consider the solemn oath which popish members of parliament take; to examine their actions; and then to decide whether the Bishop of Exeter was not justified in accusing them of "perjury, aggravated by treachery."

THUS matters went on; and though the sovereignty of the Seven Hills was not re-established in the two islands, yet a number of the people, particularly in the Green Island, professed themselves adherents of the Old Man; and you will clearly see, from what had passed before, that they were therefore very little of subjects to the King of the White Island; for if the Old Man only bid them swear that they would not rebel, they swore it immediately; and then, if he bid them rebel the next day, they rebelled, and so on; yet they said they were doing no harm, because both the perjury and the rebellion were done to please the Old Man. In short, he of the Seven Hills was their real master, for they would do anything in the world to oblige him; but the king could get no obedience from them at all, unless the Old Man chose to permit it. In consequence of this plain fact, these OldMan's-men were not allowed to have any share in the government of the islands, although they were not otherwise inconvenienced on account of their foolish fondness for the Old Man; and even when they rebelled, the King of the White Island was much more civil to them than most monarchs are under such circumstances.

This was the state of the case, when the Old Man began to think within himself, as he sat on his seven-legged throne, that it was a great pity he should not be master of the White Island again; for by being independent, and free from all the heavy taxes it used to pay to him and his trained bands, it had become so rich and flourishing that it was far better worth having than any two of the other kingdoms which he had under his control. As for the Green Island, he knew that he should have that along with the White one; but it was not worth much in his eyes, for it was wretchedly poor, and only grew a few potatoes. So this unholy old personage, his holiness, put it into the heads of his chief island-followers, that they were cruelly used, in not having a share in the government of their country under that king to whom they were, in fact, no subjects at all. He knew that he must work step by step, for it was of no use to attack the White Island by force, as the people were strong enough to beat all his

subject-kings put together; and as to claiming his right by challenge, he knew they would only laugh at him, and therefore he went to work in this sly and underhand way.

His followers were ready enough to think themselves ill-treated, and they soon raised such an outcry, (especially they of the Green Island, who had extraordinarily fine lungs,) that they startled the king, and all the people too. The matter was well weighed and discussed; but although it was settled over and over again, that the subjects of one power could have no possible right to rule in the councils of another, yet these noisy fellows, stirred up by the trained bands of priests, and formed into secret societies among themselves, continued their demands for that to which, in common sense, they had no right, and to which, by favour, they had lost all claim, through their constant rebellion and troublesome behaviour. And not only did they demand, but they threatened; and to shew that the noise they made was not an empty sound, they cut the throats, and burned the houses, of several people in the Green Island, who had dared to be faithful to their king, and to defy the Old Man and his servants.

One would think that this would have shewn every one their real character and intentions; but on the contrary, it had the very effect they wished it to have, and frightened the governors of the White Island almost out of their wits. They changed their opinions in a trice, and consented to let these noisy, murderous, rebellious Old-Man's-men have all they wanted, and persuaded the king into it against his will; and so the matter was accomplished, to the infinite joy of the unholy holiness of the Seven Hills, who now saw himself half a king again in these once free islands.

The newly promoted persons were, however, made to swear solemnly, not only that they would do all that was required of them as to good and decent conduct, but also, that when they swore an oath they meant to keep it. This last was the greatest perjury of all; for, as you have already seen, the oath of an OldMan's-man is only taken to be broken; and one would have thought that the White Island people knew that before. However, they did not regard it, but made them swear to do so and so, and to keep their oaths; which was much about the same thing as to hold water in a sieve, or to tie up the wind with a whipcord.

And the end of it was, that, as might have been expected, and as many people always did expect, these sworn gentry broke every oath they had taken, and then laughed at the White Island men for being such fools as to expect they had sworn them to be kept. They did every identical thing which they had sworn not to do, and brought things to such a pass that the poor silly governors of the White Island could do nothing they wished to do. So,

in fact, both the islands are now governed by the Old Woman, and her visible representative, the Old Man of the Seven Hills. The story of the White and Green Islands is no fiction of my own. SUCH IS THE HISTORY OF ROMAN-CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION.

LITERARY NOTICES.

Historical Sketch of the Rise, Progress, and Decline, of the Reformation in Poland. By Count Valerian Krasinski. London: Murray. 2 vols. 8vo, POLAND will always be an object of interest while patriotism and religion exist: no country, excepting our own, bears upon its history a more striking illustration of the blessings which a political community derives from the introduction of a scriptural religion, and of the calamities which are entailed on a nation by its extinction. The rapid progress of the reformation in Poland producing prosperity, and its equally speedy decline bringing with it national decay, are ably and clearly drawn by Count Krasinski, and furnish an instructive lesson, and, at the present time, an awfully solemn warning to Englishmen. The subtle agency of the jesuits, and their agitation by means of the confessional and the pulpit, appear to have wrought the downfal of that empire. Count Krasinski merits the warmest thanks of every protestant for the way in which he has executed a work of more than ordinary importance in every point of view.

London :

Letters from Ireland, MDCCCXXXVII. By Charlotte Elizabeth. Seeley and Burnside. 8vo. pp. 436. THESE letters, like everything else that emanates from the pen of their author, are at the same time valuable and interesting. Written with much elegance, they bring before the reader in an attractive form the principal features of the present state of Ireland. We cordially recommend them to the attentive perusal of our readers.

Proceedings at a Meeting of the Guildford Protestant Association held at the Town Hall, Guildford, on Tuesday, October 9, 1838. London: Paul. 18mo. pp. 108.

THIS is an authentic report of a discussion between the Rev. Joseph Sidden (Romish priest), and the Rev. M. Hobart Seymour, and Rev. James R. Page, which caused a strong sensation at the time, and is now printed in a cheap and popular form. It contains much important matter, and is well adapted for general distribution.

