from one side of a river to another. But, as we should commit a grievous error if we judged of the general intelligence and culture of our own peasantry by the houses in which they live, so we should commit a like error if we judged of the culture of these monks by their churches and dwellings. That they had examples of more substantial and elaborate structures we know, and the poorness of their building was probably only one mode of expressing the highest thought that was in them, that taking for themselves no more of this world's goods than was necessary for existence, they should teach and illustrate their religion not by stately edifices, but by pure and holy lives.

In metals they seem to have been skilful workers. Adamnan tells us that, on one occasion, St Columba had blessed a certain knife, and said that it would never injure man or beast, and that thereupon the monks had the iron of which it was made melted, and a number of other tools in the monastery coated with it. The ceard or artificer seems to have been a regular official in the monasteries, and specimens which have come down to us in the decoration of shrines, cases for books, bells, &c., show that they had acquired a proficiency in art work of this description which has never been surpassed.

Another branch of art in which they have never been excelled was the ornamentation and illumination of their Bibles and service

books. The only manuscripts which have come down to us, and which can be traced to the hands of Columban monks in Scotland, are the Book of Deer and one of the manuscripts of Adamnan's life of St Columba, and these are not highly ornamented. But there are numerous examples in Ireland, some of the more elaborate of which can be almost traced to the hands of St Columba, and there can be no doubt that the art which produced the Irish specimens was the common property of both Churches, if, indeed, some of the books now existing in Ireland were not actually produced in Iona. One of these books was seen in Ireland by Geraldus Cambriensis, who accompanied some of the first Norman and Welsh invaders in the twelfth century, and he thus describes it :

"Among all the miracles in Kildare, none appears to me more wonderful than that marvellous book which they say was written in the time of the Virgin [St Brigit] at the dictation of an angel. It contains the Four Gospels according to St Jerom, and almost every page is illustrated by drawings illuminated with a variety of brilliant colours. In one page you see the countenance of the Divine Majesty supernaturally pictured; in another, the mystic forms of the evangelists, with either six, four, or two wings; here are depicted the eagle, there the calf; here the face of a man, there of a lion; with other figures in almost endless variety. If you observe them superficially, and in the usual careless manner, you would imagine them to be daubs, rather than careful compositions; expecting to find nothing exquisite, where, in truth, there is nothing which is not exquisite. But if you apply yourself to a more close examination, and are able to penetrate the secrets of the art displayed in these pictures, you will find them so delicate and exquisite, so finely drawn, and the work of interlacing so elaborated, while the colours with which they are illuminated are so blended, and still so fresh, that you will be ready to assert that all this is the work of angelic, and not human, skill. The more often and closely I scrutinise them, the more I am surprised, and always find them new, discovering fresh causes for increased admiration."

And art critics of our own day speak of the work in terms of equal commendation.

Such was the first Christian Church established among us, and such the mode of life and state of culture of its clergy. It existed in full vigour among us for about two hundred years, and then, partly from external causes, and partly from internal, it began to decay; but it was not finally superseded by a system of

diocesan episcopacy under the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome, until the time of King David the First. To trace the process of its decay would be interesting, but this paper has already extended to too great a length.

16TH DECEMBER 1885.

At the meeting on this date the following new members were elected, viz.:-Miss Marion Ferguson, 23 Grove Road, St John's Wood, London, honorary member; Mr George Black, National Museum, Edinburgh; and Dr Thomas Aitken, Lunatic Asylum, Inverness, ordinary members.

Some routine business having been transacted, the Secretary read the second* instalment of the paper on "The Gaelic Names of Birds," by Mr Charles Fergusson, Cally, Gatehouse, Kirkcudbright. Mr Fergusson's paper was as follows:

GAELIC NAMES OF BIRDS.

PART II.

LONG-EARED OWL.

Latin Otus vulgaris. Gaelic-Comhachag, Cumhachag-adharcaich. Welsh-Dylluan gorniog.

SHORT-EARED OWL.

Latin-Otus brachyotus. Gaelic-Cumhachag-chluasach. Welsh -Dylluan glustiog.

BARN OWL.

Latin-Strix flammea. Gaelic-Cumhachag, Cailleach-oidhche, Cailleach-oidhche-bhan, Cumhachag-bhan. Welsh-Dylluan

wen.

The hooting of this owl is supposed in the Highlands to foretell rain, hence the old saying "Tha 'chomhachag ri bron, thig tuiltean oirnn"--The owl is mourning, rain is coming.

Gaelic-Cumhachag-dhonn, Cumha

TAWNY OWL.

Latin-Syrniuim-strodch.

Dylluan frech.

chag-ruadh, Bodach-oidhche, Cailleach oidhche.

Welsh-

This owl is very common in the wooded parts of the Highlands, and his melancholy hooting at night has been the cause of

* For the first part of Mr Fergusson's paper, see "Transactions,"
Vol. XI., page 240.

many a good fright to people coming from the unwooded glens, where they are not acquainted with this mournful bird of night, and also the origin of many a ghost story. Alluding to this, the old phrase says—“Tha mi na's eolaiche air coille na bhi fo eagal na caillich-oidhche❞—I am more accustomed to a wood than to be afraid of an owl.

SNOWY OWL.

Latin-Surnia nyctea. Gaelic-Comhachag bhan, Cailleach-bhan, Comhachag-mhor. Welsh-Dylluan mauer.

This very beautiful bird may be said to be common in parts of the Highlands, especially the Hebrides, during the spring generally.

Latin Surnia funerea.

HAWK OWL.

Gaelic Seobhag-oidhche, Seobhagfheasgair.

This is a very rare bird, but I have often seen it on the Strathardle hills, hunting in broad daylight. I remember seeing a very fine specimen shot in Glenderly when out grouse shooting about twenty years ago. The day was clear and sunny, and we saw it hunting abroad for its prey a good while before it came within shot

LITTLE OWL.

Latin-Noctua passerina. Gaelic-Cumhachag-bheag. WelshCoeg daylluan.

This finishes the Raptores, or rapacious birds, and brings us to the second order-the Insessors, or tree-perchers.

INSESSORS.

Group I.-Dentirostres. Family 1.-Laniada.

GREAT GREY SHRIKE, OR BUTCHER BIRD.

Latin-Lanius excubitor. Gaelic-Buidseir, Pioghaid-ghlas (Grey Piet). Welsh-Cigydd Mawr.

The first Gaelic name, which I must say looks suspiciously like a mere translation from the English, is that given by Alexander Macdonald (Mac Mhaighstir Alastair) in his Gaelic Vocabulary, published in 1741. The second is the name by which the bird is known in Strathardle, where it is often found, and where I well remember shooting a very fine male specimen-amongst the very first birds ever I shot--with an old flint gun,

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