[467] “Having been always free and independent of the empire of the Romans, they were unacquainted with the Roman language and its characters: there were, therefore, but two courses to adopt; either to translate the holy books into the language of the country, and celebrate the divine mysteries in it, which would have been contrary to the custom of the Church, or to teach the characters of the Roman language to those who were to instruct others; the holy apostle adopted the latter course” (Abbé Mac Geohigan).
[468] Book of Cashel.
[469] Job viii. 8, and xix. 23.
[470] There is no Mohammedan of learning in Persia or India who is not an astrologer: rare works upon that science are more valued than any other; and it is remarkable that on the most trivial occasions, when calculating nativities and foretelling events, they deem it essential to describe the planets in terms not unsuited to the account which the author of the Dabistan has given of these deities (Sir John Malcolm).
[471] Job xix. 23, 24.
[472] Job viii. 8.
[473] Since I have commenced this work, a very ancient manuscript of the abbey of Icolmkill has fallen into my hands; it was written by Cairbre-Liffeachair, who lived six generations before St. Patrick, and about the time of our Saviour; an exact account is given in it of Irish kings, from whence I infer, that as the Irish had manuscripts at that period, we must certainly have possessed them likewise.
[474] Æschylus would seem to refer to this, when he makes Prometheus say, “I invented for them the array of letters, and fixed the memory, the mother of knowledge, and the soul of life” (Bloomfield’s edition, v. 469).
[475] Τον Ἑρακλεα ὁι Κελτοι ΟΓΜΙΟΝ ονομαζουσι φωνη τη επιχωριῳ. Lucian.
[476] Whittaker’s, Manchester.