ears 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 AEras, 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;
bu