Coronalis: A Memorial of the Coronation. By C. Bond. Seeley. 32mo. pp. 22.

A SHORT poem, full of sound protestant sentiment, and displaying an accurate acquaintance with the history of our country.

THE CABINET.

POPISH PERSECUTIONS.-We cannot refrain from using one quotation which Mr. Bickersteth takes from Mr. Scott-the able author, we presume, of the "Continuation of Milner's Church History." It refers to the extent of popish persecutions: No computation can reach the numbers who have been put to death, in different ways, on account of their maintaining the profession of the gospel, and opposing the corruptions of the church of Rome. A million of poor Waldenses perished in France; 900,000 orthodox Christians were slain in less than thirty years after the institution of the order of the Jesuits. The Duke of Alva boasted of having put to death, in the Netherlands, 36,000, by the hands of the common executioner, during the space of a few years. The Inquisition destroyed, by various tortures, 150,000 within thirty years. These are a few specimens, and but a few, of those which history has recorded; but the total amount will never be known till the earth shall disclose her blood, and no more cover her slain." When to these things we add the days of Queen Mary in England, the Swedish batchery, the massacre of St. Bartholomew, the Sicilian vespers, the inquisition at Goa, the suppression of the Reformation in Italy, the Irish massacre of 1641, the council of Constance, the revocation of the edict of Nantes, truly we may well rally to resist the domination of the Harlot, "drunk with the blood of the saints." But it is said, forsooth, Popery has changed; that the Ethiopian has changed his skin, and the leopard his spots! Oh, mockery! We read, in the "Record" and "Times" recently, an account of the banishment of some hundreds of poor protestants from Zillerthal, in Tyrol. The incident recalls the recollection of Milton's noble sonnet on the persecution of the same people in Cromwell's time-a sonnet that should be in the very heart of every Englishman.

"Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughter'd saints, whose bones

Lie scatter'd on the Alpine mountains cold;
E'en them who kept thy truth so pure of old,
When all our fathers worshipp'd stocks and stones,
Forget not; in thy book record their groans

Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold,
Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that roll'd
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they

To Heav'n. Their martyr'd blood and ashes sow
O'er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant: that from these may grow

A hundred fold, who, having learn'd thy way,

Early may fly the Babylonian woe.”—The Progress of Popery.

THE PILLAR of our GREATNESS.- —"You have referred in your address to my attachment to our national Protestant Religion. The Pillar of our greatness rests, as I think, on this religion established in these realms. This is the source of all moral and intellectual improvement, and if you allow the foundation to be shaken, the superstructure must fall. But it will be said, why mingle religion with political strife? My answer is, that the national religion is studiously blended with all our national institutions; that it was the avowed object

of our orefathers to render the State itself an oblation not unworthy the Most High; and this connexion between the Church and State is the ancient policy of these realms, under which our native land has consolidated her strength, matured her happiness, and acquired her glory."—Sir James Graham's Speech at Glasgow, Dec. 21, 1838.

INTELLIGENCE.

APPEAL OF THE PROTESTANTS OF IRELAND TO THEIR ENGLISH BRETHREN. -It is well known that the present government of Ireland for a very considerable time passed by unheeded, and sometimes even with insult, the applications of the landlords of Tipperary for protection, and that at length matters became so bad that they could be concealed no longer, and a Special Commission was appointed to try the prisoners (principally assassins) in the gaols. But unhappily, the great lenity of Lord Normanby's government so far emboldened the disaffected, that their spirit spread into King's County, and displayed itself in the horrible assassination of the amiable Lord Norbury in his own grounds. Immediately after this lamentable event, the Lord Lieutenant of King's County, Lord Oxmantown, called a meeting of the magistrates, and there, after passing resolutions deploring the circumstance, and charging the government with encouragement, the following resolution was carried by an immense majority:-" That finding from the circumstances mentioned in the former resolutions, that there is little room to hope for a successful appeal to the Irish Executive, we feel it a duty to apply to the people of England, the legislature, and the throne, for protection."

Need we add, that we trust this appeal will not prove useless, but that the conspiracy which now threatens the peace of Ireland, and the scandalous alliance of the government with the seditious priesthood, will engage the early and searching attention of parliament.

PROTESTANT MEETING AT EXETER HALL.-A meeting of the Protestant Association was held in the Lower Hall, on Friday, Dec. 28th, for the purpose of receiving a statement from the Rev. Edward Nangle with regard to the Achill Mission, and the general state of protestantism in Ireland. John Hardy, Esq., in the chair. The room was crowded, and a strong, and we trust a deep and lasting, impression was produced by Mr. Nangle's simple statement of facts, almost too much for our credulity, were it not that we are becoming familiarized with every-day occurrences of the same awfully dangerous and degrading character, strangely admonishing us of our duty as protestants: a collection was made at the doors amounting to £11. 3s. 8d.

The statement is published by the association in the form of a tract for circulation.

NATIONAL BOARD OF EDUCATION.-We regret to state that we have received information from an authentic source that it is the intention of her majesty's government to propose to parliament the establishment of a National Board of Education. Recollecting that Mr. Wyse, the papist member, brought forward a similar measure last session, and that every encouragement was held out to him by ministers to persevere, there is too much reason to apprehend that the measure contemplated will virtually operate to the furtherance of the very objectionable projects of the Central Society of Education, which is chiefly under the direction of the honourable member for Waterford.

THE NATIONAL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION IN IRELAND.-Dr. M'Hale, the Roman-catholic Archbishop of Tuam, recently attacked the present liberal and Bible-mutilating system of national education in Ireland as not sufficiently