1830.] The English and Irish Church Establishment. 181 



to live any where but at home. The influence of example acts upon the 

 lower Protestant gentry, until it frequently happens that the only Pro- 

 testant left in the parish is the parson, and even he sometimes finds it a 

 matter of personal safety to live elsewhere. 



The next influence is the general ignorance of the peasantry, of whom 

 twenty years ago, not one fourth could read a syllable ; and of whom 

 immense multitudes could not speak a word of English. Even the 

 prejudices of the resident gentry, almost all dishonestly hostile to the 

 idea of paying their tithes, and many of them dreading the returning 

 popularity of the clergy, as an ill omen to their own habitual frauds 

 upon the church property, or even as leading to a resumption of the 

 alienated glebes (of which no less a number than 1,480 ! are in possession 

 of the laity,) were of no slight import in sustaining the the old system 

 of Popery. 



Yet, with all those obstacles, Protestantism has grown in Ireland; 

 and since the period of the Union, when political feelings became less 

 active in the patronage of the livings, there can be no doubt that a very 

 considerable progress in Protestantism, and with it, in education, and 

 general civilization and comfort, has been made. 



Thus, from the Parliamentary returns it is shown, that there being in 

 the whole of Ireland, in the year 1801, but 689 Protestant churches, there 

 have been added, previously to the year 1829, no less than 618 churches, 

 making in the whole 1,307 ; the additional number of seats being 

 about 200,000, and the whole providing seats for about 457^,450; a 

 provision much more complete than in the English church, when we 

 consider that the Protestants of Ireland are still under two millions, and 

 that allowance must be made for infancy and age, the infirm, and the 

 absent on unavoidable grounds ; independently of the " Second 

 Services," which are now generally established wherever there is a con- 

 gregation to attend to them. 



The number of Protestant benefices in Ireland, was reckoned at 1,254, 

 two years ago ; and the number is increasing, from the breaking up of 

 the Unions, wherever the death of the incumbent, and the growing 

 value of the district allows of the appointment of a clergyman. The 

 clergy at the same period were reckoned at 1,20^) rectors and vicars, and 

 750 curates ; the latter rapidly increasing in number ; the whole 

 amounting to 1,950. The bishops are eighteen ; the Archbishops, four; 

 the twenty-two, having an average income of 5000 a year. The benefices 

 have an average income of 250 a year. The curate's salary is by law 

 75 Irish, or in the new currency, 69 4s. 7id. But many of them 

 have larger salaries; and where the incumbent does not reside, the 

 curate, if the benefice be only of the value of 80, or 100, or 120, 

 has by law the whole receipts of the parish, with the glebe house, and 

 garden." 



A portion of this general progress is due to the " Asssociation for 

 Discountenancing Vice, and for the Promotion of Religion and Virtue," 

 established about the close of the last century, and chiefly carried on 

 by the clergy of the establishment. The schools connected with it, and 

 under the protection and inspection of the respective parish clergy, 

 contain about 20,000 children. The Sunday schools last year numbered 

 185,450. The Kildare Street Society had in their schools, in 1829, 

 about 107,000 children; Protestantism thus supplying with education, 

 religious knowledge, and in many instances, with books, &c. and the 



