to the general poverty that prevailed, the clergy became the more rapacious and oppressive. The most unjustifiable measures were employed to increase their revenues. In the thirteenth century, an Archbishop of Dublin destroyed in the fire all the leases which his tenants, at his own order, had laid before him, and by which alone they held their respective properties, that he might, by this iniquitous procedure, the more readily augment his income." One of his successors, in the same century, laid the metropolis under an interdict, because the mayor and citizens had attempted to limit the exactions of his clergy, and to subject their offerings to the priests to certain reasonable regulations. In addition to their stated support derived from tithes, which were rigorously exacted, numerous other expedients for amassing wealth were adopted. Ecclesiastical censures were commuted for money. Penances were liberally enjoined, that they might be superseded by extravagant fines. Fixed dues were demanded for almost every religious office performed; indulgences were regularly set up to sale, and every opportunity of extorting money was eagerly embraced. In favourable situations, therefore, the prelates and inferior clergy shared among them much of the wealth of the country, a very small proportion of which was consecrated to the advancement of useful learning or the encouragement of education among the people.

Learning, which had formerly flourished in Ireland to a considerable extent, was now reduced to a very low ebb. The want of colleges contributed materially to this national degeneracy. The higher orders of the clergy were generally educated at Oxford, and a large proportion at Paris, and other places on the Continent, and a few of these were undoubtedly men of considerable attainments and extensive erudition. But the priesthood were content with the scanty instructions which they received at cathedral or collegiate churches, and which scarcely fitted them for the celebration of divine service. Attempts had been frequently made to establish colleges at Dublin, Drogheda, and Armagh; but after a brief existence, they were soon abandoned through want of that fostering patronage which wealthy prelates might have afforded. The numerous monasteries that were scattered through the island scarcely relieved the general gloom. The knowledge

Emperor Frederick. It was so hard a tax in Ireland that they were fain to part with not only their cadows and aquavitæ, but also with their chalices and their altar-clothes." See also ibid. p. 75. Cadows were the Irish mantles, the chief article of dress.

* Ware, i. 319-20.

Ware, i. 322-3.

I may mention, as an instance of prelatical rapacity, the rigour with which archbishops levied from the heirs of their suffragan bishops, some of their most valuable possessions which they claimed as heriots due them. In the fifteenth century an Archbishop of Armagh prosecuted this claim on the heirs of two of his suffragans, for their best horse, ring cup. Ware i. 185,

253.

See, in a subsequent part of this introduction, the descriptions given by Archbishop Brown and Sir Henry Sydney, of the wretched ignorance of the inferior orders of the clergy even in their times.

existing among their indolent inmates was confined to the dreams of martyrology, the subtleties of the canon law, or the conceits of scholastic theology. Hence the works which were produced in Ireland during the two or three centuries preceding the Reformation, so far as they are known, were both few in number and trifling in matter. Their authors were almost exclusively ecclesiastical, yet scarcely any of their writings had reference to the sacred volume, or tended to advance the knowledge or promote the practice of religion. The lives of imaginary saints, and the compilation of fabulous annals -commentaries on the works of the scholastic doctors, and poems in honour of deceased prelates, composed the principal part of their writings.

We shall conclude, for the present number, our review of the Ecclesiastical State of Ireland before the Reformation. In the following number we purpose to take up the subject, and, with the help of Mr. Reid, and perhaps others, show what effect this degraded state of the clergy had on their own morals and that of the hapless people who formed the flock of such shepherds.

* See Ware's writers during the centuries above mentioned. I may here observe, that I have searched in vain for any satisfactory notices of the contents of the monastic or cathedral libraries in Ireland, immediately prior to the Reformation. The following are the only gleanings I have met with. 1305. An Archbishop of Armagh bequeathed several books to the church there. Ware, i. 71.-1369. A southern chieftain is obliged to restore to the church of Limerick, among other things, the books which he had taken from it. Cox, i. 129.-1438. Mr. Martin White, Rector of Liscarton, left to the monastery of Navan a book of the decretals and a small Bible. Monast. Hiber. 559.-1483. An Archbishop of Dublin left to the abbey of Osney a portiforium (probably a liturgical book), the massbook, a book called "Pupilla Oculi," and two books of physic. Ware, i. 343.-1500. Dean Alleyne bequeathed to Christ Church, Dublin, the works of Panormitan (a celebrated canonist) with the great repertory thereon; also the great repertory of Philip, Bishop of Brescia. Mason's St. Patrick, 142.

KNOX AND JEBB'S CORRESPONDENCE.*

THE task of a reviewer is often an ungracious one as it regards others, and a painful one to his own feelings. We feel this the case in sitting down to review the Correspondence between Bishop Jebb and Alexander Knox. We have those kindly recollections of by-gone days-of hours of instruction and interesting communication, that we feel pained at sitting in judgment, where we cannot give unqualified praise-where we must express opinions upon sentiments put forward that may seem at variance with the unfeigned affection we have always entertained towards their authors; and yet this correspondence is too intimately connected with the theology and literature of our own country especially, for us consistently with our duty towards our subscribers and friends to pass it by in silence. We feel forced to enter on the task, and only trust that we shall be enabled to perform it in a spirit of fidelity to the cause of truth, and yet tenderness and kindness to the amiable and highly gifted individuals whose private letters are here given to the public. We feel an especial degree of pain in being forced to comment upon the matter which we find in this correspondence, from the very circumstance that the authors have passed off the stage. We could have had less unpleasant feeling in pointing out what appeared to be errors in their views, if they were alive to explain, to defend, to reply-if they were alive when their letters were given to the public, and when, by the act of publication, they challenged criticism and courted fair and open judgment. But when they are no more who could defend-when they have passed away who could have prevented wholly the publication, or could have exercised their sound discretion in the selection of letters for publication, we do feel particularly distressed in being obliged to act the part of

censors.

