though no regular return has yet been received from them. I am happy to say, that the scholars of whom regular returns have been received by the secretary, amount to 155,000. The number of scholars now educating according to the plan and principles of our society, cannot, therefore, be much less than 200,000. When you connect this statement with the rapid succession of scholars which takes place in our schools, some idea may be formed of the good which has been done, and is now doing, throughout the island. Nor has the benefit of our plan been confined to this kingdom only; but the colonies and several foreign nations have largely participated; a reflection which to the liberal feelings of an Englishman will afford the highest gratifi

cation.

"The expenditure of our funds, we are told, and we are told correctly, has proceeded nearly to their whole extent; and I trust we have not been faulty in giving this assurance, that although there is a deficiency at present, we expect a fresh spring in the bounty of our fellow-countrymen. Three thousand pounds only now remains, and this we will liberally dispense, trusting that when the public knows our wants, and sees our efforts, we shall not have reason to regret our liberality. "The result of the whole appears to be, that with a sum of about 30,000l. upwards of a thousand schools have been united with the society, and 200,000 children are enjoying the benefit of a religious education. We hope this result shews that your committee have endeavoured to do their duty.

"It must not, and will not be forgotten, that putting books into the hands of this immense population may be the means of doing infinite good, if rightly superintended; and the means of doing infinite mischief, if let loose and undirected to their proper channel."

7

HIBERNIAN SOCIETY.

THE following account of the objects and state of this society are given in the report of its committee.

That in Ireland the condition of the poor is characterised by gross ignorance and immorality; that their children are rising into life, without instruction to enlighten, or principles to moralize them; that the Catholic religion, by systematically and determinately withholding the Scriptures from the greater part of the population, prevents the diffusion of divine light and influence, and perpetuates mental degradation and depravity are truths, too evident to be doubted, too serious to be slighted, and too awful to be neglected; and they unite to produce a conviction on every reflecting mind, that Ireland presents a most impressive spectacle for the exercise of Christian benevolence, and a very extensive field for the ardour of Christian exertion.

The committee are truly happy to report, that the Institution "has lengthened its cords, and strengthened its stakes"-that Divine Providence has continued to enlarge the sphere of its operations-and that by the quarterly return which was made up to the 31st December, it appears, that the number of schools is more than three hundred, and that the children and adults educated therein exceed nineteen thousand.

The present state of the schools is reported to the committee to be such, as to admit of the most favourable representation being made of them. A correspondent of the society writes thus" In a school at S- there are 117 children; their parents, in general, are so poor that the education of their children would have been neglected; and so depraved, that their example might have had a fatal influence on

their offspring. These children are almost literally new creatures; never did I witness such a change. Filth has given place to cleanliness; forwardness the most indelicate, to a meekness and modesty the most engaging. Their proficiency in the Scriptures is very pleasing; and, from the answers they give, and the striking change in their whole deportment, it may be hoped that God has written his truth on their heart.

The visitors to the schools (consisting principally of resident clergymen) report very favourably of the proficiency of the children in learning, and in their scripture lessons; and also of the readiness and pertinency with which they answer such questions as are put to them, concerning what they read.

From the schools the word of God extends an enlightening and purifying influence to the cottages, and penetrates the strong holds of ignorance and superstition. The New Testament is the school-book for the children; their parents are pleased at hearing it read to them; it speaks for itself; their attention is engaged; they soon perceive that it was not that pernicious thing they were taught to believe it was; prejudice subsides, and admiration increases to an affectionate attachment and sincere reverence for the word of God; which, but for the schools, they probably would never have heard of. And so sensible of the value of these schools for their children, have some parents been, that when distance and the severity of the season would have prevented the children from travelling to the schools, their parents have actually brought them thereto on their backs.

Teaching to read in Irish is sedulously promoted in every district in which that language is known; an Irish class is formed in every school, when it is desired by the people, and likely to be useful.

The committee have also the pleasure to state, that the greatest attention is paid to adults, who live in the neighbourhood of the schools, and who can be induced to learn to read, either in English or Irish, after the working hours of the day, and on Sundays; that in the course of one quarter's attendance and instruction, many of them are able to read the New Testament intelligibly; and that these become Irish readers in the different villages where they reside. This collateral branch of the proceedings of the Hibernian Society is acquiring strength and enlargement-is assuming an aspect of the most favourable nature, and affording an anticipation of the most important and extensive benefits.

