Dublin on the 18th of November, 1812, the following resolution was unanimously agreed to:

"That our warmest thanks are justly due to James Bernard Clinch, Esq., for the ability, learning, and zeal, which he has successfully displayed in his refutation of the errors and slanders published under the title of Columbanus ad Hibernos.' "

Although Mr. Clinch was an active member of the Catholic Board, yet after the breaking up of that body in 1813, he did not take a very prominent part in public discussion. He was not, however, inactive in the cause of his religion and country. In some law cases, he succeeded in establishing rights for Catholics, as to bequests, even before the Emancipation, which even all the political prejudices of Lord Manners, were not able to controvert, and which were pre-eminently useful to the cause of national justice.

In Spring, 1831, Mr. Clinch wrote a pamphlet on the Repeal of the Union; as it is a political work we do not deem this our place to enter on its merits; but we believe him sincere when he says: "To Ireland, my sacred and loved parent, I have ever borne faithful allegiance, and to its peace, prosperity, and just renown. That I have proved it in far worse conjunctures than the present, will be yet allowed to my name."

His principles in religion were truly Catholic. For no consideration of friendship or interest, would he approve of dangerous experiments, or suffer any curtailment in the authority of the See of Rome, which he held in the highest veneration, and under which our faith has remained unsullied and unshaken during ages of captivity and threats.

Mr. Clinch's health began to decline in the commencement of 1833, and continued until the end of September, 1834, when he received a paralytic attack that confined him to his bed, from which he never after rose.

It was too plain, that the end of his earthly course was run, and that hopes of recovery were vain. He continued in this state of suffering, preparing himself for the awful journey to the other life, unceasingly calling on God for mercy, and the Mother of his Saviour to intercede for his soul, until the 25th October, 1834, when having been fortified by the holy sacraments of Penance, Eucharist, and Extreme Unction, and encouraged by the prayers of the church to which he devoted his talents, God was pleased to release him from his sufferings, from which he, however, desired no liberation, except according to his sacred will and pleaOn the 30th October his mortal remains were deposited with all becoming respect, in the cemetry of the Metropolitan Church, Marlborough-street.

sure.

The talents of Mr. Clinch were of the first order, and his acquirements were extraordinary. He wrote Greek, Latin, French,

and Italian, with great elegance and ease. He was complete master of Hebrew. His style of writing in English was in some measure peculiar to himself. In music few equalled him, in taste and genius hardly one. His knowledge in canon, civil, and common law, was most profound. Whilst sacred studies were his delight, profane literature was duly estimated by him. His judgment and taste in all the fine arts-in Philosophy, Belles Lettres, and above all in the Sacred Scriptures were rare. In truth, we may 'style him a great man; and the more truly great, because he desired to use his talents only to advance the glory of his God, and the honour of his church, and the happiness of his country.

[FROM THE PHILADELPHIA CATHOLIC HERALD, THURSDAY, 18th DEC. 1834] "THE LATE J. B. CLINCH, ESQ.

"We deeply regret to perceive by our Dublin papers the death of this highly gifted gentleman. This painful event took place is October last, at his house in Dublin, to which he had been con

fined by infirmity for some years. Mr. Clinch was one of many brothers, all of whom were distinguished for great mental powers and high literary attainments. He was originally designed for the ecclesiastical state, and spent some years in the Irish College at Rome in preparation for that purpose. Having subsequently relinquished this object he was admitted to the bar, in which be maintained a high standing for profound and accurate legal knowledge. He distinguished himself by his eloquent advocacy of Catholic Emancipation, and published several works of an ephemeral nature, which were remarkable for justness of thought and classie excellence of style. But the great claim he has to the grateful remembrance of every Catholic are his Letters on "Church Government," in which with a wonderful depth of learning and acuteness of reasoning, he vindicated the rights of the episcopal order. Thanks were voted to Mr. C. for this work, by the bishops of Ireland at a meeting held at Dublin.

"In private life Mr. C. was in the highest degree amiable, and his vast information was accompanied by the most unaffected and graceful modesty. During his life he enjoyed the intimate friendship of the Most Rev. Dr. Troy, the late archbishop of Dublin, of the present archbishop Dr. Murray, and of the most distinguished members of the clerical body."

DUBLIN: Stereotyped, Printed and Published, by T. & J. COLDWELL, 50, Capel-street Sold also by the Catholic Book Society, 5, Essex-bridge; R. Coyne, 4, Capel-street i R. Grace & Son, 45, Capel-street; J. Coyne, 24, Cook-street: D. O'Brien, 2, Abbey-8. WHOLESALE AGENTS in London, Keating and Brown; Liverpool, John Pughe, £. Marehone; Manchester, Samuel Birchenough, 35, Smithy Door, and R. Lynch, Bark King-street; Glasgow, D. Kennedy, &c. &c.

THE

PUBLISHED WEEKLY,

UNDER THE INSPECTION OF CATHOLIC DIVINES..

No. 57.

DUBLIN, SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 1835. Vol. II.

