228 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY. 



progress when our high places are filled by the minister of the 

 day, with little regard to any but political motives. (I am as much 

 opposed to the royal as to the papal supremacy.) My only hope 

 is in the inherent life of the Church herself. Let them hack 

 and oppress her as they please, she has something to rest on 

 which they cannot overturn. 



To the Same. 



T.C.D., March 20, 1851. 



Dr. F and I attended a meeting last evening to hear 



some addresses detailing the operations of the Irish society, 

 established, in connection with the church, for the purpose of 

 instructing the Celtic population of our western and southern 

 counties, through the medium of the Irish language. This 

 society (a voluntary one) has been at work for some years, and 

 is now showing fruit ; so that you need not be surprised (should 

 you live many years longer) to hear of Ireland becoming anti- 

 Roman, while England, or at least her aristocracy, are Koman- 

 izing. One of the speakers was the Rev. T. Moriarty, a most 

 devoted clergyman, who has now a large congregation, the 

 result of his labours for the fourteen or fifteen years that a wild 

 mountainous district in Kerry has been under his care, which 

 till then had not had a Protestant minister since the Reforma- 

 tion — nor was there a Protestant in the parish. Now, however, 

 the scene is changed. At a recent confirmation held by the 

 bishop, a hundred and forty were confirmed in one church, which 

 has a congregation of over five hundred. The change in faith 

 is exhibited in the greatly improved condition of the peasantry. 

 I cannot enter into the long history, but may send it to you in 

 print one of these days. Mr. Moriarty told us many anecdotes 

 illustrating his mode of dealing with the people, and also of the 

 magical effect which the Irish language has in reaching their 

 hearts, clearly showing that it is a most important moral 

 agent. One of his stories I shall try and relate : — 



About two years ago, soon after the rebellion of 1848, Mr. 

 Moriarty was travelling on the mail car from Killarney to 

 Kenmare. They left Killarney in the evening. The road (a 

 very picturesque one) winds among the mountains and through 

 a very wild country, beautiful by day but gloomy enough by 

 night. Going up the first hill, they overtook two country 