It is indeed truly pleasing, that none of the districts, in which our schools have been established have been at all disturbed; and were the disturbances to extend to the counties wherein the schools are placed, though they might more or less prevail, as the number of adults hitherto benefitted bears but a small proportion to the population of those districts, yet I think that the evils would by no means have such a general spread in them, as in districts less favoured with scriptural light and instruction. But it is when the rising generation, the materiel of the schools, come into action, that the salutary effects of the operations of the Hibernian Society will be fully developed. The change may then be expected to be most important and glorious. The political incendiary, and the intolerant and bigotted priest, will lose their influence; every succeeding generation will be removed farther from their grasp; error, superstition, and disloyalty will give place to religion, industry, domestic and national peace, and all Erin stretch forth her hands to God, and lift her voice to him, in thanks and praise.

The British and Foreign Bible So

ciety, with its wonted liberality, has presented thirteen hundred Irish, and one thousand English Testaments.

In Ireland, the Roscommon Auxili. ary Bible Society, on the recommendation of the Bishop of Elphin, has favoured this institution with eight hundred Testaments, and the Sligo Branch Society with three hundred Testa

ments.

The enlarged operations of the society during the last year, have produ ced an increase of above 7000 pupils in the schools under its patronage, which now present an aggregate of upwards of 19,000 scholars of both sexes, who are partaking the privileges of education, and the blessings of scriptural instruction, at the expence of this institution. Another point is, that applications for opening additional schools, and facilities for extending this important and benevolent system to other countries, than those which have hitherto been benefitted by it, are continually presented to the views and and wishes of the committee; but these they cannot venture to prosecute until the pecuniary concerns of the society shall receive such a necessary and appropriate increase, as shall enable the committee to discharge the present debt to the treasurer, and also afford them fair and just encouragement to extend the operations of the society.

STATE OF THE SOCIETY'S FUNDS.

ney.

George Forbes, Esq. Banker, Edinburgh.

Charles Lennox Cumming, Esq. of Rosile.

Walter Campbell, Esq. of Shawfield. Alexander Norman Macleod, Esq. of Harris.

John Campbell, Esq. of Saddell. Robert Græme, Esq. Advocate. Roderick Macniel, Esq. younger of

Barra, Captain 22d Light Dragoons. Robert Maclachlan, Esq. younger of Maclachlan, Advocate. James Stewart Hall, Esq. late of India. Colonel William Macleod, Hon. Bart. India Company's Service. Lieutenant-Colonel Donald Macdonald, 92d Highlands, C. B. Major Archibald Menzies, 42d, or Royal Highlanders.

A. Fraser, Esq. Provost of the City of Aberdeen.

George More Nisbett, Esq. of Cairnhill.

Andrew Skene, Esq. of Lethinty. Robert Sutherland, Esq. of the Island of St Vincent's.

George Augustus Borthwick, M. D. Edinburgh.

Donald Horne, Esq. Writer to the Signet.

Hugh Tod, Esq. Writer to the Signet.
William Macgillwray, Esq. Hilside
Estate, Jamaica.

Thomas Fraser, Esq. Royal Navy,
son of Admiral Fraser.
John Stewart, Esq. of Fasnacloich.
William Murray, Esq. Banker, Tain,
Factor on the estate of Balnagoun.
Richard Prentice, Esq. Solicitor at
Law.

Peter Macdowall, Esq. Accountant,
Edinburgh.

James Scott, Esq. Accountant, Edinburgh.

Archibald Duncan, Esq. Edinburgh. Donald Stewart, Esq. Factor on the estate of Harris.

Mr Innes, the Treasurer, submitted to the meeting the state of the society's funds, its income, and expenditure last year, from an accurate report and state thereof, prepared by Mr Robert Wilson, accountant in Edin. burgh, the Society's auditor of accounts. Upon recapitulating the abstract of the receipts and payments under their different heads, it appeared that the expenditure in the course of the year, had exceeded the income; this, Mr Innes remarked, was, in some measure, owing to the expences at London, connected with the bill for obtaining an Equalization of Weights and Measures, and some other matters which did not usually occur in the course of the annual expenditure, but was more particularly to be attributed to the circumstance of the parliamentary grant to the society having ex

pired in 1815, and which had not yet been renewed. The meeting expressed their particular approbation of the distinct and accurate statement of the funds which had been made by the treasurer; and, upon his motion, the society voted a sum to be laid out by the directors in promoting the objects of the institution, by premiums in 1817.

