of November and December; whilst after finally arranging his temporal concerns in the counting house, he proceeds deliberately to private apartment, and then, in proof, no doubt, of his superiority over all other nations upon earth in point of moral and religious education, with peculiar confidence, he "his quietus makes," and wings his premature fight into "that country from whose bourne no traveller returns."-Our poor *two legged H-irish animal, who, in iuxuries, is confined to his potatoe without salt, and, in commerce, to the extent of his own demesne, his native turf-bog, yet ever true to his innate principles of hilarity and forgiveness, would fondly drown the grating clanks of his hereditary chains by a hop on the green, or the more manly amusement of a foot ball match, were he not wantonly and wickedly insulted by a few misguided agents of Foreign clerks, who are ever watchful to disturb his harmony by their mischief making anniversaries, and thus revive sentiments of hatred. and jealousy, which a wiser policy would extinguish for ever.

I have been led to these observations by the noise and tumult of this day, forcing on my reluctant mind the painful recollection of a similar occurrence which gave rise to my former letter of the 1st inst. On that morning, as the clock struck four, I was roused from my bed by the mixt sound of belis and fire-arms. I instantly ran out in quest of news, anxiously expecting to hear that the joy-bells were announcing a glorious and decisive victory obtained over the French by the Spanish Papists, a circumstance

Cobbett's Cockney description of the Spaniards.

which, in the ardor of my hope, 1 conceived might possibly open the eyes of our good masters to their true interests, and make them at length see (what we have not been able to effect by the faithful services of many centuries) that our religi ous creed is not incompatible with the purest love of country, or with an honourable and conscientous adherence to the terms of any compact we make. The first object which attracted my intention was a man whose person and circumstance I knewHis conduct towards his wife and children was for many years edifying-to his employers respectful and attentive, but under the double pressure of intolerable taxes and a numerous family, he was scarcely able to support his house-Such was the character he bore in his own neighbourhood, and, indeed, it perfectly corresponds with the natural lincaments of his face, which, although bearing evident traces of anxious and corroding care, retained, until lately, a sufficiency of Melisian expression to convince any student of Lavator that, if left to the influence of his own principles, he could not be capable of degrading human-nature. But the unhappy man became entangled in a foreign and unnatural connexion ; his morals were debauched by the hired calumniators of his country, who made him believe that in every grey-coated man he met, he beheld an enemy-the consequent effects begin to appear, and the terrors of his haunted ima gination are already visible on his distracted countenance

The orange orgies of the night had rendered his appearance truly frightful. Being of huge stature, and armed with blunderbuss and

pistols, he paraded the streets as if in quest of prey, conscious of re3 B

ceiving

ceiving support, if necessary, from a groupe of poor, ragged, and, I might say, in every sense of the word, suffering loyalists, who by mutual agreement, kept within view of their hero, to assist him in running down the mere Hirish game. Like Goliah, who in armour, was all over brass, and "defied the armies of the living God," our modern Philistine was all over orange, and brutally insulting the unoffending children of peace as they passed in the streets. On their heads these deluded puppets, who were put in motion by designing, cencealed knaves, carried badges of disunion, whereon me thought I saw this motto, "Murder, Houseracking and plunder licensed," in legible characters.-My heart bled. for these blind instruments of an accursed faction, who exist only by the divisions of my country; and in this distraction of mind I was hurried away, on fancy's wings, to the tragical fields of Armagh, where were seen naked and exposed, under night's dark canopy, seven thousand of her wretched shivering children with no guide to conduct them on their hopeles journey to "Hell or Connaught," save the heart reading light of their own blazing hamlets. Oh, my unhappy countrymen often did you cry out, but in vain, to your "natural, or rather unnatural, Representatives," your rich unfeeling Catholic brother, in the affecting lan guage of Vergil's shepherd-" Nos patriam fugimus, tu, Tytere, lentus in umbra."--Your moans reached the ears, but not the hearts of those sons of mammon, and you were abondoned to the fostering care of your task-masters to expiate the double crime of attachment to your country and to the religion of your forefathers. No association was

then formed to save you from the dagger of the Orangeman; no fine speeches made by your degenerate "Leaders" to call the attention of the Empire to your distressed situation; you were left to the charity of your enlightened dissenting brethren, who although the descendants of a Colony originally planted for the subjugation of Ireland, were almost the only men from whom you now find pity or relief, whilst your "Leaders" looked on with a more than English apathy. Eternal gratitude to the citizens of Belfast! when the future historian contrasts their conduct on this occa sion with that of our "self-elected Representatives," it will tell badly for the latter.

