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In 1827, two of the Commissioners of Education Enquiry stated, that about twenty years before, the scriptures were not read in so many as 600 schools in Ireland; "at present," they say, we have ascertained, and stated in our second report, that they have found their way into 6,058 daily schools, independent of Sunday Schools." It is worthy of remark, that of the 6,058 daily schools in which the scriptures were then read, only 1,879 were connected with any societies whatever, whether those aided by Government or those supported by individual contributions. In the remaining 4,179 schools the scriptures had been adopted by the voluntary choice of the conductors and teachers, the latter of whom are generally dependent for their livelihood upon the pleasure of the parents of their pupils, a signal proof that there is no repugnance to scriptural instruction amongst the people, and not less an illustration of the effects silently produced by the example and competition of better institutions upon the common schools of the country. Only a few months have elapsed since a declaration was sent from Kingscourt district to "The Irish Society," signed by 3,221 Roman Catholics, masters and adult scholars, in connection with the Society, claiming the right and expressing an earnest desire for scriptural education in their native tongue. "In our humble sphere of life," say the petitioners, "we have more sure and certain means to know and ascertain the real sentiments of the peasantry, relative to scriptural education than any member of his Majesty's Government. We most truly and solemnly declare that the Irish peasantry, in general, are sincerely and zealously attached to the scriptures; that, instead of objecting to send their children to Bible schools, the very circumstance of the Bible being read in a school will induce many to prefer that school. We would refer to the thousands of the adult Catholic population at present in the scriptural schools of the Irish Society."

The same zeal for scriptural knowledge has shown itself in no less degree amongst the native Irish, in St. Giles's, London. The Reverend H. Beamish writes, in March, 1832, that "several hundreds, both of the English and Irish versions of the scriptures, were distributed amongst the poor

during the preceding year; and I have now before me," he adds, “a list of ninety-two Roman Catholics, who, by the blessing of God upon the preached Gospel, have been led to embrace Protestantism. These persons have received the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper at our Chapel, and have joined the communion of our Church."

So we learn from the last report of the Kildare-street Society, that, notwithstanding the establishment of the New Board of Education and the exertions of the priests, the number of Roman Catholic children in the schools in connexion with the society, never was so great. Will not these facts open the eyes of many worthy and sensible men, who were led blindfold into the delusion, that Scriptural education is received unwillingly by the Roman Catholic laity in Ireland?

The present momentous crisis demands the devoted and uncompromising exertions of government, and the earnest and vigorous promotion of sound, religious national education by every man of rank, property, or influence in the country. Let religious and moral knowledge be the first aim, secular knowledge a secondary and subordinate object. When writing to James First, on the proposed plantation of Ulster, Lord Bacon said, "A work, of all others, most memorable, your majesty has now in hand; specially if your majesty join the harp of David in casting out the evil spirit of superstition, with the harp of Orpheus in casting out desolation and barbarism.”

We are aware, that many worthy individuals have been latterly led away from the path of perseverance in Scriptural education, by a notion of a growing liberality and tolerance, and an adoption of more enlightened principles in the Church of Rome; and we are often told by amiable and religious persons, that her prelates and pastors, if not irritated by the misjudged zeal and by suspicions of the proselytizing spirit of their Protestant rivals, would readily concede to the earnest and almost universal desire, of the Irish peasantry, to become acquainted with the Scriptures, and that they are not opposed to the circulation of the version of their own church amongst the people. Now, we are sure, that those who say so, cannot have read the

evidence which was given, but a short time since, before the Commissioners of Education Inquiry, relative to the Roman Catholic College of Maynooth, nor do they remember what Mr. Donellan, a Roman Catholic gentleman, and nephew to Lord Fingall, stated before the Commissioners, saying "that the peasantry in Connaught could scarcely distinguish between a Testament and any other book of the same size on a religious subject." I think he added, "we may say, in general, they do not understand that the Bible contains the Word of God, the History of our Saviour, the History of the Creation, and the Redemption of the World!"

