parts of the Heptarchy, which, in general, consented to ac knowledge him as their chief. Even the most distant of their states, and at the same time one of the most powerful, the West Saxons, at his instance, embraced Christianity, which had been previously inculcated on them by a zealons missionary from Rome: and soon after, the East Anglians were recovered from apostasy, by the united efforts of Culdees from Ireland, and of a French bishop the king having been converted to Christianity while in France. Oswald's talents and character raised him nearly to sovereign power over Britain for the Picts of Galloway, the Britons of Strath-clyde, and the Scots of Argyle, ap pear to have sought his protection; and the Pictishi monarch himself, at least peaceably acquiesced in the ascendency of a potentate even more eminently good than great. Unhappily for England his reign was terminated in eight years, by an invasion from his restless neighbours, the heathen Mercians, or Mida Angles. Oswy, who succeeded him, with talents? perhaps equal, procured, by a political alliance, the admission of Christianity to that inland, and powerful kingdom, A. D. 653; and a Culdee, named Diuma, was appointed bishop of the Mercians. One of his assistants named Ceada, or Chad, was soon after. wards called to restore the East Saxons from apostasy; their king having been persuaded, by Oswy, to submit to baptism: and so successful were Ceada's labours for their recovery, that, although the king's life was cut off two years after, the East Saxons remained stedfast in their profession of the Gospel; and when a part of them subsequently relapsed, they were speedily re-established.

The fruits of the Culdean ministry, wherever it was exercised, proved generally permanent; although it was limited in Eng land to the short term of thirty years. The effects which it might have produced, had it continued, may be fairly estimated by its result in Scotland, during a much longer period, after England had been deprived of its benefits by a conspiracy of mean ambition and short-sighted policy, with the insanity of bigotry and the ideotey of superstition. L

Oswy having gradually attained to authority nearly equal to that which his pious predecessor had exercised so beneficially, indulged a vanity that could ill brook the stigma of schism, or the simplicity of the Culdee establishment in his dominions. His power, also, had not been acquired without treachery and fratricide; and he must have deemed a less strict and faithful ministry more desirable. It appeared, nevertheless, necessary to preserve some appearance of respect toward persons to whom he had been indebted for refuge in danger, and instruc tion in childhood. A mock council was therefore assembled at

of the seventh century, the only centre for the Culdees' ope rations in the lowlands: and the first addition to it, at Loch Leven, in the Firth, with another at Culross, was made by a f person named Serf; who, though not educated at I-colm-kill, united with the Culdees, at the instance of their prior Adomnan, one of Columba's biographers. The writings of this good, but weak man, shew him to have been as credulous of miracles as the Roman clergy: and being employed on an embassy to the Northumbrian court, soon after the event last mentioned, he was dazzled by the splendour, and bewildered by the sophistry of the Roman partisans. On his return to I-colm-kill, he therefore laboured, but without effect, to persuade his brethren into acquiescence with their demands. He then visited Ireland, where his efforts, though equally unsuccessful in the Culdee seminaries of that country, availed more with the diocesan churches, into many of which he introduced: the Roman ritual and authority, doubtless with consequences similar to the effects of those perversions of Christianity in other countries. Animated by this encouragement, on returning to I-colm-kill, he renewed his importunity on the subject, but with so little impression that it was only by a. timely removal out of life, he escaped the danger of again. celebrating Easter at an uncanonical season of the year.

The submission which the fraternity at I-colm-kill refused to the influence of their superior, was, some years after his death, extorted from them, by royal authority. Netan 3d, who had recently been defeated by the Northumbrians, shewed his desire of conforming with them in subjection: to the Roman Church; and in 716, at his desire, a priest, named Egbert, came from a monastery in Northumberland, to that of I-colm-kill, in order to regulate its proceedings ac-: cording to the pattern of Rome. Few, however, of the Culdees appear to have yielded to this intrusion; the greater part being expelled, but perhaps only transferred to their establishments at Abernethy and Loch-leven. Netan's reign terminating, after a series of crimes and cala mities, in his imprisonment, A. D, 727, the Culdees res gained their former liberty and authority; and improved to the best advantage, the privileges which they enjoyed, without farther interruption, till the close of the following century. Their settlements in the lowlands seem rapidly

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Abercorn, Melrose, and perhaps other Culdee settlements, south of the Forth, were founded earlier, in the Northumbrian territory, most probably by King Oswald. They reverted successively to the dominion of the Picts.

