millions, the number specified in the memorial of 1814, will be found in Connaught and Munster alone,-a number equal to the whole population of Scotland !

At the same time, I cannot conclude without observing, that until Irish oral instruction make some advance, no wonder that there should be perplexity or contradiction with regard to the number of those who require to be taught to read the Irish language in the first instance. "There are, it may be," says the sacred writer, 66 so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them without signification. And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" But in any country, every such instance of oral instruction is not only music to the ear,—it is like a torch illuminating the path of incumbent duty. Following in this path, education must come with a relish to the mind. "Doth not the ear try words as the mouth tasteth meat?" is one of the oldest proverbs in the world,—twice recorded in perhaps the most ancient written composition in existence.

SECTION VI.

THE ISLANDS OF IRELAND

Viewed apart by themselves, as an object demanding special consideration and assistance, including the number of inhabitants in each Island.

ONE important feature of Ireland, hitherto passed over in a vague and general style by all writers, consists in the great number of islands scattered round her shores, in most of which the Irish language is generally, in many almost exclusively, spoken. The extreme length of Ireland is 306 miles, its extreme breadth 207, and, speaking loosely, the circumference is about 880 miles. "The sinuous line of its seacoast, however, exclusive of such parts as lie within estuaries, or above the first good anchorage in every harbour, but inclusive of the river Shannon, as far as the tide reaches, and the shores of Bantry Bay, Dunmanus Bay, and Kenmare river, will, if accurately followed through all its windings, be found to measure 1737 miles. In this line there are not fewer than one hundred and thirty harbours, and places where ships may anchor for a tide, or find shelter."* Round the coast of this fine country, and including her inland lakes, the number of islands and islets cannot be calculated at less than six hundred. In Clew Bay alone, on the west coast, the islands, islets, holms, and rocks above the surface of the water, have been rated, I think,

* Newenham's View of Ireland, 4to, London, 1809, p. 6.

as high as three hundred-which, if they were planted, would cause this inlet of the sea to exceed in picturesque beauty any thing of the kind in Europe. In Strangford Lough, on the east coast, there are fifty-four islands, small and great, known by particular names, besides many others nameless. As to inland lakes, to say nothing of Loch Coirrib, Loch Ree, or Loch Deirgeart, from the centre of an island in Loch Erne, called Ennismacsaint, may be seen twenty-seven islands in view at

once.

To the admirer of nature, all over these coasts, here is many a magnificent though neglected field for admiration and ecstacy, were it not so sadly shaded by the condition of thousands for whose use or gratification all this was made. The curious ruins too to be found here and there, where the arch or the rampart and the wall seem to lament and languish together, will lend to the scene a sombre character, and frequently excite the association of opposites, the suggestion of contrasthow different is this place or spot from what it once was! But better days are coming for Ireland than she ever saw in ancient times, whether mainland or coastways. Meanwhile, to continue this digression but a little longer, before noticing the people themselves, the reader, I think, will not object to a few slight notices respecting some of these islands.

RAGHLIN, Rathlin, or Rath-erin, the Ricnea of Pliny, the Ricinia of Ptolomy, about 6 miles distant from the north coast of Antrim, which is nearly 5 miles long, and 31⁄2 in extreme breadth, abounds with some curious arrangements of basaltic pillars, similar to those of the Giant's Causeway. It affords a considerable quantity of sea-weed for kelp, and, where cultivated, produces excellent barley. A religious establishment was founded here in the sixth century by Columba, but in 790 it was ravaged by the Danes. The attachment of the natives to their little island is extreme, and one of their worst wishes to any neighbour who has injured them is, that he end his days in Ireland. Raghlin is memorable as the retreat of Robert Bruce of Scotland: it was here that he planted his standard, and obtained some aid from the Native Irish, before he proceeded to the Hebrides. Dr Francis Hutchinson, Bishop of Down and Connor, who published an Irish Almanack, and a Defence of the ancient Historians, with applica

tion to the history of Ireland and Great Britain, in the year 1712, procured for the inhabitants of this island a translation of the Church Catechism into Irish, with the English annexed. It was printed at Belfast, but in the Roman letter, and the orthography of both languages was interfered with, otherwise this publication might have been noticed under the first section, in its proper place. I know not whether a single copy of the Raghlin Catechism remains in Ireland; but the attempt was not a judicious one, though perfectly characteristic, as the feeble and expiring effort of a narrow and illiberal policy.

TORY, about ten miles or more off the north coast of Donegal, but united to the parish of Tullaghabigly, is about three miles long and one broad. The name of this island is thought to be of Runic etymology, and Thor-eye, now corrupted into Tory, denotes that it was consecrated to Thor, the Scandinavian deity, who presided over stormy and desolate places. The inhabitants are unacquainted with any other law than that of their old Brehon code. They choose their own chief judge, and to his mandate, issuing from his throne of turf, the people yield a ready obedience. Round a tower and church built by Columkill, there is a grave-yard to which peculiar sanctity is ascribed, and where no one now is permitted to be interred. The people but very seldom come to the mainland. About two years ago, a fishing-boat, containing seven or eight men, being driven by stress of weather into Ards Bay, on the coast adjoining, it turned out that not one of these men had ever been in Ireland before! The trees belonging to Mr Stewart of Ards (the uncle of Lord Londonderry) actually astonished them, and they were seen putting leaves and small branches in their pockets, to show on their return. In August, 1826, the poor people in this island, amounting to nearly 500, were visited by a great calamity. A strange and unforeseen storm set in from the north-west, which drove the sea in immense waves over the whole flat part of the island; the waves beat even over the highest cliffs-all their corn was destroyed, their potatoes washed out of the ground, and all their springs of fresh water filled with that of the sea!* Their deplorable situation

* See an interesting and characteristic volume-" Sketches in Ireland, descriptive of hitherto unnoticed Districts in the North and South." Published by W. Curry & Co. Dublin, 1827.

constrained them to several communications with the mainland-their condition, in other respects, then excited pity-an Irish teacher is about to be sent them, and so this frowning Providence may prove to have been only the precursor of better days than they have ever seen.

INNISMURRY, about 6 miles distant from the coast of Sligo, is but small, containing about 130 acres of shallow soil. In this isle there is a large image rudely carved in wood, and painted red, which the people call Father Molash, to which it is affirmed they pay devotion; and they have an altar built of loose round stones, called the cursing altar,' to which they are said to apply if any one has injured them.

6

ACHILL, or Eagle island, so named from the great resort of eagles thither, is the largest of the Irish isles, being thirteen English miles long, by nine or ten broad, but no minute description of it has ever appeared. Although this island contains about 4000 souls, it and three others are united with Burrishool on the mainland !

SOUTH ARRAN ISLES, the Canganij of Ptolomey, which once gave a title to the Butler family, and now to that of Saunders Gore, are very fruitful in oats and herbage for cattle. The abbey erected here was destroyed in the year 1020, and sixty years later the island was pillaged by the Danes.

I might refer to various other islands which would furnish matter of curious remark-to Inisboffin, with the ruins of her old monastery, in which Colman, the Bishop of Landisferne, dwelt-to Iniscathy, or Iniscattery, with her ruins of seven churches, and her round tower of 120 feet high-to Cape Clear, and the ardent attachment which the poor Capers cherish for their apparently desolate island, where even temporary banishment to the mainland has been found so severe a punishment as effectually to prevent crime-but I forbear.

Now it is simply in some such manner as this that the islands of Ireland have too long been introduced to the notice of the reader, and then dismissed. To many the subject as a whole has appeared too intricate, and to others of no consequence; but it is with the inhabitants that we have to do, and it is surely more than time that the eye of pity should linger