in a few Years more, hope
to see _Ireland_ one of the most beautiful, best-improved,
best-conditioned Islands in the Universe. Our Bench is adorned with
Honourable Personages, conspicuous for Learning, Integrity, Humanity, and
Impartiality; of whom, it may be boldly affirmed, and with the strictest
Truth, that they are not Favourers of Persons. The present Lord Chief
Justice of the _King-Bench_, the late Master of the Rolls, and Chancellor
of the Exchequer, Natives of _Ireland_, formed a Triumvirate, whose
Learning, Worth, and distinguished Abilities, had rendered them eminently
respectable in the brightest Г†ras, either of the _Roman_ Commonwealth, or
Empire.

Our Attorney and Solicitor General, our Serjeants at Law, and King’s
Council, with many eminent Barristers, and a Set of learned eloquent young
Gentlemen, all shining out together; such as _Tully_, _Hortensius_, and
_Pliny_, had with fond Tenderness cherished and with pleasing Pride,
avowed for their Pupils; form as distinguished a Body of Advocates and
Orators, as adorn any Courts of Judicature in _Europe_.

In the Diocese of _Dublin_ existeth a truly pious Society for the Relief
and Support of the Widows and Children of the inferior Clergy thereof. It
is, indeed, surprizing in a Kingdom, such (thank Heaven) as _Ireland_ is,
that the Example of this charitable Society, hath not been _universally_
followed. It hath often affected me to the Quick, to have seen a learned
Divine, after a tedious and painful Free-School Institution, and expensive
University Education, struggling, upon a poor Pension or Salary of _Forty_
Pounds a Year, to maintain an honest Gentlewoman, Children, and Servants,
(and really with some Decency of Hospitality) sedulously discharging, at
the same Time, the different Duties of the pastoral Function; when a
_foreign Fidler_ shall run away with tripple that Sum, or more, for one
Night’s Performance. I would by no Means be understood to derogate from
the Merits of fine Performers in the different Parts of Musick, or
endeavour to diminish their reasonable Perquisites: But, surely, such Men
and such Things are not to be thought of, in Competition with those, who,
by Teaching and Preaching, refine our Morals, instruct our Understandings,
inform our Lives, and enlighten our Souls with the celestial Spirit of the
Christian Faith; and thereby happily lead us, through this transient and
precarious State, to eternal Tranquilly and Bliss. I am not a Preacher;
but thus far shall venture: As the Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of
Wisdom, our generally following the heavenly Example of this venerable
Society, must be a great Test as well of the one, as the other. If the
Bishops, the temporal Lords, and great estated Men of each Diocese, would
but graciously lead the Way, it is not unlikely they had been attended by
Crowds of zealous Followers: And, in Fact, a _small_ Matter _annually set
apart_, from even the superfluous Outgoings of the Wealthy and Opulent, of
different Ranks, would very happily answer the generous noble End of
preserving, from an anxious State of particular Dependance, Numbers of
virtuous, well-educated Gentlewomen, and their Children, from the various
Miseries, which the untimely Death of a Father, and narrow Circumstances,
but too frequently expose them to; an End so every Way worthy the natural
Disposition, the benevolent Temper, the inherent Hospitality, and the
essentially-charitable Character of _Ireland_.

Our _Protestant_ Brethren, the _Dissenters_, by a prudent and pious
Regulation of secreting one Pound a Year, each parochial Minister, for
this religiously humane Purpose, have constantly a Fund sufficient to
allow the Relict of each Clergyman twenty Pounds a Year, (which preserves
her from the Miseries of Want and Dependance) and have, at some Periods,
where-with to set their Children up, in an honest and creditable Way of
living. As we are emulously fond of adopting the