Evening star., 1922-03-12

wv Irish wit, informs US that
"St. Patrick was a gentle
man and came of decent people," and
it is notable that the tradition, pre-
served in its quaint doggerel, should
bear directly on recent researches OF
fascinating interest to the average
reader.
Numerous and popular as are the
legends of Ireland's patron saint. 1t
has been generally conceded that
most Of the authentic information Is
found in two Latin works-St. Pat
rick's Letters to Coroticus" (ma-
raudinE Welsh chieftain, whom he
calls down for various crimes), and
more especially his "Confessions,
kind of autobiography OF his public
and official life. Yet modern learn
ing. digging deep in the uncatalogued
masses of the Vatican library and
the Ecole des Charles in Paris. may
throw new light on things unknown
Tor merely surmised, and those who
have access to the Confessions" in
their completeness will find para
graphs here and there that will no
longer seem obscure after reading
this account Of another's work.
The popular accounts begin regu-
larly with the little slave boy who
herded sheep for heather master
on the slopes Of County Antrim, Ire
land. Yet the boy had not been born
in slavery and noble blood flowed In
his veins. AS son of Calpurnius. Ro-
man patrician and magistrate. free
dom was his birthright. "And." as
popular biography continues. 1--WE are
safe in surmising that his childhood's
home afforded every comfort known
to the luxury-loving Romans Of his
day."
0NE should say so! have known
~ of these researches since 1911.
How I regret that they are not my
own to spread before the world!
During all the time that the A. E. F.
was at Tours / kept hands of them
by promise. Another. who made
them, is putting them into a book.
But with what he gives me have
luminous vision.
cosmopolitan family Of patrician gov
ernment functionaries intermarried
with the army, habituated to travel,
shifting luxurious residence over all
Europe in a period that still inherited
the good roads. splendid cities, baths,
forums, promenades. seaside resorts
and mountain hot baths. with the
arts. industries and commerce of the
august Roman peace.
How otherwise could Conchessa, st.
Patrick's mother, have been born in
what has become the present Hun
garian and somewhat damaged city
of Kothburg. lived a young wife and
lore her illustrious son near Dunn
barton. Scotland, and died in the rich
Gallo-Roman city Of Tours. today the
center of the French chateau district
for tourists and late headquarters OF
the S. o. S.?
Yet all becomes simple and under
standable when you remember that
Conchessa was the niece (and some
say sister) Of st. Martin of Tours.
himself born equally in that Panno-
nian city Of Kothburg, which modern
Hungarians still call Sarwar. from
Sabaria, its antique name as Mar
tin and Conchessa knew 1t.
Martins father was military tri-
bune there. and the family evidently
made a long and happy station on
the south bank Of the Danube. near
the Hercules Baths (Which still ex-
ist), and where the Emperor Trajam
soaked his rheumatisms. What a
picture it gives Of the long-settled
civilization before Franks. Goths and
Huns overran the empire! Regular
mails by horse relays and quick
freight by superior canalboats went
up and down the Danube. Modern
tourists Oike myself) have been
shown parts OF road and towpath
hewn in rock hundreds Of miles
apart. ~
st. Martin, youngest son. quit the
military tribune's palace down there
at the age Of fifteen to go or as a
Roman lieutenant. His elder sister
was already married, in the natural
course OF things. SO that his little girl
niece, Conchessa, born likewise down
there, grew up in a society like that
so beautifully attributed to the sis
ters Of Parthenius by Kipling in his
PUCK of Pook's HILL" shifted resi-
dence. as those girls had to do. and
finally married Calpurnius. young
military magistrate, whose post was
exactly the luxurious but far-flung
Roman city (most extraordinary in
the empire, a single street thirty
miles longD, whom Kipling makes
his hero defend in that epic Holding
Of the WALL
X X X 4
TT was the wall of Severus, away up
L in what is now north England or
south Scotland. To the south was all