THE  MONKS  OF  IONA;


IN  REPLY  TO


i  o  N  A;


BY  THE


DUKE    OF    ARGYLL.
WITH  A  REVIEW  OF
"THE   CATHEDRAL,  AND    ABBEY    CHURCH  OF  IONA,"

BY   THE   RIGHT   REVEREND   THE   BISHOP   OF  ARGYLL   AND   THE    ISLES.
iltbicattb
TO  THE  MOST  NOBLE

THE  MARQUIS  OF  LORNE:

BY

J.  STEWART  M'CORRY,  D.D.
LONDON :

R.    WASHBOURNE,    ISA,    PATERNOSTER   ROW.
1871.
DEDICATION


TO


THE  MOST  NOBLE  THE  MARQUIS  OF  LORNE.
MY  LORD  MARQUIS,

ALLOW  me  to  inscribe  the  following  publication
on  lona  to  your  Lordship,  who,  like  myself,  is  connected
with  "  The  Land  of  the  Mountain  and  Flood."  It  refers  to
that  charmed  Isle  in  West  Argyllshire,  which  i«  so  famed
in  Scottish  story,  as  well  as  in  the  chronicles  of  European
civilization,  and  which  appears  to  intensify  in  interest,  with
the  lapse  of  years.  The  subject  and  its  religious  associa-
tions have,  during  a  lengthened  period,  engrossed  the  pro-
found attention  of  many  distinguished  Savants,  who
recorded  their  sentiments  in  unison  with  their  own  peculiar
bias ;  although,  in  some  instances,  their  judgment  has  been
egregiously  distorted,  and  their  narrative  grievously  at
fault.  It  is,  then,  devoutly  to  be  desired  that  the  present


iv  Dedication.
work  may  prove  not  only  well  timed,  but  correctly  in-
formed— that  it  may  foster  no  fond  illusion — invent  no  new
theory — propound  no  novel  proposition — but  that  it  may
steadfastly  aim  at  an  honest  exposition  of  truth  alone,  that  it
may  stimulate  inquiry  into  the  real  principles  of  the  Ancient
Church,  that  it  may  lead  to  a  truer  estimate  of  the  Monastic

discipline  of  the  Middle  Ages,  and  a  juster  appreciation  of

,
the  Monastic  glories  of  Old  Catholic  Caledonia.
