bly dread much danger in the way of secret intrigue. Burnet's statement too, at least as far as regards a very extraordinary degree of confidence reposed in Bedell by Fra Paolo, is confirmed by several independent vouchers, whose testimony we cannot disbelieve, without charging, not Burnet only, but Bedell himself, with deliberate falsehood. Mr. Mason has cited one from Clogy's narrative in his note at p. 59, and we add an extract from one of Bedell's own letters. It is a letter to Dr. Ward, No. clxiii. in Parr's coll., p. 445. "Touching the propositions of Molina, opposed by the Dominicans, and the letters of Hippolytus de Monte Peloso, I am glad you have met with them; for I sent you the originals which P. Paulo gave me upon occasion of speech with him touching that controversy, reserving no copy to myself. The occasion was the contention of the Jesuits and Dominicans before Pope Clement the VIIIth. And those letters were week by week sent from Rome to Padre Paulo, of the carriage of the business. When you find a trusty messenger, I desire you to send me them." Such confidence in the chaplain of a foreign ambassador on the part of a "consoltore del Stato," may have shocked Griselini's notions of political propriety, but whoever considers Paolo's peculiar position, and the circumstances of the state of Venice at that time, in relation to the Papal court, will see no such special cause of wonder as to outweigh the testimony by which its existence is substantiated.

In Bedell's pastoral character, when Bishop of Kilmore, we sce the faithful self-devotion of a sincere servant of Christ, and the prudence of a wise steward of the mysteries of the Gospel. Mr. Mason has judiciously noticed two points of great importance, in which Bedell showed a good example of the true way of propagating Protestantism in Ireland :-his sedulous endeavours to reach the understandings and hearts of the Roman Catholic priesthood, by free and friendly intercourse, and his use of the Irish language in communicating instruction to the people.

"Bedell (says Mr. Mason) was much scandalized at the fact, that the ministers of the establishment left the native Irish entirely to their priests, in everything but this, that they received their tithes from them; and the more so, as these priests were grossly ignorant and negligent, and taught the people nothing, but to repeat in the Latin language their Paters and Aves. He commenced, then, with these ministers, taking example in this from the course of the Reformation in England, where the pastors were almost universally the first brought to the discovery of Romish errors and of scriptural truths, in which discoveries they were soon followed by their flocks. The success of the bishop's efforts was surprizing, especially in a convent of friars that was near him several priests were converted through his means, and he was so well convinced of the sincerity of some of them, that he provided them with ecclesiastical benefices.

"It does appear manifest (continues Mr. Mason) from the degree of suc

cess which attended Bishop Bedell's efforts to instruct and convert the Roman respecting this point; for the number of the latter who have been of late years persuaded of the errors of Rome, and have obeyed the call to come out of her, has not, in the entire country, amonnted to as many as were induced to do so by the arguments of Bedell alone. This fact, when we consider the the subject, the improved intelligence of the times, and the better opportuninumber of the Protestant clergy who at present are fully competent to discuss ties afforded in them for controversy, is somewhat difficult to be accounted for. It cannot for a moment be attributed to truth being on the opposite side: if such were the case, that cause would not retreat into obscurity, it I would meet argument with a bolder and fairer front, and in the great power of that truth would prevail. Neither can it be said to arise entirely from the vast increase of watchful jealousy, narrow instruction, and other circumstances of cunning and deception, with which the education of young priests is now beset by Jesuits and the other machinery of Rome, although these redly be several, who, by their candour and have doubtless great effect; for, among so many hundreds, there must assuemancipation from error and from ignor and intelligence, still remains, and re is sufficient to account for much of this result,-the parochial ministers are not in the habit of entering into kind, intelligent, and Christian discussion universally attempted, although in a great majority of instances the overtures with the Romanist priests of their respective parishes. Were this to be more would be certainly rejected, yet surely sufficient opportunities would remain. for bringing to conviction tenfold more than the number which is recorded it is one of duty, would doubtless be blessed, but to what extent we cannot to have been benefitted by the reasonings of Bishop Bedell. The attempt, as calculate; although, to judge from an analogy with other faithful spiritual operations more active and successful in Ireland, it might be expected to lead ultimately to the emancipation of many districts from Papal despotism, through the immediate teaching of a disenthralled priesthood."

habits both of thinking and living-the rancours

other malign influences, combine to impede any

are fit subjects for

of party feeling

cordial inter

These remarks deserve the serious attention of the parochial clergy of Ireland. We are not ignorant that difficulties of no ordinary kind stand in the way of any attempt to put such a plan in execution that old prejudices, carefully fostered, and deeply rooted -the jealousy of suspicious governors-the repugnance of different exasperated by sectarian animosity-that these, and a thousand course between the Popish priest and Protestant minister. Yet all this does not satisfy us, that the design is visionary, or its realization absolutely impracticable. Love and zeal will accomplish great things, when directed by prudence, nor can it be doubted that, among the ranks of that frowning mass of ignorant bigotry which gious system which they profess, and in some degree prepared too honest and inquiring to be thoroughly satisfied with the reli

the Romish priesthood presents to the observer,

already for the reception of a better. Were

a

there are minds

strong impression

have free course among the people. It is they who have stood beonce made upon this formidable phalanx, the word of God would tween the population of Ireland and the light of Truth, nor do we

