68 



der those circumstances, there would be no reward, among a bar- 

 barous people, for insti-uction ; no incentive to learn before the ar- 

 rival of Christian pastors, whose chief protection, in a heathenish 

 island, would depend on their speedy success in making converts ; 

 and this success, in a great measure, on exciting their surprise 

 at the power of a few letters in becoming the repository of our 

 ideas; and in being understood by all, to whom the secret of 

 deciphering or reading should be communicated. 



The early introduction of Christianity and letters into Britain, 

 together with the intercourse between these islands, render the 

 above history of the Irish church highly credible. As tuition is 

 an inseparable attendant, we may also believe, that letters were 

 brought hither at an early period from Britain, and most probably 

 by the clergy of that island ; who, from their knowledge of the 

 British language, were best qualified and most disposed to perform 

 the office of instructors. This opinion is also evinced by the num- 

 ber of Irish letters nearly corresponding with that of the old 

 Roman alphabet ; by the substitution of other letters for Q, V, W, 

 X, Y, Z,^'^- which are omitted in both alphabets ; and, still more 

 forcibly, by the agreement in power of those substituted letters 

 with the old Roman ones' *^- The present British-Saxon figure of 



185. Q.. X. Y. Z. were used in Britain after the arrival of St. Augustine, A. X), 596. 



186. By the ancient llomans C was used for G. By the ancient Irish CC 



D . . . . T. D for T. 



FJ In all Irish words, derived from 



B > commutable. Latin words beginning with V, 



V 3 F is used for V. 



In those purely Irish, Bh are used 

 for V. 

 CV(pronouncedlikeC)forQ. By the Irish. . . . C. 



No J. No J. 



P and B coninuitable P and B commutable. 



H often omitted. H used only as an aspirate. 



C S used for X. And sometimes by the Irish, 



^1 