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With regard to the historical argument afforded by the continuous past History of the Church of Rome, we do not mean to ground our opinions upon that. We are aware, that this is slighted and sneered at by the liberalism, indifferentism, and the sufficient wisdom of the present day. "Le monde est trop indisciplinable, pour profiter des maladies des siecles passeés. Chaque nation se comporte, comme s'il etait le premier venu." Boyle seems to have anticipated, in these words, the peculiar character of the present day. But, unhappily, we have too abundant proof afforded of the unchanged spirit of that church, by the avowed sentiments, doctrines, and tenets of its leaders at this very hour. In the late encyclical letter of the present Pope, Gregory XVI., published in Ireland about seven months since, by the bookseller of the College at Maynooth, His Holiness speaks of " general liberty of conscience, as an absurd, mistaken notion, or rather a delirious raving, and most pestilent error!" (Ser potius deliramentum, assesendam esse ac vindicandam cuilibet libertatem conscientiæ: quidam pestilentissimo errori, &c.) In another paragraph, he descants upon "the wicked ravings and schemes of the Waldenses, Wickliffites, and other similar sons of Belial, the offscourings and disgrace of human nature (humani generis sordes ac dedecora) who were justly so often anathematised

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by this Holy See." He calls upon the Prelates of the Church "frequently to remember that the Universal Church is shaken by any novelty whatsoever, and that nothing, once regularly defined, ought to be retrenched, changed or increased," and concludes this enlightened document by conjuring the same prelates to lift up their eyes and hands to the most blessed Virgin Mary," who alone has destroyed all heresies, who fills with the greatest confidence, or rather, who is the whole foundation of our hope.) (Tota ratio spei nostræ.) May she, by her intercession, &c.

While such opinions and doctrines are entertained and promulgated by the Head of the Roman Church, can any be so absurd as to expect that its pastors will co-operate with sincerity in an endeavour to promote the knowledge of the scriptures amongst the people, and thus to ameliorate the moral feelings and soften the outrageous passions of the Irish peasantry?

How long are Protestants to continue lukewarm in this work, and quietly to look on, while ignorance, and hatred, and vengeance, and murder, stalk thro' the land?

The memory of no living man can recollect Ireland in such a condition as it is at this hour. We do not except the period of the last rebellion. It was by no means so formidable, and was, comparatively, easily put down.

The progressive state of crime in the province of Leinster during the last three years, is as follows-this summary contains serious offences only-In the last three months of 1829, 300; in the last quarter of 1830, 499; of 1831, 814; and of 1832, 1513. During the month of last January alone, 1044 different kinds of outrages were committed in the same province. The number of burglaries in the first of the above periods was 94, and in the third, 532. The number of homicides and attempts to kill was, in the first period, 15, and in the second, 47. There were seven homicides during the month of last January, and 130 burglaries.

Our last chapter made the reader more intimately acquainted with all the personages who formed the floating cortege of the Queen of England: we now return to them on their perilous

voyage.

According to his orders, Commodore de Ruyter steered his course due north, keeping as close into the continent as safety would permit, the wind barely allowing to lay their course, which, together with the dull sailing of one of the brigantines obliging them frequently to heave to for fear of separation or surprise, added to the tedium and disgust inseparable from a sea voyage to those unaccustomed to that element. The whole party, with the exception of De Lacy, were prostrated in the humiliating misery of sea-sickness, which is no respecter of persons. The Queen was its victim, more or less, during the whole voyage, but still she was keenly alive to the dreadful hazard to which she was momentarily exposed. The Marquis of Winchester, in a state little better, was unable to leave his cabin, and it was not until the evening of the third day, that the Lady Eleanor, at the Queen's special desire, was led upon deck by De Lacy, to make trial of the effect of freer air towards her convalescence. Father Denis's time was divided between affording to the Marquis the relief derivable from conversation, or in low and deep communion with that book which he, at least, would not seal to the laity of his creed. Nor can we suppose that the horrid crimes, sanctioned by his church, and which drove him from the still loved land of his birth, did not painfully occupy his mind. He looked at every thing-he hoped every thing in the spirit of that genuine Christian Charity which, in

spite of his priesthood, warmed his own heart; a ray from that spirit would sometimes shoot into the vista of time, and cheer its darkness with the hope that the progress of civilization would yet call into bright and vigorous display the moral qualities of his countrymen-that Christianity would triumph over creeds, and the moral and political amalgamation of the two islands, fiated by nature and by interest, would one day be accomplished. The fiendish ingratitude and truculency of those to whom he and De Lacy had been such kind and constant benefactors, would at times, subdue his feelings to a less kindly tone, and chill the hopes springing from the love of his country; often forcing him to doubt the latent virtues ascribed to the Irish character, and suggesting the painful conclusion, that with the Irish peasantry, good was but an impulse-evil their nature! The good man would labour, by every variety of principle and reasoning, to account for this singular degradation of the moral and Christian character of his countrymen. Like many others who would not look at facts, with the piercing scrutiny of truth and justice, nor take the trouble to analyse their own feelings, he would ascribe all to the rule of England, never recollecting the rule of Popery. Occupied with such reflections and his books, Father Denis was the only one on board whose thoughts were free of apprehension from a probable encounter with some of the Parliamentary squadrons.

