approaching to politeness in the temper of the Irish, contributed to keep up that turbulent spirit, averse to order and peace, which no prince or legislator that their country ever produced, had sufficient skill to control. But still, from the remnants of these ancient customs will the modern tourist derive considerable advantages, and from none more than their proverbial hospitality, if he himself has sense enough to keep it within bounds of propriety. Of this hospitality much arises from the natural temper of the people; much from the natural curiosity connected with the arrival of a stranger in a district where intercourse is unfrequent; and some portion perhaps derivable from ancient custom; for, as Leland observes, hospitality was not only a principal virtue amongst these rude people, but was even enjoined by law; and as neither lords nor tenants were bound to each other, as the whole tribe might migrate to some more favourable district, the ancient Brehon laws expressly stipulate that no rath shall break up suddenly, lest the traveller should be disappointed of his expected reception. But neither the duties to be received by the lord, nor the entertainment he was to expect from his inferiors, were determined by his arbitrary will and pleasure. They were proportioned to the benefits received from him—nay, even the lowest of the people claimed reception and refreshment by an almost perfect right; and so ineffectual is the flux of many centuries to efface the ancient manners of a people, that at this day the wandering beggar enters the house of a farmer or gentleman with as much ease and freedom as an inmate. From this strict adherence to old customs, it arose that even on the introduction of Christianity, many of the Pagan and Druidical ceremonies of religion, interwoven with secular ordinances, were preserved throughout the island. Indeed, as the author already quoted very justly affirms, the first Christian missionaries seem to have industriously avoided all unnecessary violence to the ancient manners of their converts; favouring and protecting their poets; avoiding all persecution towards the remains of the Druidical order; and even whilst thundering the divine vengeance against the worshippers of the sun, moon, stars, and wind, yet exercising indulgence towards many remains of Pagan superstition. In consequence of this, the inquisitive tourist will find many vestiges of those superstitions even in the most enlightened parts of the kingdom, where their origin is unknown or forgotten; and they are complied with in conformity to general custom, or prompted by the association of early ideas and prejudices. Of these the most conspicuous are the fires still lighted up at particular times, remnants of the worship of Baal or Apollo; the collecting oaken sprigs in May, a Druidical rite; and many others, which cannot fail to interest the observer.

As the inquisitive traveller will doubtless make statistical observations in his progress through the country, the following quotation from Mr. Wakefield's multifarious and very intelligent work may form the basis of a series of reasoning highly deserving the attention of the politician. Speaking of the county of Louth, vol. 2. p. 616, he says—"This county has two large towns, one of which, Drogheda, is of considerable extent, but its inhabitants are remarkably poor. To those who have compared this place with Belfast, where the population is nearly the same, the difference must be very striking; and nothing can more clearly evince the superior condition of the Protestants over that of the Catholics, there being as many Protestants in Belfast as there are Catholics in Drogheda. The humbler classes of the Protestants are ashamed to be seen dirty, or with bad clothes; but, being so much outnumbered, they in consequence find very little society amongst persons of their own faith, and have a stronger propensity to emigrate."—This pictorial contrast of two towns is, in fact, but a picture of the whole island. Let the tourist then examine the Protestant and Catholic districts with impartiality—let him closely examine from what it is that the Catholics require to be emancipated! We do not anticipate—we are of no party; but the inquiry is of consequence and deserves attention, especially at a moment when the question of Emancipation is likely again to become a subject of parliamentary and public discussion.

To do justice to that subject requires facts, and not mere abstract reasoning. It cannot be the wish of any liberal Protestant to retain the Roman Catholics under undue subjection; but liberality has its bounds; and though a misplaced philanthropy may render us careless respecting our own individual rights, yet it must be remembered that it cannot justify us in yielding up the rights and the security of others. As far as Catholic Emancipation, as it is called, is consistent with Protestant Security, so far it is not only right but just and prudent to concede; but before Protestant Ascendancy is given up, let us be certain, from an accurate investigation of facts, that Protestant Security will remain inviolate. Let us examine the history of past times; and also examine mankind at the present day, with a strict reference to it. This cannot be done in a closet or editorial apartment in the metropolis; he who would investigate surely, and therefore safely, must visit the spot where, and the people by whom, these claims are made.

Again, we say, that it is not our wish to anticipate; but facts may be recorded. If the tourist ascertains that the Roman Catholic districts of Ireland are in greater penury than those where Protestantism predominates, he will not attribute that in the first instance to Protestant ascendancy, until he has examined the facts before his eyes. He will see that industry is the great agent in the one case; the want of it, the great and immediate agent in the other. Here then is a point for him from whence to start in his moral investigations; and he will at once observe, that in the Protestant districts six days in each week are dedicated to labour, and the sabbath dedicated to the offices of religion; whilst in other districts half the week is passed in the idleness or dissipation of holidays, and the sabbath neglected. It is true that in the breasts of the Irish Catholics he will find a strong sense of religion, agreeable to their modes of faith and ceremony; but he will also find that those modes of faith and ceremony are subversive of the spirit of industry, whose stream to be generally useful must not be dammed up at particular points, and suffered to run waste at others. But let not the writer of these sheets be misunderstood. Though fully impressed with the truth and justice of the foregoing observations, it is far from his wish to throw any obstacles in the way of the Catholic Faith. That Faith is free and unshackled, as far as regards God and man; if political restrictions still exist, they exist upon an impression that to do them away must be injurious to Protestantism. To adduce the reasons for that impression would be beyond our limits, and beyond our plan; but until that impression is proved to be groundless, unlimited concession must be withheld. The true and liberal philanthropist will also inquire whether, under the peculiar circumstances of their religion, the great body of the Irish Catholics would absolutely be benefited by an accordance with the claims set up. Until that be ascertained, he will pause; and though he may deprecate any thing like coercion, he will still be careful to avoid any thing like encouragement, until he is convinced that its results will at least be harmless.

To form an accurate judgement on these points demands an Irish tour. The conviction on his own mind which the editor has here hazarded, without any wish to prejudge the case in the minds of others, is not formed on slight grounds. An early