FOR ANSWERING IN SCIENCE, Certificates, to Mr. Packenham, Connor, sen. (Edward,) Dixon 4tus (Robert,) Studdert, jun. (Lancelot,) Collins, sen. (Michael,) Mr.Brice, Trayer, jun. (Richard,) Duncan, Clerk 7mus (John,) Ormsby 3tius (Henry,) Harte 3tius (Andrew,) O'Donoghue 3tius (John) and Premiums to Mr. Westropp, Ryan, jun. (Edward,) 5tus (Levingston,) Lowry, juhompson, (Hugh,) Murphy 6tus (Michael,) Mr. Scully, Atkins 2dus (William,) Leech, Hardy, jun. (John) Baylee otus (Jo (Joseph,) Davis 5tus (John). Radford, Hamilton 3tius Mr. Hume, (Richard,) Trayer, Duncan, King 8vus (William G.) O'Callaghan 4tus (Isaac,) Harte 3tius (Andrew) Collia 4tus (Maurice,) Edwards 3tius (Charles.) ་། VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS. The most interesting subject to us is the state of our own country-and we regret to say, that it is widely and seriously disturbed. The 12th and 13th of the present month (July) were chosen by the Orangemen of the North of Ireland, to revive, with even more than usual parade, their processions; and this furnished a pretext to the Roman Catholics to attack and attempt to disperse them. Riots of a very serious nature ensued, many lives were lost, and parts of several of the Ulster counties still remain in a state of ferment that differs very little from civil war. Such a state of things is deeply to be regretted; and we confess that it would be a difficult matter in the present stage of enquiry to apportion the blame properly. We do think that Government, who ought to have been acquainted with the state of public feeling, should have issued, previous to the 12th, the proclamation which made its appearance after all the mischief had been perpetrated. The prudence of his Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, who, in a letter to the Orangemen, strongly recommended that they should not walk, ought to have taught the Executive here the necessity of prevention, which is always better than remedy, since the evil that has taken place not only is in itself deplorable, but will leave bebind it for a long time many rankling sensations, We lament, too, most deeply, that the influential gentry in the Orange districts did not exert their influence to prevent these useless and irritating processions. Though legal,,, they were unnecessary-they could only excite bad feeling, when it was the universal interest to conciliate ;. 8 pretext was given by them to their enemies, of which they are not slow to make use, and some legislative measure, still more galling than that lately enacted, may be called for. It is most probable, from various circumstances, that the Roman Catholics had been organized to meet the expected processions, and that the ferocious attacks on unarmed Protestants were the result of a deeply-laid plan; but it should have been the object, as it is the interest of Protestants to have removed even the shadow of an excuse for such conduct. Ireland has suffered too much from party spirit, not to render it hateful in the eyes of every true pariot, whose duty it is now to assuage the bitterness of faction, and to endeavour to extend the influence of that religion which teaches us not to hate, but to love one another. We know how difficult such a task is for the ignorant and illiterate peasant, but we would call upon the gentry of the country to teach it, and to set such an example as, by inducing imitation, may tend to remove civil feuds, and on which they may think with pleasure, when the excitement of disappointment has ceased. The state of Roman Catholic feeling is, we fear, exasperation; and we doubt not the enemies of peace are abroad, and the declamatory phillipics of Mr. O'Connell, always foremost in exciting dissatisfaction, have tended not a little to this result, We can only hope that some time will disabuse the public mind, and that both Protestants and Roman, Catholics will perceive their true friends. INCONSISTENCY OF RELIGIOUS PROFESSORS..... A Day at the Seven Churches AT GLENDALOUGH (concluded). 179 181 186 REVIEWS. MORGAN'S LIFE OF THE REV. T. CHARLES NOTICES OF BOOKS FOREIGN RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE. France-Missionaries-Protestant Forgetfulness-Basque Bible. Aus- DOMESTIC RELIGIOUS INTELLIGENCE 203 214 220 223 227 .... 231 Letter from a Rector to his Diocesan, in the year 1778. Struel Wells. ECCLESIASTICAL INTELLIGENCE VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.. WILLIAM CURRY, JUN. AND CO. DUBLIN, AND HURST, CHANCE, AND CO. LONDON. SOLD ALSO BY ALL THE BOOKSELLERS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. Printed by P. D. Hardy (late Bentham and Hardy). 235 236 NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. Papers on the Millennium, and the interpretation of Prophecy, crowd so thick upon us, that we really know not how to satisfy our many Correspondents. Confessing that this topic does not so exclusively engross our thoughts, as to preclude attention to other subjects and methods of advancing the interests of true religion, we beg to assure "Cœlebs," J. K."" Juvenis," the "Galway Curate," and sundry other Correspondents, that their papers are under consideration, and shall, as soon as possible, at least partially, receive publication. The enclosure of "Y. N." is also under consideration. The Queries of "A. B." and " M. L." shall be propounded in our next. Greatly in arrear as we confessedly are with our Poetical contributors, we will, If possible, allot room in each number for a Poet's corner; when this arrangement takes