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to have multiplied, after their restoration to I-colm-kill Dunkeld was assigned to them, A. D. 729, and Kilrymont, Brechin, Dunblane, Muthill, Monimusk, Dunfermline, and other inferior establishments, were progressively added. They appear, during this period, to have had the entire care of religious instruction, and the education of youth, in that part of our island which had before derived least advantage from their institution; and their services, though gradually restrained and oppressed, were prolonged through several centuries. Expelled from England, separated by. its conformity with Rome from Ireland, and precluded by the ravages of the Norwegians, from continued usefulness: to the Northern Picts, it is from the Lowlanders of Scotland, that we can, best appreciate the genuine effects of the Culdee ministry and if it appears, that the populace of that district have, from that time, been distinguished, perhaps above any other nation, for a serious and zealous regard to religion, we shall only render justice to the Culdees, by estimating their qualifications and their exertions according to this criterion.

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While the happy result of the Culdean ministry in Scot land cannot but be a pleasing object of contemplation to: every serious Christian, it must proportionally excite our regret, that England should have forfeited such benefits. The employment, however, of these pious men in our country, was perhaps doubly propitious to Scotland, not only as it proved the occasion of their resort thither being more numerous than it could otherwise have been, but likewise as it had familiarized them to stated local ministrations, and reconciled them to deviate from their original destination, so far as the edification of persons professing Christianity differs from the conversion of heathens. It would, indeed, have be-. trayed a decrease of their primitive zeal and industry, if their efforts had been confined to Scotland: but this was far from being the result. While many of them were employed at home, in the indispensable, though less arduous engagement of building up the church of Christ, many others were laying new foundations for its future establishment abroad. Before the close of the seventh century, Kilian and Disen from their Irish seminaries, and Wilibrod and the Hevalds from England, preached to the pagans of Friesland, Saxony, and Franconia. The extensive influence of the Culdees in England, during their transient but zealous exertions for its benefit, together with the connection, which they usually maintained with the Anglo-Saxon missionaries in their labours on the continent, render it probable

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that most of the latter had been qualified and stimulated by preceding mutual intercourse, to engage in these services. The part which was taken by Northumbrian Christians in the conversion of the West Saxons, renders this observation, in some degree, applicable even to Winfrid, who, under the surname of Boniface, chiefly contributed, during the eighth century, to spread the profession of Christianity through Germany. It is obvious, that, though himself strenuously attached to the Roman interest, he trod in the steps of the missionaries already noticed; and while his English assistants, Burchard and Lullus, entered into the labours of Kilian and Disen, others, named Liefwyn and Villchad (the latter from Northumberland) extended those of the Hevalds; and another, Rumold (supposed to have come from Ireland) ministered in the Netherlands. Those countries, in the following century, were established in Christianity, by Frederic, a nephew of Winfrid, another English missionary named Icron, and two Scotch Abbots, Patto and Tones. The missionary labours of the Culdees, and their English companions, were extended through the next two centuries; during which, not only Denmark and Prussia, but Sweden, Norway, and even Greenland, received the knowledge of Christianity, by the ministry of Bernard, and Guthebald, Sigefrid and Ulfrid, William and John, of English and Scottish birth. To enumerate all, of this description, who shared in excluding heathenism from the dark nations of Europe, would far exceed our limits. More than a hundred names of Columba's disciples, who excelled in piety and learning, stand on record; and it is well known, that if, during this period, the extraction of any person eminent for these qualities was unknown, it was usually concluded, that he came from Britain or Ireland.

Ofiso numerous a fraternity, so widely extended, and so actively employed, it must appear strange, if none had incurred censure yet hardly any thing has been laid to their charge, that does not tend to exalt, rather than to debase their character, in the judgement of a serious protestant. From many of the Romish clergy, they met, of course, with envy and opposition; and two of them were excommunicated and punished at Rome, as heretics, without trial, and consequently without evidence of guilt. But the more respectable of their opponents do ample justice to their prevailing excellence. The testimony of Bede, a Northumbrian, is too generally known to require citation: but as Mr. Pinkerton, in the plenitude of bis anti-christian and anti-british prejudices, has pronounced that the Culdees were merely

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