Mr Innes also reported, that the society, finding a considerable sum of arrears was due by several of its members liable in the annual payments of L.1:3: 6d. had appointed a committee, to facilitate the recovery of these arrears; this committee, of which Vans Hathorn, Esq. of Garthland, is convener, addressed letters to these gentlemen, and most of them had in consequence paid up their subscriptions. There were, however, certain members who had not settled their arrears, and the committee had in consequence recommended, that the few reported to be in this situation should be struck off the roll of the society's members, unless they should pay their subscriptions on or before a day to be fixed by this meeting. The society approved of the steps taken by the committee, and directed intimation to be made to these members, that should their arrears not be paid on or before the 1st day of April next, the measure recommended in the committee's report would be definitively adopted.

The proceedings of the directors since the general meeting in July last, with the sums awarded by them to competitors for the several classes of premiums offered in 1816, were thereafter submitted by the Secretary to the meeting, and approved. From this report, it appeared that the directors had appropriated the sum placed at their disposal last year-1st, For essays containing information on various subjects. 2d, In encouraging the cultivation of green crops in those dis

tricts of the country where the improved system of husbandry was less generally practised or understood. 3d, For improving the breed of black cattle and horses in a variety of districts. 4th, In premiums to ploughmen for improvement in ploughing where such encouragements were still considered beneficial or neccessarywith certain other premiums less general in their application or adapted to peculiar local circumstances. From the proceedings, it appeared that very particular attention had been paid by the conveners and resident members to the black cattle and ploughing competitions held in their respective districts; and that several public-spirited individuals, as well as local agricultural associations, had given certain premiums competed for at the same time; among the former, the Secretary men tioned that the Marquis of Stafford in Sutherlandshire-the Marquis of Bute in Bute-and the Marquis of Douglas in Arran, had respectively bestowed sums in premiums, which were competed for at the same time with those offered by the society in these districts. The premiums awarded, with the names of the successful competitors, were ordered to be published in the usual manner. The meeting referred to the proper committee the numerous requests for premiums to be offered this year, with instructions to attend to these applications so far as is practicable, and as the sum placed at their disposal will admit.

Henry Mackenzie, Esq. from the special committee appointed by the directors to consider of any useful measures which it might be in the power of the society to take in consequence of the injury the crop of last year had sustained, particularly in the high and late districts of the country, from frost and other varieties of bad weather-reported, that the committee had already circulated such informa

tion as the society was possessed of, in regard to restoring potatoes which had been partially injured by frosts, and that the attention of the committee had also, in a more particular manner, been directed to the subject of seed corn, and he had the satisfaction of submitting to the society certain suggestions extracted from the communications of two eminent and respectable members extremely conversant in the subject, the late Benjamin Bell, Esq. and Dr Coventry, founded upon a variety of experiments made by them, calculated to warn agriculturists, particularly those of the higher districts, where faulty corn of crop 1816 is most likely to be found, against the use of bad or weak seed, and to possess them of the best means which it is believed have yet been discovered of trying grain intended to be sown, so as to judge of its comparative qualities for seed corn. The meeting directed the important suggestions contained in this paper to be printed, and immediately circulated for the information of the public.

It was reported to the meeting from the committee on kelp, of which John Tait, Esq. is convener, that two very valuable essays, founded on an extensive chemical analysis of numerous varieties of this article, had been offered in competition for one of the premiums held out in the advertisement of last year. That the committee had awarded the premium of fifty guineas advertised, to Dr Andrew Fyfe, junior, Edinburgh; and considering the other essay by Mr Samuel Parkes, of London, also to possess a great degree of merit, particularly in pointing out the various uses to which the component parts of kelp might be advantageously applied, they had resolved to vote a premium of twenty-five guineas to the author.

The society remitted these papers, together with a report by the Kelp Committee in reference thereto,