While the third, if qualified for addressing his fellow-men on the things of God from his own book, has been fitted from on high, by Him who alone can qualify, and who alone doth give such gifts unto men. But a very few individuals, therefore, of requisite wisdom, in any one of these departments (though in a variety of independent spots), proceeding with ardour and patient perseverance, without printing or sitting down to report every thing that they do, might accomplish much. Nor should a solitary individual feel discouraged for what is the history which has just been read, if it is not that of a very few solitary individuals, ending occasionally in a heartfelt union which never rose above three or four? This has been styled the age of mechanism and management; but, after all, amidst the various schemes of the day, " in all probability, the improvement of mankind is destined, under Divine Providence, to advance just in proportion as good men feel the responsibilty for it resting on themselves, as individuals, and are actuated by a bold sentiment of independence, (humble at the same time, in reference to the necessity of a celestial agency,) in the prosecution of it."* In farther specifying what is now so much wanted and so desirable for the Native Irish, we shall follow the order of the three first sections, and therefore advert first to the subject of Irish printed books. 66 BOOKS. 66 It was the opinion of Dr Johnson, that if a man wished to be counted among the benefactors of posterity, he must add by his own toil to the acquisitions of his ancestors, and secure his memory from neglect by some valuable improvement. 'This," he adds, can only be effected by looking out upon the wastes of the intellectual world, and extending the power of learning over regions yet undisciplined; or by surveying more exactly our ancient dominions, and driving ignorance from the retreats where she skulks undetected and undisturbed. Every science has its difficulties, which yet call for solution before we attempt new systems of knowledge; as every country has its forests or marshes, which it would be wise to cultivate and drain, before dis Foster's Essay on the Evils of Popular Ignorance, p. 259. tant colonies are projected as a necessary discharge of the exuberance of inhabitants.' In the preceding pages the reader has had an opportunity of observing how little can be said on the subject of Irish printing, and it is hoped that a perusal of the narrative itself may suggest to many the appropriate remedies for such a state of things. At the same time, it may still be of service now to consider briefly the actual condition of this people so far as the art of printing is concerned. In doing this I have thought that it is nothing more than common justice to bring forward another Celtic population in contrast or comparison with the Native Irish, viz. the inhabitants of Wales. Here, in that part of England which lies nearest to Ireland, looking across St George's Channel, out of a population of about 720,000 are 600,000 to whom the Welsh is vernacular, or about a fifth part of the Native Irish. Let us see then how it has fared with these two classes in comparison. To begin with the Scriptures. It is now two hundred and sixty-three years since the Welsh New Testament was first printed, and about two hundred and twenty-seven years since the same volume was first printed in Irish. Again, the Bible complete in Welsh was printed in 1588in the Irish not till about a century afterwards, viz. in 1686. Now, let the reader observe, up to the year 1811, when the Irish Testament, though in the Roman character, was published, there had been a few hundred copies of the Irish New Testament circulated about the beginning of the seventeenth century, and about as many towards the close of it, with perhaps three hundred of the Old Testament; while for Wales by the year 1811 there had been such a variety of editions of the Welsh Bible complete, and of the New Testament separately, as amounted to above one hundred and seventy thousand copies, of which more than one hundred and forty thousand were entire Bibles! An equal proportion for the Native Irish would have been seven or eight hundred thousand-perhaps there had not been in all above eight hundred, and certainly not a single copy printed for one hundred and thirty years previously to 1811! Or, cast an eye over the last century, during which the Native Irish population has so increased, and you will find that in Wales there had been about eighty-nine thousand Bibles and New Testaments put into circulation, at about twelve or fourteen different periods of time. In Wales too, out of the edition of the Bible in 1718, a thousand were given to the poor. The editions of 1746 and 1752, both in octavo, and consisting together of thirty thousand copies, were sold at four shillings and sixpence each: yet by the year 1768 they had been all bought, and the edition of the next year consisted of twenty thousand more. While these things were going on for Wales, and that before a Bible Society was thought of; in Ireland, or for the Native Irish anywhere, there was, during the whole of the eighteenth century, literally not a single copy printed! But, in