return to their families, into the errors of their native creed, and forgetting the dialect they were taught to read, in the use of that they are subsequently accustomed to hear spoken. It is but justice to the Incorporated Society, however, to observe, that much has been done of late years towards ameliorating the system of their schools, and that some glaring defects in their original constitution have been either softened down or otherwise obviated; but while the design of their institution has thus been rendered less palpable and obtrusive, a considerable period must elapse, it is to be feared, before the poor catholic population will view it with feelings less repugnant. The present number of schools dispersed throughout the country is 37, and that of the children educated in them rather less than 3000, of whom the proportion of Roman-catholics to protestants is about eight to one. In perambulating this parish, we have not gone out of our way to notice the little village-like church of St. Kevin, in Upper Kevin-street, united to St. Peter's, as it possesses nothing to interest the tourist; nor the County Infirmary, or New Meath Hospital, in Longlane, as the latter building is as yet unfinished, though it promises to be of great magnitude, and corresponding utility. The population of St. Peter's parish, in 1814, amounted to 13,478 souls, the houses were in number 1264. Quitting Aungier-street, by its southern extremity, and proceeding westward through Bishop-street, our first subject of enquiry in the Deanery of St. Patrick is the episcopal palace, converted within the last 25 years into a barrack for infantry; and though the practice of quartering soldiers there has been recently discontinued, a part of the building is still appropriated to the accommodation of the police patrole. Thus the Archbishop of Dublin has no residence in that city; but his Grace has not much reason to regret the loss of this palace, as of late years it could not have formed a very dignified archiepiscopal abode; and, in answering the purposes to which it is now assigned, it has been found eminently useful. The Deanery House, also in Kevinstreet, is a plain unornamented brick building, fronted by a spacious enclosed court-yard. From this street Patrick-street runs nearly due north; and on the eastern side of the latter is the venerable Cathedral. Of this, and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, usually called Christ Church, Sir Richard Hoare observes, that though remarkable for their antiquity, they are so "only on that account;" to which he justly adds, that "their state is very bad and precarious, and the approach to each of them filthy beyond measure, and through the very worst parts of the city." St. Patrick's Cathedral, we are farther informed by this gentleman, "is said to have been built by John Comyn, Archbishopof Dublin, on the site of an older building, and dedicated by him in the year 1190 to St. Patrick. Henry Loundres afterwards changed its ecclesiastical establishment, which was collegiate in its first constitution, and erected it into a cathedral about the year 1225, uniting it with the Priory of the Holy Trinity, or Christ Church, and reserving to the latter the prerogative of honour. The chapel of the Blessed Virgin is said to have been built by Fulk de Saundford, who in 1271 was buried in it; the steeple was erected by Archbishop Minot in 1370, who also rebuilt a part of the cathedral which had been destroyed by fire; and the lofty spire owes its existence to a legacy bequeathed by Doctor Sterne, Bishop of Clogher, in 1750." This spire, we are informed by a female traveller, "looks like a vast extin-guisher!"-an opinion, upon the propriety of which we shall not venture a comment, but merely refer the reader to our own view of the cathedral, which will enable him to judge for himself. Taken all together, * Narrative of a Residence in Ireland. notwithstanding, we must consider the venerable St. Patrick's an interesting pile, although its site, it must be confessed, is particularly injudicious, being the lowest ground in Dublin; and the heavy dead wall and disgusting huts which surround it are certainly no ornamental appendages. But, though inferior in almost every respect to the numerous remains of Gothic architecture in England, of which latter several have not their equals in any country, yet this cathedral, considered by some to be the most respectable specimen of that style of building in the sister island, is at the least worthy of a better fate, than to be suffered to totter into irretrievable ruin, (which from present appearances seems to be its no very distant doom,) or to be demolished for the purpose of rebuilding it in a more elevated situation. To the latter plan, indeed, the dean and chapter have evinced a decided objection, although they have in a very spirited manner set apart a portion of their incomes towards the creation of a repairing fund; and their great object is said to be to restore the building in its original form, dimensions, and style of architecture. steeple and choir, which are either of later date or have been more substantially repaired than the other parts of the building, are alone likely to remain entire for any long period to come; the former, in particular, is still perfectly sound, and a principal ornament to the exterior. The height of the tower is 120 feet, that of the spire which surmounts it 103, so that the whole elevation is 223 feet. The ground all around the cathedral is higher by several steps than the floor of the interior, a circumstance which has been remarked of many other antique buildings, and is the consequence of a gradual accumulation of the external soil. The Withinside, the general effect is heavy and monotonous; and, as may be readily conceived, the timbers with which it has been found necessary to support the roof are no additional embellishment. The nave is 130 |