revision of the Brehon
laws. The spread of Christianity, and the new modes of thought and
action which obtained thereby, necessitated the reconstruction of
ancient jurisprudence in lands as widely distant geographically, and as
entirely separated politically, as Italy and Ireland.

Those who have studied the subject most carefully, and who are therefore
most competent to give an opinion, accept the popular account of the
revision of our laws.

The Four Masters thus record this important event:--"The age of Christ
438. The tenth year of Laeghaire. The Feinchus of Ireland were purified
and written, the writings and old works of Ireland having been collected
[and brought] to one place at the request of St. Patrick. Those were the
nine supporting props by whom this was done: Laeghaire, i.e., King of
Ireland, Corc, and Daire, the three kings; Patrick, Benen, and
Cairneach, the three saints; Ross, Dubhthach, and Fearghus, the three
antiquaries." Dr. O'Donovan, in his note, shelters himself under an
extract from Petrie's _Tara;_ but it is to be supposed that he coincides
in the opinion of that gentleman. Dr. Petrie thinks that "little doubt
can be entertained that such a work was compiled within a short period
after the introduction of Christianity in the country, and that St.
Patrick may have laid the foundations of it;"[153] though he gives no
satisfactory reason why that saint should not have assisted at the
compilation, and why the statements of our annalists should be refused
on this subject, when they are accepted on others. A list of the
"family" [household] of Patrick is given immediately after, which Dr.
O'Donovan has taken great pains to verify, and with which he appears
satisfied. If the one statement is true, why should the other be false?
Mr. O'Curry, whose opinion on such subjects is admittedly worthy of the
highest consideration, expresses himself strongly in favour of receiving
the statements of our annalists, and thinks that both Dr. Petrie and Dr.
Lanigan are mistaken in supposing that the compilation was not effected
by those to whom it has been attributed. As to the antiquity of these
laws, he observes that Cormac Mac Cullinan quotes passages from them in
his Glossary, which was written not later than the ninth century, and
then the language of the Seanchus[154] Mor was so ancient that it had
become obsolete. To these laws, he well observes, the language of Moore,
on the MSS. in the Royal Irish Academy, ma