THE HERMIT'S LEGEND. 1. LONG since to me a Hermit told 2. In the stern times, when Men are bold, At once the chain, They sought to lengthen, but in vain ;- And nought survives your funeral ! Their blood-their champions' too, though free, Falls like manure, and not as seed, Whose growth the future world shall heed, Upon the soil that sucks it in, And shares the spoil, but not the sin. 3. The Blood of Martyrs, living still, Makes the ground pregnant where it flows, And for their temporary ill, Thereon eternal triumph grows, The Amaranth that Fame bestows Such wreath as fitly should endow Only the noblest, worthiest brow. Meanwhile, the Cause for which they died Souls living are its temple-stones, Hearts throbbing are its palace-walls, Men are its altars and its thrones, And all the elements its thralls. It rules the Now and the To-Come; Its Kingdom that Millennium For which still hope the saint and sage, Still live in hope and die in faith, 4. Long since to me the Hermit told Martyrs are Monarchs of the New. J. A. H. POPERY AND PROTESTANTISM IN IRELAND.* OUR minds have been led to this subject by the three little books named at the foot of this page, and which we have adopted for the materials of this paper, by way of introduction to a more general treatment of the argument and incidents of a later date, which, however, cannot be well understood without this preliminary recital. The first of these publications is a Tract of some authority, published under the auspices of the Countess de Grey, and written by a gentleman to whose activity in the labour of Christian love much of the success of Protestant Truth in the county of Kerry is owing, but who has permitted his modesty to interfere, perhaps too much, in curtailing the account of, and in underrating, the work that has been accomplished, and, it may be added, thus diminishing the interest of the narrative. These very defects, however, insure the dependance which may be placed on every fact that is stated. This simple relation gives a distinct but much too short an account of the beginning and progress of the Reformation in Kerry, for it does not sufficiently show forth the working of the minds of the people on this part of the subject it might have beneficially dilated, since this is one of the most remarkable circumstances in this very remarkable change of faith. The other two little volumes are the production of a lady, and in style are somewhat too florid, with a poetic dash of romance; but still, though somewhat highly coloured in the relation, the anecdotes themselves are true; and, overlooking any little display of fine writing, and taking them in their simplicity, are interesting and touching. In this * Sketch of the Origin and Progress of the Work of Reformation at Dingle and Ventry, in the County of Kerry. Dublin: Curry. 1842. Innisfail; or, The Irish Scripture Reader. London: Nisbet. 1841. The Little Ones of Innisfail; or, The Children of God. London: Wright. 1843. view we can recommend them to our readers as truly portraying those peculiarities which mark the Irish character-the turn of mind, the ingenuity, and the ready repartee, which belong to it. There are also several very interesting anecdotes and circumstances related in the second small volume, entitled, "The Little Ones of Innisfail;" of which Maurice Sullivan, The Maharee* Brothers, and The Visits to Dunquin and Blacquet Islands, may be pointed out as particularly pleasing, as well as giving a curious picture of life along those wild western shores-shores which the day-spring from on high was then brightening with heavenly light—a light which, besides the glorious views of immortality, always brings along with it an increase of civilisation and the decencies and comforts of the present life. Such is already found to be taking place among the South Western converts personal neatness, domestic cleanliness, and an increased air of respectability, are observable in their very poor dwellings. As for industry, give an Irishman of any creed, motive, and reasonable payment for his labour, and he will toil with the best. We say always; for it is a well-known fact, that on the Continent even a casual observer may quickly distinguish the change from the Romish to the Protestant States, by the increase of industry, comfort, and cleanliness to be seen in the latter, the want of them in the former, and in their place a sad abundance of mendicant poverty, rags, and filthiness. Even in Switzerland these differences mark the Protestant and the Roman Catholic cantons; while in Ireland the northern and southern portions of the island present a completely opposite appearance. In a large proportion of the south education is much neglected, and the fine minds and excellent dispositions of the people are running to waste, or perverted to mischief. Much poverty prevails, and is accompanied by little exertion to overcome it; while the Protestant-educated counties of the north show a thriving population, improving agriculture, and the comfortable effects of active industry. These differences are so strongly marked, that even Mr. Inglis's wilful blindness could not shut out the conviction arising from what lay before his observation. The change, he said, was unaccountable; but he declared religion had nothing to do with it. Such is the mental dimness caused by prejudice. But now we have a brightening, increasing hope, that, before very many years have passed, the reformation so steadily advancing will bring improvement and colonisation in its train, and raise the hitherto degraded south to equal the north, or, more probably, surpass it, since the warmth and brilliancy of the southern mind certainly exceeds that of the northern. This reformation, which has now become of sufficient importance to attract the observation of all well-wishers to religion, (may Heaven defend it from the meddling of statesmen !) arose many years ago from a very small beginning; it has been, indeed, like the grain of mustard-seed, which, from a little seed, has sprung *The Maharees are small rocky islands, lying in the mouth of Tralee Bay. into a lofty plant, and, with the blessing that rests upon it, will continue to burgeon until it shelters the whole population. The Hibernian