ST. PATRICK 
acter can only be understood by one who studies, 
and in a right spirit, that account of his life which he 
bequeathed to us shortly before its close—the ‘Con- 
fession of Saint Patrick.’ ” 
The ancient Irish Tripartite Life of Patrick has 
summed up his place among men for all time in a 
way that probably could not be equalled by any 
modern expression. There is nothing to do but 
quote it as the concise sum of Patrick’s career: 
“A righteous man, verily, was this man. With 
purity of nature, like the patriarchs. A true pil- 
grim like Abraham. Mild, forgiving from the 
heart, like Moses. A praiseworthy psalmist like 
David. A shrine of wisdom, like Solomon. A 
joyous vessel for proclaiming righteousness, like 
Paul the Apostle. A man full of the grace and the 
favour of the Holy Ghost, like John the child. A 
fair herbgarden with plants of virtues. A vine- 
branch with fruitfulness. A flashing fire with the 
fervour of the warming and heating of the sons of 
Life, for kindling and for inflaming charity. A lion 
for strength and might. A ‘dove for gentleness and 
simplicity. A serpent for prudence and cunning as 
to good. Gentle, humble, merciful unto the sons of 
Life. Gloomy, ungentle to the sons of Death. A 
laborious and serviceable slave to Christ. A king 
for dignity and power as to binding and loosing, as 
to liberating and enslaving, as to killing and quick- 
ening life.” 
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