m AN INQUIRY INTO CERTAIN rUlLGAR OPINIONS CONCERNING THE CATHOLIC INHABITANTS AND THE ANTIQUITIES OF IRELAND: In a Series of Letters from thence, addressed to a Protestant Gentleman in England. By the Rev. J. MILNER, D. D. F. S. A. &c. Fitiibus ccciduis describitur optima tellut, famine, et antiquis Scotij scripta libris : insula dives opum, &c.; In i/ua Scotorumgentes babitare merentur; Inclytager.s honwium mi!:le,pace, fide. St. Donatus, Episc. Fessul. Sxcl. Nono, a iillllllHHHaillllllWrt t— PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY KEATING, BROWN, AND CO. No. 38, Duke-street, Grosvenor-square, SOLD ALSO BY Booker, Bond-?treet ; Bodd, Pall-mall; Symonds, Pater-noster-row ; SiMFSON, Wolverhampton; Wilks, Birmingham; Messrs. Coy.ne and FiTzPATRiCK, Dublin; and Haly, Cork. 180S. [ CntecetJ at fetationcus l^all, ] 1,//. ]%i>^^'lll^ CONTENTS. <S* *j!*>©*iS'5S^" LETTER L Page QCCASIONofthe writers tour to Irdarid. —Political importance of the Irish Ca- tholics one of the phcenomena oj the times. —Dependance of the English Catholics upon them. —Journey through Wales. — The Isle of Anglesea.— View of the Bay of Dublin, - - - 3 LETTER IL Beauty of the liver Liffy. —Royal college of May7200th. — Vindication of the Irish Ca- . tholic Clergy.—Their past services to the cause of literature in their own island, and in foreign countries. — Schools and universities founded by them. — Their zeal and success in cultivating learning since the Reformation, —Account of some of their writers^ - - 7 iv CONTENTS. Page LETTER III. State of literature among the Irish Catholic Clergy at present. —The course of studies pursued at Maynooth and the other se- minaries. —Inquiry intoihe charge ofpro- selyting brought against them. — Retorsion of this upon the Protestants and Govern- - ment of Ireland^ - 17 LETTER IV. Lay college at Maynooth. —The necessity of such an establishment. — Objections of Ca- tholics against sending their children to the Universities^ - - 24- LETTER V. Public buildings in Dublin.—General charac- ter of the Catholic Prelates. —3Iisrepre- sentation of the Catholic hierarchy. — Groundless objections against it.—-Dread- ful consequences that xvould follow from an attempt to suppress it.—Constancy of the Catholic clergy underformer religious persecutions, - - 27 LETTER VI. Incomparable beauty of the environs of—Dub- lin. —Character ofdifferent nations. Na- tive genius of the Irish.— Tribute to the memory of Edmund Burke. — J\Ir. Grat- CONTEXTS. Page Ian. —Amiable qualities of the Irish. — Testimony of other icriters in their fa- 'vour, - - - 38 LETTER VII. Chieffault in the character of the Irish.-^ Fatal consequences of it. —Accumulated guilt qfl:luelling. —Implies a xvant of true courage. —Easy means of putting a stop to it, " - - 45 LETTER VIIL Departure from Dublin.—^Memorials of the rebellion^ —and of Stonehenge. —Religi- ous disposition of the Irish Catholics. — JVhat is superstition ?—The exterior prac- tices of religion necessary. ^^Respect of the laity for their clergy. —Services rendered by the latter to the former. -— Proposed residence of the established clergy, — Vain attempts of a great man to divide the Catholic laity from the clergy. —His ser- t'ices to English Catholics appreciated, oS LETTER IX. Situation of Carloiv and Kilkenny. —Natural advantages of the latter. —Inquiry into the morality of the Irish. —Causes which have corrupted the morals of several. — Former injusticeqf the English government and laws,—Conduct of the Orange party A ( VI CONTENTS. Page prenviously to the rebellion. — Subsisting temptations to act against conscience. — Specific charges of immorality. — Pilfer- ing^ —Drunkenness,—Libertinism, —Per^- jury. —Peculi'ar inconsistency of the last chargCy . ^ - 63 LETTER X. Sir Richard Musgrave the most mrulent ca- lumniator of his Catholic countrymen. — His history of the different rebellions re- jected by Marquis CornwalUs to whom it was dedicated. — General idea of that work. Instances of slander unparalleledfor their jnalice and absurdity. - - Horrid forgery upon the Catholics. — Methods taken to give it credit.—Serious advice to Sir R. M.—Aivful reflections arising from the perusal of thisforged instrument, 78 LETTER XL Situation of the town ofThurles. — yexv cha- pel of St. Patrick. — Nexvest mode of at- tacking the ancient faith. —Author of this method. —Testimonies of the learned from the present time up to that of St. Patrick for the existence of this saint,—Various other proofs of this fact. —Imputation on the memory of St. Bridget. —Proofs of its falsehood. —Fires on Midsummer eve, 90 - CONTENTS. Vii Page LETTER XII. Liquiry into the arguments of Dr. Ledwich against the existence of St. Patrick. — Misrepresentation of Catholic critics. —The arguments in question purely nega- tive, ' - - 101 LETTER XIIL Various ca-cils of Dr. L. against the history of St. Patrick refuted. —Pretended im- posture of the icritersqf the ninth century concerning this saint. —Similar charge brought by Dr. L. against Christian mis- sionaries in general,— Unfair garbling of Catholic prayers. —Vain attempt to cajole the Irish Cat