ctory he had gained, He could now hope that there would be peace in
Strathearn, bringing with it the opportunity of extending the boundary of
the Roman province to the Tay. His eager Roman spirit was planning other
enterprises. He had seen the coast of Ireland from Kintyre, and
doubtless courted the distinction of annexing it to the Empire. One
can't help thinking what a pity it was that the opportunity of doing so
was not given him. Had the distressful country got the benefit of the
firm and civilising Roman rule, a happier history might have been hers.
From his winter quarters behind the Firths of Forth and Clyde, Agricola
sent his fleet to explore the distant northern parts. His sailors
visited and took possession of the Orkney Islands--sighted a distant
peak, which became the "Ultima Thule" of history; noted the peculiar
feature of the West Coast of Scotland--the sea-lochs now so well known to
the tourists of every land; circumnavigated the island till they reached
the Trutulensian harbour--Dover, as we call it now; and then returned to
their station in the Firth of Forth. It was not permitted to Agricola to
turn the information thus acquired to practical use. His brilliant
success in Scotland had excited the jealousy of the Emperor Domitian, and
he was recalled under the pretence of appointing him to a higher command.
The traces of him in Strathearn and elsewhere were speedily obliterated.
The Roman province shrank to the wall of Hadrian between Tyne and
Sol-way; civilisation was beaten back, and kept back for four generations.

CELTIC SAINTS AND

ANCIENT CHURCHES OF STRATHEARN

S. FILLAN, DUNDURN
S. RONAN, STROWAN
S. BEAN, KINKELL AND FOULIS
S. SERF, DUNNING AND MONZIEVAIRD
S. KESSOG, COMRIE AND AUCHTERARDER
S. PATRICK, STROGEATH
S. FERGUS, MUTHILL
S. CATTAN, ABERUTHVEN
S. BRIDE, ABERNETHY

CELTIC SAINTS AND ANCIENT CHURCHES OF STRATHEARN

By Rev. JAMES RANKIN, D.D., Muthill

The vale or strath of the Earn may best and simplest be said to extend
from the head of Loch Earn along the course of the River Earn to its
junction with the Tay, two and a quarter miles above Newburgh. The
distance from top to bottom as the crow flies is about thirty-six miles,
and the direction is very nearly due west and east. The valley may be
sub-divided into four portions. The uppermost is Loch Earn itself, which
is six and a half miles long and 306 feet above sea-level, so that the
desce