tain, because that many hundred years ago fome of the natives of that country invaded and planted colonies in the island; and were any Welch or French pamphleteers to hazard such an assertion, the English would very juftly confider them as eligible inhabitants of Bedlam. The noble author will (I believe) confefs that what he calls the "English colony," has been fettled in Ireland rather longer than the inhabitants of North America in their portion of the Western world, and yet he allows to the latter their appropriate appellation. It appears as if he intended to reproach the Irish fettlers for not having long fince employed the fame exertions for Liberty, which bestowed a name, a character, and a conftitution on the American fettlers: but the noble author should recollect, that nations will endure very numerous and fevere oppreffions, before they will have recourse to the violent operations of Revolution; and probably had America been very little lefs oppreffed, it would remain at this day a dependent province of Great Britain. It is difficult to produce, and easy to prevent, Revolutions; but there is a degree of tyranny which no nation can endure. Men feldom fight about the forms or names of Government-for let the form be ever fo imperfect, or the name ever fo offenfive," make the people happy, and you may make them loyal.*"

Philofophical Survey of the South of Ireland.

Whilft men enjoy protection, plenty and happiness, they will always defire to continue them, and never look after Revolutions; therefore, whoever would endeavour to preserve a present establishment, must make the people eafy and contented under it, and to find their own account in the continuance of it, Cato's Letters, 3d Vol. p. 86. For

C

For my own part, fuppofing that I were to confider hereditary monarchs in the abstract as ridiculous as ever did Thomas Paine, yet I could idolize a King, whose mild and judicious administration beftowed on his subjects rational liberty and virtuous happiness and though a Republican form of government should be thought in theory the best calculated to promote the morality and felicity of a ftate, I should glory in the subverfion of one, which under that name, had proved itself vicious and tyrannical.*

I lament the noble author's difficulty in underftanding that barbarous term, Ireland; and left he should misconceive my meaning, when I happen to make use of the vulgar appellation in the course of the following pages, I fhall briefly inform him, that when I mention this favage word, I mean to fignify an island† (sometimes called Hibernia, Innisfail, or Erin,) furrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, which Separates it from every other land; temperate, fertile and falubrious; bleffed with the finest bays and moft commodious harbours in the known world; particularly adapted for commerce and independence; peopled by a numerous, healthy and cou→ rageous race, who are (like the inhabitants of most other countries) compofed of the defcendants of va

*All governments, under whatsoever form they are administered, ought to be administered for the good of fociety; and when they are otherwise administered, they cease to be government, and become ufurpation. Cato's Letters, 2d Vol. p. 41.

+I do not mean to infinuate any doubt of the noble author's geographi cal knowledge; but as local circumstances always affect the national cha raster of a people, I mention the country with its inhabitants.

rious colonies from various nations, and amongst whom are fome bad men and many good, fome fools and many wife, fome fervile difpofitions and many independent characters. The inhabitants may be at this time divided into three parts--the British faction, the moderate loyalists, and the advocates for revolution. The former, which is the smallest party, comprizes an hoft of placemen, penfioners, and expectants; tyrannical fools, bigoted Protestants, and that fort of men* who are ready to become the partizans of any nation or government who pays highly. The fecond divifion comprehends all those who, from well grounded apprehenfions of anarchy, are attached to the exifting establishment; all the friends of moderate reform; the independent members of both Houfes of Parliament; most of the opulent Roman Catholics; many mercantile men, and private gentlemen of fortune. The third party is compofed of a great many perfons of brilliant abi→ lities, enthusiastic tempers, and small fortunes; seve, ral men of independent property; a large proportion of the middling class, and the majority of the lower claffes of every denomination. This portion of the population of the country, is at least equal (if not fuperior) in number, to the moderate party; but I fear that most of the higher claffes are engulphed in the small party first mentioned. Indeed,

Those who would facrifice their duty to their intereft; and unconcerned what becomes of the rest of mankind, would premote tyranny, if they might but shine in its trappings.

excepting a very few individuals, our men* of high rank and large fortune, are creatures whose hearts are contracted, whofe minds are vulgarized, and whofe morals are depraved. But (thank God!) there are many virtuous characters in Ireland; and it is an ifland which all the ardent wishes of the noble author and his tefty partizans, will never unite to the British shore, nor " precipitate to the bottom of the ocean."

This author seems to suppose that by endeavouring to perfuade the Irish Proteftants that they are a dependent colony, he will induce them to become such in reality; but however these artifices may deceive the timid, the mercenary, and the mean, they are too fhallow to impofe on the persons whom he wishes to cajole. If there were none but Papifts, mere Irishmen and descendants from Irish septs, concerned in the late confpiracy, I shall be satisfied to refign my reason into the hands of English pamphleteers, to believe only their creeds, and to fee only with their eyes; but if it is poffible to prove that in this plot were implicated a proportionate number of Proteftants, defcendants from mere English, and the pofterity of British colonists, I fhall continue to credit my own fenfes, to adhere to my own faith, and to trust my own reason, weak

* Educated in idleness, debauchery, and ignorance; taught to believe that greatness confifts in pride, infolence and extravagance; and fo, for the most part, want every qualification proper to adorn their characters.

At laft their neceffities make them fubmit to a paltry pension; and, instead of being the generous affertors of public liberty, they become the mean and humble instruments of power.

Cato's Letters, 3d Vol. p. 260.

and

and Irish as it is. The unhappy distinctions which have too long subsisted amongst the inhabitants of this ifland, are recapitulated in this infidious yet ab, furd pamphlet, with a base intention of renewing thofe differences which have been fo frequently and so unfortunately roused by similar endeavours; but it is to be hoped that we are now completely aware of those malicious attempts, and that Protestants, Catholics and Diffenters, will join in forming an invincible phalanx to defend the expiring independence of their country. My Countrymen! ye who first drew breath in this perfecuted land! ye who inhale the native air of Ireland! let not the arts of those who weep not for your forrows, who rejoice not in your bleffings, difunite you. Remember that you are brethren, and in your attachment to peace, your abhorrence of tumult, and your deteftation of anarchy, forget not that you are Irishmen!

The noble author talks of awakening the British colony (by which, I fuppofe, he means the placemen and pensioners, the fuckers of Irish blood, and the fcoffers at Irish patriotism) and I fincerely wish that fome of the noble author's partizans had taken the trouble of awakening him, before he attempted to write on Irish affairs; as it is very evident that when he entered on the subject, he was unfortunately under the impreffion of fome terrific dream, or had just fhaken off a Popish Incubus. It is to this caufe alone that I can ascribe the wild idea of a Catholic Republic, fo repeatedly mentioned in the course of this contemptible production. It is well known that univerfal toleration was one of the principal

objects