When even our national bards were neglected and despised by our rich Catholics; when the very Harp became almost an object of their hatred; the same enlightened dissenters took under their generous protection Erin's only remaining Harper, who, through their bounty, is this moment instructing a number of young men in the science of our national music. Such were the thoughts that crowded on my memory whilst I ruminated the long dark catalogue of poor Erin's woes, which passed before me in sad review, each new one surpassing, if possible, the preceding in horror; but all eclipsed by this last blasphemous attempt of her own pensioned and pension hunting sons against the existence of that sacred relic, her as yet unsullied hierarchy, her country's honor, and her coun try's boast.

And here, my lord, I have to congratulate my countrymen on your manly conduct; you already have the gratitude and thanks of the nation, for your apostolical letter to the English agent on this

occasion;

occasion; (of this more in my next) and the Catholics of Ireland are now convinced, that with an O'Reilly at the head of all the bishops of the North, and the exertions of the Coppingers and Powers of the South; supported by Beatty and all the Priest's in Dublin, I might nearly say Ireland, except one would be bishop, they have nothing to fear from the manoeuvres of the "Association" or their dupes. I shall close this letter with the beautiful pathetic description of God's people during their captivity in Babylon, as written by the inspired Psalmist, and leave it to the reader himself to make the application. "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they that wasted us, required of us mirth, saying, sing us one of the songs of Zion. How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Remember O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem; who said raise it, raise it, even to the foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be that rewardeth thee, as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones. SARFIELD.

July, 12th, 1808.

Synod of Catholic Bishops. A meeting of our Prelates is to take place on the 15th September in Dublin, for the purpose of con

sulting on the favourite plan devised by part of the Catholic Aristocracy, that of giving to the king the power of appointing our Bishops.

This bargain, which an impudent faction offers to the state, on condition that they may share the honors of a merchantable Senate, and the emoluments of an expensive civil and military establishment, is, we are assured, resisted by all our priests and by a great majority of the prelates, and excites the most lively indignation amongst all classes of the Irish people.

The principles which actuate this dangerous conspiracy, may be fully known by consulting a literary hireling of theirs, in a publication of his," An Irish Catholic's Advice to his Brethren." In this mean and disgusting performance, calculated only to corrupt the public morals, a manual for informers, better suited for the office of the celebrated Major's, than for the honest habitation of an Irishman. Through every page its ranting rhapsodies are prostituted to the most abominable violations of the most striking and evident truths. Every thing that would contribute to the comforts and education of his brethren, as he terms the catholic people, are kept out of sight, and every falsehood that could lead them into the most stupid indifference to their wretchedness is as ardently attempted.

The accidental acquirement of wealth, by men of low manners and mean capacities, tend to injure society. It is to this hasty opulence we must attribute the means which the dregs of society have of ebtruding their vices and ignorance on the unwilling notice of the public. By the purchase of an ill-conducted education men in vain at. Bbb tempt.

tempt to convert bad materials, by liberal distinctions, into solid worth. Abilities have frequently lifted the most obscure to the most envied honors of the bar, but, when obscurity, by dint of money, would impose ignorance under the sanction of wealth on the community; that community wisely discerns the vulgar imposture and the foolish intruder, is punished by neglect and contempt.

That any mode of bettering the condition of the poor, is not an object of the Anti-popery Club, may be understood by any man who reads the Book of this Catholic Counsellor, retained as the organ and vehicle of the conspiring fac

tion.

The following extract is an admirable well drawn receipt for making informers, page 66," Let no injunction restrain your appeal to the laws; keep no forced oaths, for they do not bind you, associate with your industrious neighbours for the defence of all, give every useful information to the nearest spirited magistrate, with boldness and candour, respecting the persons, descriptions, and names of such ruffians, as you know or suspect, (and it generally happens that some do know, but dare not divulge those particulars,) lay plans for apprehending and assist in ap. prehending them, and when seized, deliver them up with firmness to he arm of justice; let no menace, no entreaty, no solicitation or tampering deter or entice you away afberwards from appearing when ne

cessary, to prosecute and bring to conviction. Remember that you owe this duty to yourselves, to your safety, and to your country. "If the warrant of the magistrate be too feeble, or the ordinary aid of law too distant, for your summary deliverance from these robbers, you will obtain effectual military succour by applying to the Gene ral of you district;" again he says "I would guard you against the spreader of news, and the vehicle of idle rumours, especially of ap prehended assassination or massacre. Observe him with vigilance; question his drift and scrutinize his real purposes; if you do not obtain a satisfactory result, bring him before the nearest magistrate, or at least intimate your suspicions to your gentry and clergy." This elegant essay on the trade of an informer, written under the patronage of the men who are busy in the sale of ourselves and our religion, is no contemptible evidence of their views and principles. A few of our monied grocers, and Smithfield jobbers, have been enticed into this association, weak minds are facile materials, in the hands of more intelligent villainy. The counsellor beats up for recruits, honours and employments are held up in peṛspective, and the honour of getting drunk with a Lord cements the confederation.

We expect to be able to give a correct account of the deliberations of the Bishops in our next,

THE