THE 
MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
_ New Series. 
Vou. VITI.] JANUARY, 1829. [ No. 37. 
THE DUBLIN DINNER OF THE “ FRIENDS OF CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS 
LIBERTY TO LORD MORPETH. 
Laneuace has no terms of more copious scorn than those which the 
papist haranguers perpetually cast upon the government, national 
_ strength, and individual character of England. The whole rhetorical 
| affluence of sedition is exhausted upon the baseness and meanness, the 
incorrigible dulness, and bigotted brutality of her people ; and every 
- Trish tenant of a hovel (being a papist), is triumphantly exhorted to lift 
up hand and voice, and-bless the Pope and the Virgin for his unques- 
tionable superiority. 
But while protestant Ireland shares with protestant England in the 
general degradation, papist Ireland offers the most.captivating contrast. 
+ The popish pale is the limit of light and darkness ; within it all is 
vigour, harmony, and patriotism ; religion without bigotry, the extinc- 
a Gon of all ignorance touching the interests of civilized man; the dis- 
_ ruption of those mounds and dykes, which interrupted the generous 
_ flowing of Irish affections into the one great stream of Irish privileges ; 
and not a mob can gather together, however vile to the eye, virulent to 
e ear, and suspicious and revolting to every common conception of 
orum, honesty, and allegiance, but instantly becomes a meeting of 
« Friends of Civil and Religious Liberty.” ; 
__*The reverse of the medal characterizes protestant England. And yet, 
in all this hostility, there is a lurking eagerness to canvas English opi- 
-nion, that is not easily reconcilable with the virtuous abhorrence, and 
lofty scorn, for ever burning and beaming in the popish bosom. An 
nglishman’s capture in the nets of the Association, is always a triumph. 
he prize may be of the most worthless nature—some old and decay- 
g tenant of the fat ponds of the English aristocracy, or some spawn- 
g of that small fry of which no man here takes account ; the difference 
the Association is nothing—they, with all hands, hoist him out of his 
ement—exhibit him gasping on shore—and, if they can make nothing 
else of their prize, make him a show. Lord Morpeth is the last haul ; 
and, though this unfortunate and very boyish young person contributed 
largely to his own burlesque, yet the Association were not the less 
cruelly eager in urging him to an exhibition, which will leave its ridi- 
M. M. New Series—Vou. VIL. No. 37. B 
