1

Respecting the general progress of this plan of doing good, we cannot say much. One school seems to be established in Westminster, under the patronage of Mr. Brougham and some of his friends: another has been commenced at Brighton, and our correspondent in Liverpool writes, "We have one lately established in this town, which is the admiration and delight of every one who sees it, and promises fair to produce a great change among the lower orders with us."

LONDON HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.

In the prefatory observations prefixed to their Seventeenth Report the Committee of this Society remark, in reference to their designs for the benefit of Ireland, that, "in selecting the plan of a strictly sc iptural education, the Directors of the institution are satisfied that it proceeds by the simplest possible method to the administration of the only alternative which can render society either morally susceptible or politically manageable." In the progress of their Report, they develope the present plan of the institution, founded upon the basis of seventeen years experience. The child whose services can be spared from the duties of the cottage and the farm, is invited to the benefits of the daily school; and where these services are indispensable on the days allotted to labour, the offer of the same advantages is held out in the establishment of the Sunday-school. The adult is accommodated by the institution of the evening-school, where, with others as ignorant as himself, he may sit down in unreproached attention to the task of his first lessons.

The daily schools of the Society present a total of 553 schools, and 51,889 scholars, and an increase of fifty-five schools, and 5,217 scholars, within the year. These schools are officially visited and examined every quarter by the regular inspectors. The scale of proficiency, with the number in attendance upon the day of inspection, regulate the teach

er's stipend, and proportion the disbursements of the Society to the number and actual progress of the scholars. These schools are also inspected by the readers of the Society, and where they possess the advantage of local patronage, by a higher superintendance.

Measures are in train for the connexion of a Sunday-school, with every daily school under the system. At present the Sunday-schools consist of 103 schools and 6,824 scholars, presenting an increase of no fewer than ninety-one schools and 5,024 scholars, within the last twelve months. Sunday-schools are taught by the day school-masters under the influence of Christian principles, and by ladies and gentlemen resident in the vicinity.

The Society had not been inattentive to the claims of the adult population; but it was not till the winter of 1820 that regular schools for them were organized. They now amount to 128 schools, containing 8,160 adult scholars, nine-tenths of whom are members of the Romish communion. This class of schools is taught by the local readers, and the more competent among the masters of the daily schools; and the progress of the pupils in reading and the knowledge of the Scriptures is truly gratifying. They are subject to vigilant inspection. The system of adult instruction is found to interfere most directly with the ignorance and disorderly spirit of the peasantry, and promises the largest amount of benefit to the present generation: the Committee therefore recommend a strenuous application of the Society's influence to its extension.

To adult

schools are added a species of irregular or cursory schools, opened under circumstances where the exertions of a reader may succeed in collecting a sufficient number of pupils. They are generally held in situations where the indifference of the peasantry, or the force of persecution, is such as to forbid the hope of a more permanent footing. No direct result of their effects can be given ; but it is known to be very considerable. All evening schools are confined to the male sex,

The Society's readers form a most useful and important

class of its agents. The local readers visit the particular district to which the parties are attached by residence: the itinerant class travel to the darkest and most impenetrable parts of the country, and proceed in the accomplishment of their objects by domiciliary visitation, a plan of intercourse which is greatly facilitated by the hospitable habits and communicative spirit of the peasantry. They are also charged with the inspection of such dayschools as may lie in the track of their journey. In their employment of reading the Scriptures they have been eminently successful, and in a multitude of instances, have proved the instruments of implanting the principles of the Gospel in ignorant and prejudiced minds. There are twenty-two of these useful agents in connexion with the Society, which is double the number of last year. An extensive circulation of the Scriptures has been effected through the medium of the Society's agents. The number of copies, English and Irish, disseminated within the year amounts to 13,044; making 92,600 since the institu tion of the Society.

The introduction of the vernacular tongue into the system of Irish education was first effected by a class of schoolmasters trained in one of the Hibernian Society's schools. These were afterwards distributed as teachers of those masters who could speak, but not read, the language; and this extension of the practice formed the basis of an Irish class in each school, in situations, at least, where a preference for such instruction was really discovered to exist.

After summing up the aggregate of their exertions, the Committee add, that "much as the Hibernian Society has accomplished, and much as has been effected by the blessing of God upon the wisdom and the perseverance of kindred institutions, there are yet whole counties in a state of absolute destitution; and in Limerick, that cradle of revolutionary outrage, the Committee have reason to believe, that the total number under scriptural instruction does not stand in the proportion of one to 800 of the entire population. These delineatious are appall

Dd

ing; but they present no real discouragement to the faith and the ardour of Christian enterprize."

The Society state, that they find in the Irish peasantry a native sensibility of character and quickness of perception which gain for the objects of Christian benevolence an intelligent and grateful assent; but they lament that many of the priests continue to oppose the plan of scriptural instruction by every means and argument," from the monitory hint to the discipline of the horsewhip." In those districts of the country which have never been visited by the blessings of scriptural education, the same undisturbed and stationary ignorance prevails as distinguished the same districts at the most barbarous periods of their history; and the supply of education, as well as the quality of what is afforded, are regulated by the spontaneous demand of the peasantry themselves. This demand, to the extent in which it exists, produces what are termed the Hedge-schools, a considerable proportion of which are periodical. The instruction given in them consists in reading, writing, and arithmetic; but they afford no morally improving information; and the few books to be found in the hands of the children are usually of the most deteriorating description. The schools are wholly exempt from ecclesiastical interference; but whenever the economy of the system is disturbed by the influence of a scriptural school, the priests form a school, which differs from the hedge class by its authoritative establishment, and the compulsory attendance of the scholars; while it equally differs from the schools of the Society by the absence of the Scriptures, and, generally speaking, of every thing of a religious or morally improving tendency. These schools seem to be undertaken, not so much with a view to the advancement of the children, even in what they profess to teach, as for the purpose of interfering with their attendance upon the scriptural schools. So far, therefore, from regarding the great objects of religious and mo- . ral improvement, as advanced by the multiplication of these schools, the Committee view their increase as among the most formidable obstacles to such a result. The Committee report

a balance in favour of their treasurer: but their experience is strongly in favour of the practicability of opening five schools to one of the number which it would be possible to establish` upon the foundation of their average income; so that they find' themselves constrained to inculcate, with greater urgency thanever, the Society's necessity of increasing funds.-Christ. Obs Supp. for 1823.

HONDURAS.

The following letter is from Mr. Bourne, the Baptist Missi-onary at this settlement. It is addressed to a friend in England, and bears date, July 17, 1823.

"You will probably hear, before this reaches you, that Belize is to be the place of my residence, and the commencement of the Mission in this part of the world; and in this, Divine Providence seems much to have interfered, and, by a long detention, and painful course of discipline, to have taught me the path of duty. I have received a letter from Mr. Dyer, stating it to be the opinion of the Committee, that I should remain. at Belize; yet, however, they wish me still to keep my eye on the Indians of the Musquito Shore, and send them information respecting them. I feel fully satisfied with this arrangement,, and see much of God in it. It appears of the greatest importance that a Mission be established here first, not only from its loud calls, the greater number of inhabitants you get access to at once, and the probability of its supporting itself at no very distant period, but from its local advantages, and the assistance it may afford to every other Mission in this part of the world. We may hope the period is not far distant when not only something will be done on the Musquito Shore, but amongst the Spanish provinces around this settlement. Indeed, it appears from their internal commotions, that things are now fast making way for the entrance of the Gospel; and I have little doubt but that, in a little time, a Lancasterian School might be establish ed in Guatimala, a city containing 32,000 inhabitants.