expect that any general diffusion of that light can take place, until, either from within or from without, this great impediment is rent asunder. Doubtless, they are unpromising subjects. With just sufficient education to raise them above the peasantry, and make them vain of their acquirements-placed by their ordination suddenly in the possession of what are considered super-human privileges, and almost despotic power over their flocks-with nothing to curb their tempers or repress the natural arrogancy which ignorance clothed with authority is sure to bring with it-encumbered by a round of mechanical services, which leave them hardly any time to think-these unhappy men seem bound down with iron fetters in a state of hopeless slavery. Yet we do not despair. They are certainly increasing in intelligence, and even beginning to affect some taste for literature. Enclose the human mind as you will behind the works of prejudice and superstition, truth will find some way to reach it in the end. Nothing is hopeless if man would do His duty; and who shall say that it is impossible that a great movement towards reformation may yet arise within the very lines of the Roman Catholic hierarchy of Ireland?

Mr. Mason has given a very interesting sketch of the history of Bishop Bedell's Irish Bible, and the labours by which it has latterly been brought into extensive circulation. We have some reasons to believe that the real Popery of Ireland is not altogether so extensive as its outward surface; that apparently within that surface, Christian instruction, not given in any controversial form, but drawn in its pure and peaceable sincerity from the inspired volume itself, has reached some hearts which had been left to a great extent ignorant of the peculiar tenets of their ostensible Church, and that the grand truths of the Gospel have been cordially embraced by not a few who have never forsaken the outward communion of the Roman Catholic body. This is especially the case in secluded districts of the south-west; districts which noisy controversy has never reached, but which, however remote, have not been left wholly destitute of witnesses of Gospel truth. Let us hope that the light may shine yet more and more until the perfect day! Even if the Irish people had no other claims upon English sympathy, this at least would constitute some bond of obligation; that it was by English interference that the yoke of Popery was first laid upon their necks. "The most able antiquaries," says Mr. Burke, "are of opinion, and Archbishop Ussher, whom I reckon amongst the first of them, has I think shown, that a religion not very remote from the present Protestant persuasion, was that of the Irish before the union of that kingdom to the crown of England. If this was not directly the fact, this OCTOBER, 1843.

4 Z

very

at least seems very probable, that Papal authority was much lower in Ireland than in other countries. This union was made under the authority of an arbitrary grant of Pope Adrian, in order that the Church of Ireland might be reduced to the same servitude with those which were nearer to his See. It is not wonderful that an ambitious monarch should make use of any pretence in his way to so considerable an object. What is extraordinary is, that for a long time, even quite down to the Reformation, and in the most solemn acts, the kings of England founded their title wholly on this grant; they called for obedience from the people of Ireland, not on princi ples of subjection, but as vassals and mean lords between them and the popes; and they omitted no matter of force and policy to establish that Papal authority with all the distinguishing articles of religion connected with it, and to make it take deep root in the minds of the people."

Can we fail to recognize the retributive hand of providential justice, in the result that this plant of Popery, thus forced by England upon a foreign soil, should now prove a thorn in her own side, from which nothing but distress and uneasiness are perpetually springing? The dominance of Popery is the true "Monster-evil" of Ireland; nor can there, to view the matter only in a political light, be any reasonable hope that the course of our policy can run free from the constantly recurring obstructions of Irish discontent and Irish agitation, until the bands of political union between the two countries have been hallowed by a community in the pro sion of the same faith.

THE WRONGS OF WOMAN. By CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH. Part I. Milliners and Dress-makers.-II. The Forsaken Home. W. H. Dalton. 1843.

THE bad notoriety that once pertained to a title-page conversely similar to this, has worn itself out long since; the name of Mary Wolstoncroft remains in old library catalogues, with the stamp of abhorrence and prohibition on it; but few, we trust, of the present generation know the exact ground of the proscription, or seek to inform themselves of the manner of her guilt. For ourselves, we came upon the field of literature too late to make it necessary we should profess acquaintance with the contents of that once notorious book-"The Rights of Woman." Books of that bad pre-eminence however, are only occasional outbreaks of principles, and thoughts, and feelings, which never become obsolete; abiding falsehoods of the human heart and understanding; easily excited into indiscretion and immorality. We may take comfort, in the hope that Mrs. Mary Anne Walker has never learned to write: but the femality of our times is not without a champion, of distinguished name and influence, whose vindication of the "rights of her sex, if she could prevail, would lead to the same issue as those of her grosser predecessor. The women of Great Britain are too happy to believe her; and whatever be the ground of Miss Martineau's bruited claim to a substantial testimony of her country's gratitude, we trust it is not the successful influence of her destructive principles of independence and equality upon the minds of her countrywomen.

We hope and believe there is no common soil in England in which such pretensions can root themselves extensively. The hotbed growth of here and there an artificially cultured garden, the fruits of such principles have indeed been gathered in all their maturity of infamy and ruin. We should be sorry to bear the responsibility of so much as this success: to have dropped but one corrupting seed in the bosom of the simple and the pure; but generally we believe that they have made no way. Nine-tenths of English ladies, including all the educated classes, are thoroughly conservative; we venture to predict that if the political champions of the rights of woman could prevail to acquire for her a legislative equality, they would be as much horrified at the sight of their own work, as Milton's Sin was at the birth of Death; for they would produce the most ultra-tory government that ever drove reformers to despair. We are not sure if the proportion would