holic&, - 112 LETTER XIV. Description of Holy Cross Abbey. —Profane praises of Henry VIII. — Account of the identical piece of the Holy Cross zchich occa- sioned thefoundation of this abbey. —Vene- ration of the Cross of Christ viiidicated. —Appearance of the Rock of Cashel. — State of the ancient cathedral and of Cor- mac's chapel. —Description of the Round Toivers of Ireland, —Examination of the different opinions concerning their use. — - The writer's decided opinion, 1 ^G A a Viii CONTENTS. Page LETTER XV. JFhat species of Clu^istianity xvas first esta^ blished in Ireland. —Different systems of Archbishop Usher and Dr. Ledzcich. — Refutation of the several arguments brought in support of the former, 14) LETTER XVL Usher denies that the ancient Christians oj Ireland acknowledged the Pope's Supre- macy. — Refutation of this assertion. — Absurdities of Dr. Ledwich on this subject. —His falsification of St. Irenceus. — Ge- neral mistake of xvriters concerning the four Archiespiscopal Palls brought from Rome to Cardinal Paparo. —The peculiar system of Dr. L. concerning the religion of the Ciddees. —Refutation of it. —The u-rong observance of Easter a novelty in the British churcJies, - - - l-S^ LETTER XVir. Journey from Cashel. — Description of Fer- moy. —Comparison of the sister islands in point of beauty. —Charms of Glen- mire. — Enchanting view of the river of Cork.—First founders of Cork.—Esta- blishmentsfor the educatio7i of children. — Ladies of the Presentation, —Ditto of the Ursuime Institute. —Novels and theatri- cal amusetnents proscribedy - 1 70 CONTENTS. IX Page LETTER XVIir. E.vemplavy care of the Catholic clergy to procure instruction for their Jlocks. — Comparison of the Irish poor with the English poor in point of instruction, — Personal exertions of the priests in this respect. — Classical learning among the peasants. —The alledged zvant of bibles. — Necessary precaution to render these use- ful. —Fatal effects of neglecting this pre- caution, - - 179 LETTER XIX. A water party. — Description of the beauti- ful harbour of Cork. — Population of Cork. —Relative proportion of Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.—Importance of this subject.— Causes of the increase of Catholic population. — Increasing wealth and political influence of Catholic mer- chants - * and tradesmen^ ]9>> LETTER XX. Journey to IVaterford. —Character of its in- habitants. —Damp en all the pleasing views in Ireland. —Impolicy of the system of coercion. —Mischief of unequal laws. —Imprudence of ve.ving the consciences of the soldiery. —Folly and meanness of the periodical triumphs over the Irish, — Irritation pj^oduced by the late bills, — CONTENTS. Page Motives of M7\ Grattan's conduct. — Present disposition of the Irish Catholics. —Inconsistency of their opponents, 204 APPENDIX. LETTER I. Occasion of the Appendi.v. —Journey to TVa- terford harbour. —Musing on the shore.-— Dunbrody abbey. —Farezvel viexv of Ire- land, —Reflections on its calamities com- pared zcith those of other countries. — Apparent economy of Divine Providence in dispetising them. —Lawfulness in seeking their redress. —Effects of eixlusive lazvs. —Prejudices of the public. —Means taken to infame these. —Catechism of the charter schools. —Comparison of this with the Ca- tholic catechism. — Impolicy of the calum- fiiating system. —Soldiers still subject to actual religious persecution. —A general persecution plaiined by a powerful noble- man. —Controversy with Dr. Ledwich. — E.vpected attacks upon the present publica^ tion. —The author* s present adversaries. — Tribute to the memory of Dr. Sturges. — The Reviexcers. — The author s advice to Ids Irish friends. —Approach to the small light house. — Its inhabitants compared zvith the anchorets, - - 219 CONTENTS. XI Page LETTER II. Arrival at Milford Haven. —Description of it. —Account of a nexv-built church. — Spirit of the Irish Catholics for irnproving their chapels. — Dimensions of those at Waterford, Cork, and Thurles. — Chief defect in these. —Superior beauty of the — ^— pointed style. Origin of it. Different , orders of this style. —Necessity of an able architect. —The merits of Mr. Carter. — The Grecian style and different orders. — Due proportions of a Catholic chapeL—^ Necessity of symmetry. — Importance of the altar. —Mode of decollating it. —The tabernacle. — Altar-piece. — Galleries. — Ceiling.—JVindows. —Organ andpulpit. — Benches. —Attention to the ornamenting of churches vindicated, - S-i-T —— ERRATA. Page 7, line 2, for is read^x^-^ — p. 9, 1. 20, for whatever read all the; p. 12, 1. g./or Bobis read ; p. \' — Bobbio — 15. i'^i for anti- read quarian antiquary j — p. 21, 1. ult. read of hope;—p. 3c, 2d note, ybr Condition of Ireland, reat/ Catholic Question;— p. 31, 1. 16,^^- desired read devised ; p. 1. read dominions," * the — 33, 4, ; I. read 1. read note 15, for Slattery Scattery ; note 2d, 3, for ce se ; — p. 34, 1. 19, for he read\\\e.y ; — p. 43, after note 2d, add See also ; read Alcilin de Pontif. Ecc. Ebor. — p. 58, I. 10, for on which at which; —p. 59, 1. 25, dele in question;—p. 65, 1. 3, read will prove, that;—p- 67, 1.