1812.] 
much of the immediate island of Britain. 
We wish we could extend our eyes 
across the channel which divides from 
us an important and integral part of the 
empire, and speak with the same tran- 
quillity of 
IRELAND. 
But here, on the contrary, we sec, 
with the most serious apprehensions, all 
‘ the ingredients of the most fearful spe- 
cies of commotion, already in ferment, 
almost in outrageous ebullition. 
The infatuated delays and prevarica- 
tions on the question of emancipating 
the Catholics feosentelalitis at least of 
the whole population) from stigmatising 
disqualifications, is a system of policy, 
for which, sooner or later, it is to be 
feared, we must pay the bitter price. 
Not that the emancipation, as it is called, 
would have redressed the deep-seated 
and grievous wrongs of ill-fated Ireland: 
but it would have disarmed the factious 
of their most stimulating pretences. It 
would have taken both from the priestly 
and the political agitator, one, the great- 
est, hold they at present have on the 
passions of the populace; and it would 
thus have left the really politic and 
benevolent at liberty, more calmly to 
consider what can and must be done 
for the general melioration of the con- 
dition of the people. Instead of this, 
Qrangeism (only another name for the 
tyranny of corporation monopoly,) and 
invidious distinction, have been permit- 
ted to aggravate all the sources of dis- 
union and discontent; and the officious 
zeal of proselytizing interference, by 
‘thrusting the translated Bible into Ca- 
tholic circulation, has given occasion 
for the renewal of those public disputa- 
tions and aggregate controversies, which 
seldom fail to precipitate religious par- 
ties into outrage and insurrection, and 
which have already been productive of 
such excesses as must make a truly 
Christian spirit tremble for the conse- 
quences, ae 
THE CONTINENT. 
The Holy Alliance has been for some 
time so quiet in its operations, as to 
appear almost passive in the occurrences 
Obituary-df the Month. 
467 
(or no: occurrences) of the European 
world. There have been no appear- 
ances, however, of the slightest tendency 
to relinquish any portion of their design 
of harmonizing the whoie polity and 
condition of the world according to 
their own legitimate scale; though 
Greece and South America seein to 
intrude some awkward crotchets in 
their way. 
FRANCE 
seems to be little affected in her line of 
policy, domestic or foreign, by the. ac- 
cession of a new king. She is prepar- 
ing, it seems, in earnest, to withdraw a 
portion of her troops from the Penin- 
sula: but a Cordon Sanitaire will, of 
course, always, somewhere or other, be 
in a state of watchfulness, if the health 
of “Brother Ferdinand” should require 
attention. 
SPAIN 
continues afflicted with all the evils 
which an imbecile government, an igno- 
ble aristocracy, and a bigoted priest- 
hood, can inflict on an ignorant popu- 
lation:—all. the evils, in short, of the 
worst species of anarchy,—the anarchy 
provoked and urged by the very power 
and authority (authority powerless to 
all other purposes) by which it should 
be controlled. 
SOUTH AMERICA, 
in the whole of the larger extent to 
which the name is popularly given,— 
the unanglicised portion of the new 
continent,—seems everywhere (though 
with some vicissitudes) making advances 
in the establishment of her independ- 
ence, and the organization of republican 
governments. 
GREECE, 
also, continues to look up; while her 
enemy, the Turk, must begin, we should 
think, almost to despair of ever becou- 
ing again her master. Legislation, and 
political and general knowledge, are in 
an obvious state of progression among 
the reyolted Greeks ; and Freedom may 
again lift up her stately head, adorned 
and defended by the crest of Minerva, 
in the venerable sanctity of Athens. 
OBITUARY OF THE MONTH. 
—=_=z>- —— 
Tue Rev. R. C. Matorin. 
VHNHIS eccentric character was undoubt- 
edly a man of genius, though it mani- 
fested itself, even in his most successful 
efforts, more in the extravagancies of an over- 
Weaning imagination, than in the refine- 
ments of a correct taste or the coherency 
of intellectual power. His conduct and 
deportment as a man corresponded with his 
character as an author. Both were strongly 
marked with the same affectation and eccen- 
2 of 