ST. PATRICK AT TARA.

LYNCH, in his "Life of St. Patrick," tells us, that after the saint had in 433, took his leave of Dichu, (son of Trichem, lord of Ulidia, now County Down,) who then lived in Inis, and bent his course southward by sea, keeping the coast on his right hand, and arrived at port Colbdi, (a little port called Colp, near Drogheda, at the mouth of the Boyne,) where he landed and committed the charge of his vessel to his nephew, St. Luman, by his sister Tigrida, whom afterwards he consecrated bishop of Trim, desiring him to wait for him forty days, while he and his disciples were travelling into the inner parts of the country to preach the gospel. His intention in this journey was to celebrate the festival of Easter in the plains of Bregia (or Mac-bregh, a plain extending many miles about Tara, the residence of the monarch of Ireland,) and to be in the neighbourhood of the great triennial convention, which at this season was held by king Laoghaire, and all his tributary princes, nobles, and druids, or pagan priests. St. Patrick justly thought that whatever impressions were made here must have an influence on the whole kingdom, and therefore being armed with unshaken fortitude, he determined not to be absent from a place where his presence was so necessary. In his way he took up his lodgings at the house of the hospitable Sesgnen, in Meath, who kindly received and welcomed him. St. Patrick preached Christ and his doctrine to him; he believed and was baptized, with his whole family. Sesgnen had a little son, of a sweet and gentle disposition whom St. Patrick named Benignus, or Benneen, that is sweet, in the Irish, from the qualities he observed in this young Christian; (he was afterwards one of the successors of St. Patrick in the see of Armagh ;) to whom, according to Ware, in his first chapter of his first book of writers, is ascribed an Irish poem on the conversion of the people of Dublin to Christianity.

From the house of Sesgnen, he moved westward, and arrived on the eve of Faster at Ferta-fir-feic, on the north banks of the river Boyne, where he rested in a tent erected for shelter, resolving there to prepare for the next day's solemnity; it was penal for any person at the time of the celebration of this solemn convention at Tara, to kindle a fire in the province, before the king's bonefire first appeared. St. Patrick either not knowing, or not minding this law, lighted up a fire before his booth, which, although eight miles distant from Tara, was very visible. It was seen with astonishment from the court, and the druids informed the king that, if he did not immediately extinguish this fire, he who kindled it, and his successors, should hold the principality of Ireland for ever, which hath hitherto happened to be a true prediction of those heathen priests as to spiritual principality.

The king dispatched messengers to bring Patrick before him, and gave his positive orders that nobody should presume to rise out af

his seat, or pay him the least honour. But Erc, the son of Dego, ventured to disobey this command. He arose and offered the holy father his seat. St. Patrick preached to him, and converted him; he became a person of great sanctity, and after some time was consecrated by St. Patrick bishop of Slane. The day following when St. Patrick and two of his disciples appeared unexpectedly at court and preached to the king and all his nobles, Dubtach, the king's poet-laureat, paid honour and respect to St. Patrick,. and was converted by his preaching. Fiech, a young poet who was under the tuition of Dubtach, was also converted, and afterwards made bishop of Sletty, and author of a poem on the life of St. Patrick, repeatedly mentioned, and given in the original Irish, with an English translation at the end of this work. St. Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, relates the conversion of Fingar, the son of Clito, one of the nobles at this assembly, in the same manner. The queen also, and many others of the court, became Christians, and although the king held out for a long time with great obstinacy, yet at last he submitted to be baptized. St. Patrick is said here to have wrought many miracles; there could not indeed, according to the projects of human wisdom, have happened a more weighty occasion for the Almighty's supporting this preacher by miracles, than when the collective body of the whole nation were assembled together, from whose report and conviction the influence of his doctrince and works must necessarily spread through the kingdom; for it was suitable with the divine Providence that the "Signs of his apostolate should be confirmed," as St. Paul expresses, "not only in all patience, but also in signs and wonders,. aud mighty deeds." The particular miracles may be read in the several writers of his life, published by John Colgan, in his Trias Thaumaturgas. Lynch's Life of St. Patrick.

more correct.

Stuart, in his history of Armagh, p. 86, and the four Masters, place the fact of St. Patrick going to Tara in 438; but it appears to us that the chronology of Lynch, in reference to the saint, is Stuart says that St. Patrick assisted at the great National senate, called the Fes of Teamor, or Tara, and that on the occasion he was nominated a member of a committee of nine ‘studious persons appointed to revise the ancient civil history of Ireland. This last work has been entitled Seanachas-More, "the great antiquity," and is said to have been executed with great ability and zeal, but that little of it remained after the Norman war, or anti-Irish invasion.

POPE NICHOLAS I.-A singular instance of the smiles of fortune happened to Thomas Seranus, who was, from an ordinary monk, consecrated a bishop, advanced to the dignity of a Cardinal, and also obtained the Pontificate by the name and title of Pope Nicholas the First:-Fulgos. Ex. l. 8, p. 1129.

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