place, "A. D." and several others, shall not be neglected. We must still plead want of space as our excuse, for not inserting the papers of « Ωμοδροπος,” ," "Junius," and "J. D. S." We trust for some of these there will be room in next number. By mistake the Report of the "Friends of Israel Society" came too late for insertion in the present Number. It will appear in our next. MORAL IMPROVEMENT OF IRELAND. IN giving the following communication so prominent a place in our present Number, we desire to express our approbation of the good sense and good feeling of the writer, and of the importance of his suggestions, without wishing to be identified with him in all his views. Since the commencement of our publication we trust that a liberal anxiety has been evinced to open our pages to all who would temperately discuss subjects conducive to the welfare of Ireland. At a time when the condition of Ireland engages such general attention, and the minds of so many persons are exercised in the consideration of means for the improvement of her population, I request a place in your publication for the details of a system which appears to have a tendency to effect a moral improvement (the great improvement needed) in the body of the peasantry of this country, and which system possesses the advantage of having been already subjected to more than one successful trial. I shall carefully avoid, in the observations I am about to offer, any thing of a mere political nature, or indeed of political economy, farther than it is directly connected with moral considerations. The distresses of Ireland are frequently attributed to absenteeism -to the want of more capital in the country for the employment of the poor, and the support of manufactures-to the want of a modified application of the English poor laws-or to a combination of all these causes; with, perhaps, some others of minor importance. I am persuaded that none of these particulars, nor all of them together, are sufficient to account for the situation in which we find the people of this country; inasmuch as their condition would not be effectually improved by a change in the above-mentioned circumstances; and I therefore feel it necessary to offer a few observations upon these points, a necessity arising from the fact that VOL. IX. X many valuable individuals who do look to a change in the circumstances I have referred to, as the means of great improvement in the state of Ireland, may feel ill satisfied with a plan which leaves these cases comparatively untouched, or with opinions altogether opposed to theirs upon the question of the poor laws: and I can only hope to propitiate such persons to the object I recommend, by showing that the disorder which this measure tends to remedy, is the influential master-mischief of the land; and that the evils of our state are not to be traced to the absence of our landlords,-to the absence of more capital, or to the absence of a legal provision for the poor. First, then, as to absenteeism, it is said with much appearance, and certainly some admixture, of truth, "that a large proportion of the Irish landlords spend their incomes in England; they withdraw a sum of money from this country, which might (as far as Ireland is concerned) as well be paid in tribute to the dey of Algiers: it may benefit England to which the money goes, but in the same proportion must injure the country from which the money is abstracted. If this money (it is continued) were retained in Ireland, where capital is required, it would stimulate manufactures and industry, and increase the consumption of produce, generally, and the demand for labour; and furthermore, the want of the moral and civilizing influence of the landlords is, in itself, a great evil. In answer to such statements, I contend that the money of our absentees, which is thus advantageous to England, and also beneficial by increasing the demand for the produce of English industry, while it does this, benefits Ireland also, by promoting at the same time a demand for the produce of our soil, (our best description of produce); the more cotton, for example, is spun in Manchester, the more pigs and bullocks are exported from Dublin; and as the freight and expenses upon those pigs and bullocks are added to the Dublin price, and paid by the English consumer, it matters little to the Irish consumer of these articles, on which side of the channel they are made use of. Suppose the absentee landlords were to return to their estates, those estates would, generally speaking, continue in their present form, divided into farms, and rented to the best tenants which could be obtained. But little more money would circulate among the peasantry than does at present-just that which they receive in payment for their produce or their labour. Why the price of labour is so small, I shall hereafter consider; but the additional employment which the absentee landlords might afford, could not upon the largest calculation, be so considerable as to affect the general rate of wages, and so remedy the evil of a scanty remuneration. Nor would their residence in Ireland stimulate manufactures to any considerable additional extent, as I shall also attempt to show. Unquestionably, if the absentee landlords were to return, much partial assistance in many ways would be afforded to the poor: experiments and improvements in agriculture might be introduced, an increased demand for labour would arise about the dwellings, and in the service of the landlords, and an increased demand for |