sympathy....  The author’s want of sympathy prevents ‘Mehalah’s’ rising to the highest art; for though we shudder at the end, there the effect of the story stops.  It illustrates the futility of battling with fate, but the theme is not allowable to writers with the modern notion of a Supreme Power....  But ‘Mehalah’ is still one of the most powerful romances of recent years.”

ST. PATRICK’S PURGATORY

From ‘Curious Myths of the Middle Ages’

In that charming mediaeval romance ‘Fortunatus and his Sons,’ which by the way is a treasury of popular mythology, is an account of a visit paid by the favored youth to that cave of mystery in Lough Derg, the Purgatory of St. Patrick.

Fortunatus, we are told, had heard in his travels of how two days’ journey from the town Valdric, in Ireland, was a town, Vernic, where was the entrance to the Purgatory; so thither he went with many servants.  He found a great abbey, and behind the altar of the church a door, which led into the dark cave which is called the Purgatory of St. Patrick.  In order to enter it, leave had to be obtained from the abbot; consequently Leopold, servant to Fortunatus, betook himself to that worthy and made known to him that a nobleman from Cyprus desired to enter the mysterious cavern.  The abbot at once requested Leopold to bring his master to supper with him.  Fortunatus bought a large jar of wine and sent it as a present to the monastery, and followed at the meal-time.

“Venerable sir!” said Fortunatus, “I understand the Purgatory of St. Patrick is here:  is it so?”

The abbot replied, “It is so indeed.  Many hundred years ago, this place, where stand the abbey and the town, was a howling wilderness.  Not far off, however, lived a venerable hermit, Patrick by name, who often sought the desert for the purpose of therein exercising his austerities.  One day he lighted on this cave, which is of vast extent.  He entered it, and wandering on in the dark, lost his way, so that he could no more find how to return to the light of day.  After long ramblings through the gloomy passages, he fell on his knees and besought Almighty God, if it were His will, to deliver him from the great peril wherein he lay.  Whilst Patrick thus prayed, he was ware of piteous cries issuing from the depths of the cave, just such as would be the wailings of souls in purgatory.  The hermit rose from his orison, and by God’s mercy found his way back to the surface, and from that day exercised greater austerities, and after his death he was numbered with the saints.  Pious people, who had heard the story of Patrick’s adventure in the cave, built this cloister on the site.”

Then Fortunatus asked whether all who ventured into the place heard likewise the howls of the tormented souls.

The abbot replied, “Some have affirmed that they have heard a bitter crying and piping therein; whilst others have heard and seen nothing.  No one, however, has penetrated as yet to the furthest limits of the cavern.”