addition to such bare though painful chronological comparisons, we must not forget the mighty difference between the book of life and salvation having been used in a country, and read from generation to generation, for above two hundred years, almost within sight of Ire land, and its scarcely being so read in Irish at all. Since the Scriptures in Welsh have been from time to time coming into the hands of the people, seven generations have been passing away, with all the benefits thus conveyed,but of course the same number of generations in Ireland have also gone the way of all the earth. Though therefore it be but a painful memorial, urging to present duty,—a kind of sepulchral inscription over our fellow-countrymen, or certain departed subjects of the British crown, it may be of use to the surviving generation of the Native Irish, if we place the editions of the Scriptures in these two languages in contrast with each other, from 1567 up to the year 1800 -a period of two hundred and thirty-three years. †The number of copies thus marked have been accurately ascertained, and the So it has fared with these two classes for seven generations back. Above one hundred and twenty thousand, of which one hundred and two thousand were entire copies of the Scriptures, had been at different intervals dispersed or sold at a cheap price to the one; and about eight hundred or a thousand copies of the New Testament and about three hundred of the Old had been circulated among the other! for the rest of the Irish impressions of 1681-6 were sent by Mr Boyle to the Highlands of Scotland. But since the commencement of the nineteenth century, it will be instantly replied, a very great change has taken place, and there have been copies of the Scriptures printed for the Irish as well as for the Welsh. There have; but let not this prevent our observing the singular inequality or contrast with which we are furnished by a review of the last twenty-one years. Could these numerous Welsh editions, as contrasted with the Irish, have been inserted, year by year, precisely as they issued from the press, the contrast would have been still more glaring; but it is abundantly so, when viewed at suc others are founded on the " Historical Account of the British or Welsh versions and editions of the Bible, by Thomas Llewelyn, LL.D." Of the last article the Doctor says, under date 1752,-"The New Testament, with Psalms, has been frequently printed at Salop (Shrewsbury), from this date and forward." The edition of 1718 was the first printed by the Society for promoting Christian Knowledge, and, with the exception of the Shrewsbury New Testament, that institution was concerned in all that followed. But all that had preceded was the result of individual benevolence. The edition of 1620 was promoted by Dr Parry, Bishop of St Asaph-of 1630 by Rowland Heylin, Esq., Sir Thomas Middleton, and other citizens of London. The editions of 1654, of 1672, and 1678, were promoted by the Rev. Thomas Gouge-that of 1690 by Mr Pierce Lewis, and the 8vo edition of that same year by the Marquis Wharton and others. The editor was Mr M'Quige, but the whole was read also by Dr Monck Mason or another individual. Dr Mason, Mr O'Reilly, &c., superintend the 24mo, and also collate the sheets of the 12mo editions, now in the press. cessive dates as above. The result of this comparison is as follows: That is, 297,458 for the inferior population, or about a fifth part of the Native Irish, and for them 80,188; but even in regard to these we have several important observations to make presently. Having, however, said thus much respecting the Welsh, I cannot but advert at this point to another Celtic tribe on this side of the Irish Channel-the Scots Highlanders. The statement as to Wales, and especially after it is finished, (for we must return to it once more,) may be considered as a loud call to the inhabitants of England. Let us see whether there is any voice addressed more especially to those in Scotland. The following statement, besides, will serve to show how we at present stand, as to the supply of Gaelic Scriptures. 1687-Bible, in Irish, by Mr Boyle, i. e. of 1681-6,.4to, . 1690-Bible, under Mr Kirk, Roman letter, -Testament, ditto, 200 8vo, 1000 8vo, 3000 1754-Test. Irish, O'Domhnuil, Glasgow, by Orr,. say only 500 1767-Testament, Gaelic, by the Society in Scotland for propagating Christian Knowledge, ditto. 1796-Ditto, 1802-Old Testament, 3 vols. by ditto, 1807-Bible, 2 vols. or one, by ditto, 12mo, 10,000 12mo, 21,500 -Bible, by British and Foreign Bible Society, 18mo, 20,000 1810-Testament by ditto, -Testament by Christian Knowledge Society, 18mo, 10,000 12mo, 10,000 10,000 1821-Bible by B. and F. Bible S., brevier, 12mo and 8vo. 17,577 12mo and 8vo. 19,739 -Testament by Christian Knowledge Society, 12mo, 10,000 -Testament by ditto, 1825-Bible, B. and F. Bible Society, brevier, 1826-Testament, ditto, stereotype, 1827-Bible, Christian Knowledge Society, -Testament by ditto, pica, 1828-Bible, small pocket-size, by ditto, -Testament by Edinburgh Bible Society, -Testament, ditto, 1829-Bible by B. and F. Bible Society, 12mo, 10,000 12mo, 10,000 4to, . 1000 8vo,. 2000 12mo, 5000 24mo, 7500 24mo, 5000 12mo, 5000 |
