IRELAND. 



591 



peds, with ropes of straw ; two goats are as inseparably yoked as Chang and Eng, and even 

 fowls are fettered. A sheep is connected by a running ring to a rope, which is tied to two 

 stakes, and removed when the pasturage is consumed. The higher orders of the Irish are 

 distinguished for hospitality and frankness. They are much given to convivial pleasures, and 

 one of the most favorite employments is that of a wine merchant. Our remarks, however, on 

 the Irish character, are chiefly drawn from those who make by far the greatest class. The 

 Irishman who would advance his fortunes must pass beyond the limits of his country ; and 

 those of his country are found high in station in every nation in Europe. The qualities that 

 depress him at home, elevate him abroad. In the northern and northeastern portions of the 

 island, the inhabitants are chiefly of Scottish descent ; they are Protestants ; many of them 

 belong to the Church of England, and others are Presbyterians. There is little difference of 

 character between these and the people of Scotland. 



14. Jlmusemcnls. The Irish are a very cheerful people, and dancing is the favorite national 

 amusement. There is no assemblage of the common people without a dance, and few are so 

 poor as not to entertain a dancing-master, whose charges, however, are exceedingly low. 

 The athletic exercises which are general in England, are many of them common in Ireland 

 Sunday is the day which is most devoted to amusements among the Catholics ; and two baronie? 

 or counties will sometimes have their champions for hurling stones, or pitching bars. The Sun- 

 day cake never fails in its attractions. This is a huge cake, purchased by subscription, antl 

 placed on a distaff, in a field near an alehouse ; and it is the prize of the best dancer, or arch- 

 est wag, of the company. The piper is a necessary part of the festival, and he is seated on 

 the ground, with a hole dug before, in which he receives the presents. 



15. Education. The condiiion of the Irish has been much improved, with regard to the 

 advantages of education, though there is much to be done before they will be as well educated 

 as the people of Scotland. In 1825, there were 1,702 schools, though, since then, the number 

 has much increased. More than 1.300 were founded by the Hibernian Society, which was 

 formed at London. The Protestant Society has upwards of 500 schools, and the Christian 

 Brotherhood 24. These are kept by men who throw all they have into a common stock, and 

 devote themselves to celibacy, and the education of the poor, to which they bind themselves 

 by a vow. There are 46 female schools connected with nunneries, besides which there are 

 350 day schools supported by subscription, and many Sunday schools. There is a Roman 

 Catholic college at Maynooth and Carlow, and a Jesuit college at Clongows. There is but 

 one university ; this is at Dublin, it has about 400 students, and is an institution of very high 

 character. 



16. Slate of the Arts. The arts are not in a flourishing state in Ireland, principally from 

 the want of the encouragement that the residence of the rich proprietors would give. The 

 useful arts are fa^ lower than in England or Scotland, and the ornamental ones are little culti- 

 vated. A taste for music is common, and no man is more welcome in an Irish house than a 

 piper or a harper. Many of the old national airs are sweet, but they are not so widely spread 

 as those of Scotland. 



Ireland has contributed her full share to the literature and sciences of the LTnited Kingdom, 

 and there are no names more celebrated than Burke, Swift, Goldsmith, Sheridan, and Moore. 

 The great national bent of genius seems to be towards wit and eloquence, and this appears not 

 only in the distinguished men, but in the mass of people ; for the very beggars pursue their 

 vocatioH with a union of these two qualities that is often irresistible. 



17. Religion, &c. The general religion is the Catholic, though the established church is 

 that of England. The Catholics of Ireland are therefore taxed for the support of two hier- 

 archies. Four fifths of the inhabitants are Catholics, and the other fifth is composed princi- 

 pally of Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Methodists, and Baptists. The established church has 4 

 archbishoprics, and 18 bishoprics ; attached to which are 670,000 acres of land. The income 

 of the church is about 5,000,000 dollars. Provision has lately been made by the Imperial 

 Parliament for the diminution of this enormous abuse, by the gradual abolition of 2 archbish- 

 oprics, and 8 bishoprics, thus leaving 2 of the former and 10 of the latter. This arrangement 

 is to take place on the death of the incumbents, and is already partially effected. Only one 

 ninth of the population belongs to the established church. There are 27 Catholic archbishops 

 and bishops, 1,500 parish priests, .3,000 curates, and 984 benefices, averaging 6,000 souls. 

 In every parish there is a ciiapel. The estahlished chui'ch is chiefly supported by the pay- 

 ment of a composition for tithes, and the Catholic cliurrh by contrlhiillons and fees for mar- 