Society was established in London in the year 1806, with the object of supplying religious education to the Irish people by planting schools throughout the country: in these schools the children were not only taught to read the Scriptures, but were made to learn by rote several chapters of the Gospels and Epistles, for their proficiency in which they received premiums. It so happened that an inspector, Thadeus Connolan, under this society of the Hibernian schools, established in the county of Sligo, asked one of the children to explain a passage which he had fluently rehearsed, and found that he had no idea whatever of the meaning, having learned it only parrot-fashion. The passage was then orally explained in Irish, the boy not knowing English sufficiently to understand what he read. On farther trial, it was ascertained that this was the case with nine out of ten of the scholars, who, poor creatures, had in a most extraordinary way thus committed to memory whole chapters of words without attaching any idea to them. It thus became obvious to Connolan, that to teach with benefit to their minds, they must be taught in the Irish language the only language they thoroughly understood. He, therefore, made a pilgrimage through great part of the country, and to Dublin and London, advocating the principle, and endeavouring to raise funds for printing a large supply of Bibles, Testaments, and School Primers, in Irish. This humble beginning was followed up by the establishment of the Irish Society in Dublin, in 1816. The plan followed by this Society is, to send teachers through the Irish-speaking parts of the kingdom, who go from house to house, read the Bible to all who are willing to listen, and teach all who are willing to learn to read. It was soon found that the greater part of the people listened with delight, were rejoiced to hear the Word of God, and welcomed in Irish as true, what in English they would not have hearkened to; for there was among them a general idea that the Devil-the father of lies-does not understand Irish, and, therefore, that any book in that language must be true: they were therefore convinced that the Irish Bible, and the English authorised version, were different books. In consequence of this conviction, one of the earliest anxieties of those who learn to read, is to procure a copy of the English Testament or Bible, in order to compare them with the Irish: this comparison has a very useful effect, proving to them at once, not only that they are the same unaltered books, but that their spiritual pastors have deliberately deceived them. These teachers were all carefully chosen for good character, and more Romanists than Protestants were employed. When the Society had been for some time successfully working in this manner, it was found that instruction and explanation were also required. Hence arose the Ladies' Auxiliary Society, which held its first meeting in 1821. This Society employs and pays readers who are either originally Protestants, or who have seceded from the Romish and joined the Established Church; who, as they express it themselves, have given up Romanism and become Catholic. These readers explain and instruct, holding little meetings in the cottages; schools of religious knowledge as it were, where doubts and difficulties are started by the people, and cleared up and answered by the readers, not from their own explaining, but by parallel passages in Scripture. The desire to learn evinced by all ages, wherever the readers had gained footing, was something quite extraordinary. Persons even of eighty years became scholars, and made good progress in first learning to read, and then in studying the Scriptures with a vividness of delight to which our colder and more phlegmatic natures are strangers. These readers are all placed under the superintendance of clergymen, and there are, every three months, district assemblies of them, when they are very closely examined by clergymen and gentlemen as to their proficiency in reading and understanding the Bible. We have been present at some of these most interesting meetings, have heard the questions asked, the clear answers given; have seen, when desired to prove the justness of their answer from Scripture, the wonderful rapidity with which they turned from verse to verse, showing such a close acquaintance with the Word of God as would do honour to the most highly educated and most studious divine. At those meetings, one of the most remarkable and interesting exercises that take place, is that of translation by the teachers and readers from their Irish Bibles into their own imperfect English, which often expresses the sense with singular force and power, while it is characteristic of their situation and occupations in life. The energy of manner, the eager varying countenance, the deep interest, the heartfelt earnestness of their minds, with their active simplicity, form altogether a sight to warm the coldest heart, never to be forgotten. Under the zealous and admirable exertions of these two societies, both teachers and readers have been spread through very many parts of the island, where the harvest is fast but quietly (and the more quietly, the better) ripening; while in some districts the "fields are already white." The teachers, who are as it were the pioneers, are paid for every scholar they can produce at the inspection, if on examination they are found to be well taught-that is, who spell and read sufficiently well for the time they have been learning. The readers, who are commonly chosen from among the teachers, receive a small yearly stipend. There were in active employment in December, 1842, 750 teachers, and 6,200 readers; and the pupils amounted to the gratifying number of 16,600. It must be observed that this number includes only those who have been examined by the inspecting clergymen, and found to be making good progress. Of these pupils, 326 are above fifty years of age; some even exceed seventy. This large amount of pupils includes both Converts and Romanists, but all are Bible-reading, Bible-understanding Christians; from the Romanist portions of whom, many are every day taking courage to face persecution and contumely, and join the Established Church: |