specially addressed. After all that you have read, surely, you require no Native Irishman to appear in vision, and cry, "Thig thairis gu Erinn, agus cuidich leinne." May you not assuredly gather that there is a call here to go and preach the Gospel? Were he to say-" Tarr go Erinn, agus tabhuir cabhuir dhuinne,”—could you not understand him? Yes, in one short month, or perhaps less, you would be sufficiently intelligible in many districts. Your brethren too, the descendants of the Albanian Gaels, are there. You may have observed the period when a number of your countrymen left the Hebrides and Highlands for Ireland. How many I cannot ascertain, but they must be their grandchildren and great grandchildren who now live in Ireland. Is there to be no such thing then as kindly going to see how they do on the mountains of Donegal or the seacoast of Antrim? As an encouragement to proceed farther, if you will, one of your own ministers was intelligible even far down in the south. You are aware who it is that hath said, "As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.” How wor

thy of the best and most powerful talents, and the warmest heart, would be such an employment! His special. presence and aid would not be denied, who hath said so much, in such tender terms, about searching for souls when they are scattered abroad; and who, in his word, laments so deeply when no shepherd can be found, conscientiously and carefully and wisely to do so.

In taking leave of this important subject, and looking over Ireland as now described, it is unquestionably a most momentous consideration that the commission of God our Saviour has been so awfully disregarded, and, to speak calmly, this ought to become the subject of na-.

tional feeling on the part of Christians throughout the kingdom.

That there should not be a single building in all Ireland, expressly and exclusively devoted to the procla mation of the truth of God and the unsearchable riches of Christ, in the native tongue, is a reproach which ought immediately to be wiped away. There is largeness of heart in Ireland, I well know, and know the men who possess it. I mean not that other men should be eased, and they burdened; but I know the "forwardness of their mind," and that to their power, yea beyond their power they are willing of themselves;-but surely two or three of these might at least light the first torch, and soon have a suitable place of divine worship in Dublin and Cork. One should rather think that they would feel emulous as to who should be the first to afford one fair opportunity for the Redeemer's last ascending request being complied with in the Irish tongue. Let the missionary depart, by all means, “far over sea and land,” but let not Ireland be forgotten. Amidst all his other cares, a King upon the throne once gave himself no rest, until he had found out a place for the Lord, and though not allowed to build, this anxiety of his was richly repaid. Under the Christian dispensation, however, I speak of a house simply as a fixed point of instruction; but though only viewed as a matter of convenience, a meet and necessary measure, it would prove before long a place of mercy indeed; or, like a well in the desert, round which, instead of the thorn, would come up the fir-tree, and instead of the brier would come up the myrtle-tree-or, as the Chaldee has it" instead of the wicked would arise the just, and instead of sinners, such as fear to sin."

Yet, in regard to what is most evidently demanded, why need I specify such a trifle in the path of incumbent duty as this? Other towns, the country at large, must be regarded, where perhaps no such erections are at least

generally called for. Many, many are the buildings there, which long ago ought to have echoed to the language understood by the people; and, at least in certain parts, one might point with the finger, and say,-" comparatively speaking, to what more important or more needful use could this be applied?" But the needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever; still, in such a case as this, the commission of Christ should, like Joseph's sheaf, be that to which all other things should bow.

"Agus dealraidh iadsan a ta glic mar shoilleireachd nan speur; agus iadsan a thionndaidheas moran gu fireantachd mar na reultan fad saoghail nan saoghal."

Gaelic Scriptures.

"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." DANIEL.

"The eternal High Priest, the Pastor and Bishop of our souls, employed much time and labour to instruct his apostles; and afterwards commanded them, in giving them their mission, to instruct all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and to teach them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them. People then, come to the use of reason, ought necessarily to be instructed; they must hear the word of God, and learn what they are to believe and observe, and even learn how to observe it. It is true, that this is no easy task; and that it requires much labour and patience; but that is necessary; a soul is worth more than all that.-This great ransom, the death and passion of Jesus Christ, will be of no use to such as know not their religion, and remain in ignorance."

DONLEVY.

"An order, be it remembered, not appointed like the priests of pagan antiquity, for the performance of ceremonies, but for the inculcation of truth; not to conduct the pomp of lustrations and sacrifices, but to watch for souls as those that must give an account.' Nothing similar to this was known in the heathen religions; it is peculiar to Christianity, and evincing the simple wisdom of its Author, is as original in its conception as it is admirable in its effects. Its simplicity, its distance from whatever is dazzling in the eyes of mankind is one of its highest recommendations; for the Christian minister is beautifully compared to a fisherman, who would only be embarrassed by those instruments and appendages which belong to more splendid, but less useful occupations."

HALL.

SECTION X.

TO THE NATIVE IRISH,

More especially to such Individuals among them as are interested in the Progress of Literature, Education, and Oral Instruction.

WHILE it is desirable that your fellow-subjects should befriend you, and certainly incumbent on them so to do, the writer cannot conclude without returning to you yourselves, with a view to whose benefit every line has been written. He has not disguised, or rather he has been incapable of disguising, that he feels a peculiar interest in every thing relating to your present circumstances, and has only to lament its not having been in his power to discover it in some more substantial form; while at the same time he can never forget the warm and grateful language which has been so repeatedly conveyed to him, in reference to a slight Memorial on your behalf, published about fourteen years ago.

On reading the preceding pages, he trusts that you have not found any one passage inconsistent with fairness or candour, or respect for your feelings as neighbours and fellow-countrymen; and should there seem to be anything bordering upon this, of which, however, he is unconscious, he has no doubt that you will give him credit on the whole for the kindness of his intentions. It is very possible that individuals among you may possess some things valuable in Irish type, and that

you may be acquainted with facts of which he is ignorant. Should it be so, and you communicate the information, in a third edition of this volume it would certainly not be neglected. On the other hand, it is as probable that many among you may here find a variety of particulars, in regard to both your ancestors and your present state, of which you had but imperfect information. These are not only interesting in themselves, but they seem, as with one voice, to assert, that the improvement of the mind and the progress of knowledge are among the great ends of our existence.

You have read also how the Welsh have been acting for generations back by their language, and may inquire of them whether they have not gained by the attention which they have paid to it. I know it has been said, that "crowded numbers and great wealth together give prodigious advantages for educating, civilizing, and enlightening a people ;" and you may be ready to add— the first we have, but not the second. But Wales in past ages was actually in as destitute a state as almost any part of Ireland is at this moment. It would be easy to describe this, and even substantiate the account, so as to leave no doubt of the fact here stated. Various causes, it is granted, have contributed to a better day; so that Wales, though about five times as populous as our Highlands, is supposed to be four times as rich. But these causes, I again refer among to the way in which they have been proceeding with their own vernacular tongue, and see whether this will not account for many of the advantages which they now enjoy.

you

Lay hold then of the medium of the Irish tongue in the same spirit-act by it in the same manner, and be not discouraged. The noblest use certainly, though not the only one, to which your Irish types can ever be applied, is that of conveying to your countrymen the volume of Revelation entire; and the noblest use to which your ancient and expressive language can ever be ap