to a calm consideration of that most solemn subject. Oh that your muse, with whose national eloquence I have often sympathised, were yet inspired to breathe forth the praises of Jehovah! Then, indeed, instead of regretting that you made Christianity in Ireland your subject, I should watch, more anxiously than I ever did for a promised number of your melodies, to hail some new effusion of your eminently poetic talent. Oh, my dear sir, reflect-do but reflect-how responsible you are for the use of that important that influential gift. How rapidly is the time-the moment, for its enjoyment here, passingfleeting away ! How very soon we shall both of us stand before the judgment seat of our Redeemer-now inviting in mercy, but then retributing in justice-and give an account of the improvement or abuse of the talents committed to our charge. With real desire that you as well as I may be instructed in all truth, and that we may be enabled to abide in it unto life eternal

I am your's, faithfully,

HENRY J. MONCK MASON.

Dublin, Printed by J. S. FOLDS, 5, Bachelor's. Walk.

POSTSCRIPT.

SINCE this letter was completed, I have been induced to make some inquiry respecting one part of it, which, from my deficiency of information at the time, I thought proper to confine to the place of a mere note, but which I have now found not only a fit subject for a place in the letter itself, but deserving of the most particular attention. It exhibits as striking an instance of dishonest misquotation as I have ever met with-but in using these terms, I do not mean to apply the degrading epithet to your motives, for I know that you took the passage from O'Connor, without putting yourself to further trouble; nor do I apply them to that learned and honest man, who I am willing to believe took it, also rather lazily, from some previous writer: but I lay the charge boldly at the door of some previous advocate of your cause. I stated in the note to p. 63, that you have misquoted the words of Tertullian, who says, "Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitiis annuâ die facimus," as if he had merely said, "Oblationes pro functis annuâ die facimus." The first sentence signifies, “We make oblations for the deceased for their birth-days annually;" the second, "We make oblations for the deceased annually." I did observe the term "defunctis" instead of "mortuis;" and suspect that of "pro natalitiis" to be highly material, and I have

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since found that it is indeed so; as it gives an entire change to the custom referred to, in all its character and circumstances; and alludes to one of the most beautiful parts of the history of primitive persecution and martyrdom. In the Rev. Mr. Chevallier's Epistles of Clement, &c. just published, (p. 164, note,) you will find the whole matter opened out. The following is an extract" These anniversaries of the days on which the martyrs suffered, were called their birth-days, on which they were freed from trials of mortality, and born as it were into the joys and happiness of heaven-Thus Tertullian de Coron. Militis, c. 3, says—'Oblationes pro defunctis pro natalitiis annuâ die facimus"— (the very sentence you have relied on.) He then proceeds to give some instances of allusions to this custom, made by St. Cyprian, and adds the following: "After Cyprian himself had suffered for the faith, we find Peter Chrysologus, in his Sermon on the Martyrdom of Cyprian, using the like expressions: 'Natalem sanctorum cum audistis, fratres, nolite putare illum dici quo nascuntur in terram de carne ; sed de terrâ in cœlum, de labore ad requiem, de tentationibus ad quietem, de cruciatibus ad delicias-non fluxas, sed fortes et stabiles et æternas-de mundanis risibus ad coronam et gloriam-Tales natales dies martyrum celebrantur,"-"Do not think the birth-day of saints to be one to the earth in the flesh; but from earth into heaven, from labour to repose, from temptations to rest, from tortures to delights-not fleeting, but strong, steady, and eternal-from the scorn of

the world to the crown and to glory." "The manner," he proceeds, "of celebrating the memories of the martyrs and confessors in the primitive Church was this-On the anniversary day the people assembled, sometimes at the tombs where the martyrs had been buried. They then publicly praised God for those who had glorified him by their sufferings and death, recited the history of their martyrdom, and heard a sermon preached in commemoration of their patience and Christian virtues. They offered up fervent prayers to God, and celebrated the Eucharist in commemoration of Christ's passion, and gave alms to the poor. They kept also a public festival provided by general contribution, to which the poorer brethren were freely admitted."

The occasion of this note is a passage in the martyrdom of Polycarp, which is highly interesting, and which I shall transcribe for you from the Latin of Eus. Ecc. Hist. lib. iv. c. 15-" Concedat Deus natalem ejus martyrii diem cum hilaritate et gaudio celebrare; tum in memoriam eorum qui glorioso certamini perfuncti sunt, tum ad posteros hujusmodi exemplo erudiendos et confirmandos"-" May God grant to us to celebrate the birth-day of his martyrdom with cheerfulness and joy; as well in memory of those who have accomplished the glorious conflict, as for teaching and confirming their followers by such an example." Here then we find that this pure hallowed primitive oblation was the most spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving possible, offered for men-deceased certainly, but-UNDOUBTEDLY gone to glory, and not

to purgatorial fire, (Rev. xx. 4, vi. 9, &c.)—for one here, for instance, who even from the burning of this world's fires was miraculously preserved; and it reminds us of that striking and difficult passage of 1 Cor. xv. 29" Why are they baptized for the dead," and its context-by exhibiting a most powerful motive to the Christian believer in the resurrection, to be faithful even unto death.

I hope, my dear sir, you will take a hint from this failure; and attend, in the next volumes of your history, to what experience has taught me to be indispensable— I mean to consult your originals, when you quote authorities upon any occasion of importance.

I shall take this opportunity of transcribing one more passage from the martyrdom of Polycarp, and give it in the English of Mr. Chevallier; it demonstrates an early abhorrence of any thing like the present honor paid by the Romanists to martyrs. It was suggested by the Jews to the governor, to prevent the Christians from taking the body of Polycarp, lest they should begin to worship this Polycarp-"not considering," says the writer, "that it is impossible for us either ever to forsake Christ, who suffered for the salvation of all such as shall be saved throughout the whole world, (the righteous for the ungodly); or to worship any other. For HIM indeed, as being the Son of God, we ADORE; but for the martyrs we worthily love them, as the disciples and imitators of our Lord, on account of their exceeding great love towards their Master and King."