speak, and perhaps never will. As a medium of communication, therefore, he cannot feel the enthusiastic attachment of a native, and, it is presumed, may therefore be admitted as a safer, if not an unprejudiced witness. But, regarding it as a medium of thought and feeling between the people themselves, having witnessed for himself the deep hold which it has of the heart, he hesitates not to add, that in all the measures here recommended and enforced, the language itself alone will be found to operate like the insertion of leaven, and will lend to each of these measures a corresponding,—an irresistible energy. Meanwhile, if the reader desires to understand the actual condition of this people, the author has only to request that he will suspend his judgment till he has got to the conclusion, and then, taking it all in all, let him say if there is to be found within the limits of this kingdom a case of such urgency, where we are called to an application of the remedy by recollections of past neglect and long delay, at once so numerous and so painful.

CONTENTS.

SECTION I.

Page

LITERARY HISTORY-Or Gleanings from the Early Ages to the

Present Day, including some notice of the most eminent Men;

references to Irish Typography, whether in Britain or on the

Continent; and an Account of the translation and printing of the

Sacred Volume in the vernacular tongue,.

SECTION II.

SCHOOLS OF LEARNING-Of early and modern date, including

some account of the attempts to employ the Irish tongue as a

branch of Education at home, and of the Schools either founded

by the Native Irish, or at their instance, for their Education

abroad,.......

63

SECTION III.

ORAL INSTRUCTION-Including Historical notices of all that

has yet been effected in preaching to the Natives in their verna-

cular tongue, and the present condition of the Country with re-

gard to a stated Ministry in the language of the Irish people,..... 83

SECTION IV.

UNFOUNDED OBJECTIONS-Against the employment of the

Irish language answered, and shewn to be of baneful tendency

in every sense; as it is not only essential to the effectual instruc-

tion of the people, but its neglect is injurious, as well to the pro-

gress of the English language as to that of general information,...111

SECTION V.

Page

THE IRISH LANGUAGE-With proofs of the extent to which it is

spoken at present, or used daily by the Natives as the natural

vehicle of their thoughts; and this extent accounted for or ex-

plained,..

.......

.143

SECTION VI.

THE ISLANDS OF IRELAND-Viewed apart by themselves, as

an object demanding special consideration and assistance, includ-

ing the number of inhabitants in each Island,........

SECTION VII.

DESIDERATA-BOOKS-Or brief Catalogue of Desirables for the

Native Irish population,..............

SECTION VIII.

.165

............177

DESIDERATA-EDUCATION-Through the medium of the Irish

language, whether by means of Stationary or by Circulating

Schools,.

.192

SECTION IX.

DESIDERATA-ORAL INSTRUCTION-Or the necessity and

importance of ministering the Divine Word in a language under-

stood by the People,..

SECTION X.

..209

TO THE NATIVE IRISH-More especially to such Individuals

among them as are interested in the Progress of Literature, Edu-

cation, and Oral Instruction,...

..230

.243

HISTORICAL SKETCHES.