

Influence of Religious Persuasions. 57 



apprehension of these influences on my intellect, 

 which have hitherto deterred me from entering 

 on the subject. This concession I would gladly 

 make in the hope of imbibing the opinions of 

 one so liberally and effectually endowed. But 

 as I know not where this prodigy is to be found, 

 I must continue to doubt the impressions on 

 my own mind, and distrust the competence and 

 candour of others. 



* 



The influence of religion on national cha- 

 racter is so powerful, that a very slight ac- 

 quaintance with the History of Ireland is suf- 

 ficient to show, how great a proportion of the 

 miseries, which have afflicted this country for 

 the last two hundred years, have had their 

 origin in the religious persuasions of the peo- 

 ple ; whose utter ignorance has been practised 

 on by unworthy members of their church, till 

 persecution and oppression have engendered 

 the most direful passions, and given birth to 

 crimes and enormities without number. Cha- 

 rity, which ought to be the rule of conduct in 

 both parties, is exercised very feebly by either 

 hence the protestant and catholic are equally 

 prone to credit all those existing calumnies 

 against each other, which wickedness or folly may 

 be disposed to invent and propagate. The es- 

 tablished church, supported as it is by govern- 