The fresh air, together with the curiosity awakened by witnessing the manner in which a man of war is worked, soon restored Lady Eleanor to health, if not to tranquillity, and she was daily upon deck. Had her tem

perament inclined her ever so much to have remained an indifferent spectator, the frequent communication which took place between her and her Royal Mistress, as to the extent and safety of their progress, must have kept her on the alert; but to one endowed with sense and feeling in no ordinary degree -conscious, too, of the desperate game they were playing, and the greatness of the stake, indifference was out of the question, and she entered, with all the ardour of youth and intelligence, into the never-ceasing look-out which was kept upon deck. Thus thrown into activity and exertion, she had De Lacy, alone, to look to, not only for the common attentions which their relative situations demanded, but to him she had solely to apply for information in all matters which her own inexperience or the demands of the Royal Sufferer required. Commodore De Ruyter, although unceasing in his attentions, spoke bad English and worse French. In Lady Eleanor's progress, therefore, to and fro upon deck, as she obeyed the frequent summons of the Queen, the arm of De Lacy was her graceful and assiduous support, while the situation upon deck best suited to her safety or convenience, was selected, arranged, or altered by the same hand; or if, with the bashful and hesitating curiosity of youthful womanhood, she sought to reconnoitre a strange sail which created suspicion or alarmed fear, his respectful but firm embrace was her safeguard, and assisted her as she endeavoured to catch the object of her search with a telescope, a matter which the vacillation of the ship rendered difficult, and without such assistance, impossible to inexperience. Years might have elapsed in the every day routine of their intercourse on shore, without producing an intimacy like that which arose out of the discharge of an united duty, influenced as it was by circumstances; and although no idea presented itself, on the one part, to presume for a moment beyond the attentions incumbent on any man to pay to a female so situated; or, on the other, to treat the attentive Cavalier otherwise than in the usual manner which to all was unaffected and conciliating, yet so many occurrences, trivial as they were, combined to qualify the ceremonious punctilio which had hitherto existed between them, that their manner towards each other

experienced from this period a remarkable and evident alteration.

There ne ver was a hero or heroine, of real or fictitious existence, of whom a portrait has not been expected and given, and no doubt, our lady-readers would never forgive us the omission of so important a feature of our history. Well, then, the monotony of our marine position at present, admits of the relief to be afforded by the graphical exercise of our pen-we only beg to condition with our fair readers, that however they may admire our gallant Colonel, their criticisms of Lady Eleanor's portrait shall not be governed by envy and ill nature. One merit of the following sketches (for such merely they are) is, that they are taken from the life. Lady Eleanor Paulet, at this period, was about eighteen years of age

her height was less than tall, her shape symmetrical, and inclining in a small degree to the en bon point; her head and features were of classical mould, in all the essentials of beauty depending on proportion and harmony; her hair luxuriant in quantity, and of rich glossy brown, her forehead open, her brows accurately arched and well marked; her nose neither Roman nor Grecian-it was not connected with the forehead by that rigid straight line, distinguishing the Grecian cast, and which imparts to the female countenance a cold, and repulsive severity; deep eye-lashes shaded, dark hazel eyes of the softest, gentlest, and most soul-subduing expression; her face was a perfect oval, but her mouth was the agent of an irresistible influence; her lips were rich without being too full, and never except in anger or in scorn, (either rarely felt) were so compressed as to hide altogether, teeth of the most exquisite whiteness and regularity.When she smiled or laughed, (for Eleanor could laugh, and heartily too) a dimple at either corner of her mouth, assisted to the magic charm of that smile. Faithful to her feelings, her whole countenance betrayed the emotions of her soul, and she could express by turns, but not affectedly, the sadness of a Madona, or the mirth of an Euphrosyne. Her complexion was fair, and unless heightened by exercise or sensitiveness, scarcely exhibited more than a very slight tint of beauty's own hue, wherein the mellow richness of the peach mingles with the delicacy of that