There is one person connected with this publication towards whom we entertain no feelings of delicacy, and of whose little but still important part in the transaction we are disposed to speak with stern truth, and that is the editor. We think him highly to be blamed for throwing before the public, letters which passed in the most perfect confidence of private friendship, without the most complete assurance that the authors and their friends would have wished them to be seen in the state in which they

Thirty Years' Correspondence, between John Jebb, D.D. F.R.S., Bishop of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe, and Alexander Knox, Esq. M.R.I.A. Edited by the Rev. Charles Forster, B.D., Perpetual Curate of Ash next Sandwich: formerly Domestic Chaplain to Bishop Jebb.London: James Duncan, 37, Paternoster-row; and John Cochran, 108, Strand. 1834.

are published. It is true that Mr. Forster tells us that Bishop Jebb, confided the manuscripts, not many months before his departure hence, to his care in the following words: "These volumes are yours, and remember the correspondence is to be given to the world."

But, admitting this to have been the case, Mr. Forster should have considered (and the public will consider) that Bishop Jebb was at that time weakened by disease, and incapable of exercising that discriminating judgment which he would have exhibited some years before; but there were others to be considered besides Bishop Jebb; there was the memory of Mr. Knox, and the respective friends of both, those who valued them whilst living, and can feel pain at any wound inflicted upon them when dead. If not the memory of the dead, surely the feelings of the living should have been consulted, and not sacrificed to Mr. Forster's vanity of being the editor of the Correspondence of Bishop Jebb and Alexander Knox. But suppose he thought himself bound to give the correspondence to the world, he clearly did not think himself bound to give it all, without selection, as it came into his hands. No; he has evidently made a selection; he has left many a gap; he has omitted many a letter; it would be hard to say upon what grounds, which would not have led him to omit many more. In reading, we could not help asking, why is not this left out? Why this put in? Why so large a portion of these large high-priced volumes filled with the hypocondriac complaints of two sickly valetudinarians--so much of the east wind and the north wind, and their several effects upon their morbid constitutions? This might all do very well between two bachelor friends, but why tell it for them to the world? There has been selection, but yet as little judgment in the selection as it is possible to conceive. We never read a book that made us more earnestly say, defend me from my friends! But we must introduce our readers to the Correspondence itself, out of which we shall extract some passages which delight and please us--which give us gratifying pictures of the friends that are gone; but we shall be obliged, in candour, to point out others which pain and grieve us, and against the sentiments of which we must ever raise our voice. And it is one of the melancholy features of the Correspondence, that the earliest letters are those in which we find the most affectionate and simple piety--not only more warmth, but more truth. The correspondence opens with Mr. Jebb's getting the curacy of Swanlinbar, in the diocese of Kilmore, through the recommendation of Mr. Knox. Our first extract shall be from Mr. Jebb's fourth letter, dated Swanlinbar, December 31, 1800. It exhibits the genuine simple piety of a young Christian, and shows him delighting in the correspondence of the excellent Dr. Stopford, whose just and correct evangelical views of divine truth, it would have been indeed well if Mr. Jebb had followed, instead of having been led away from the simplicity of the Gospel, by the enticing philosophy of Mr. Knox.

"Since I last wrote to you, I have experienced much pleasure, and derived no small advantage, from a correspondence, which has been pretty briskly carried on, between Stopford, of the College, and me. Every letter that he writes is calculated to make him who receives it a better Christian. He abounds in truly ardent zeal; his simplicity, humility, and benevolence are most edifying; he has a charitable and friendly feeling for Christians of all denominations; and it his supreme wish to promote piety in sentiment and practice, and the knowledge of gospel truth. I am not without sanguine hopes of his exertions and example having a happy influence on the minds and habits of young students (he is lecturer in divinity): if they only follow his advice, they will become exemplary clergymen. And I think it nearly impossible that many of them should not imbibe some of his spirit, and be warmed by a portion of his zeal.

"My present study is the Bible, without any commentary: the object, to acquire a general view of God's dispensations. After having gone through the Sacred Volume, I purpose reading general views of Scripture; and then applying the information acquired from them; reading over the Bible again; reviewing my remarks, and looking at the queries put down; for I do not now stop to investigate minute difficulties. For all this, I allow about a year. And then, with God's help, having formed some ideas for myself, I propose to enter on a plan of general study, in which divinity shall be the grand object, and all the branches shall be subordinate.

"Correspondence on religious topics, I believe, would be extremely useful. Stopford says, he has found it of singular service; and strongly recommends it to me. His letters are a great treasure. I find in them a powerful stimulus to exertion; and, at the same time, a serious call to humility. They unite, in an uncommon degree, fervour, and a sense of man's weakness in himself. They have created in me some new feelings. And I heartily implore God's grace, that I may improve by them as I ought.

"Whenever you can conveniently write, I would be particularly obliged to you for your advice; whether as to study, or practice, or methods of improving my religious feelings.

"I should be very thankful for a few ideas on what Christian preaching should be: it is a complaint with many, and I believe in some measure just, that clergymen do not sufficiently preach the peculiar doctrines of our religion. What do you conceive to be the mean between cold morality and wild enthusiasm, in preaching?"

This inquiry, as to the nature of Christian preaching, produced a letter of Mr. Knox's, which occupies twenty pages, and which we should be glad if we could present entire to our readers. It represents Mr. Knox's views of divine truth in their best form. In his advanced years, as far as this correspondence at least is concerned, he never put forward any thing that contained so much scriptural truth; at the same time, it appears to us to have its defect, a serious defect, which after life never supplied, but which became more systematically visible in all his after productions.

N. S. VOL. II.

3 G