'd, and thins our College to a surprising Degree; and makes our
People look on the little Virtue we have yet kept among us, as useless
and impertinent in a Country, where they are out of Fashion, and where
Alliance, and Blood, and Family-Interest, make our Constitution in
Church and State, (and especially the Church) rather hereditary than
elective. This is a great national Grievance, so as to make it a Sort
of Misfortune to be born here; nor do I see any Hopes of a Remedy,
unless we get a Bill of Naturalization past on the other Side of the
Water for all _Irishmen_, as well as for the _Jews_. At present there
is as little Encouragement for Knowledge, or the learned Arts in
_Ireland_, as in the _Isle of Man_, or rather less; for though their
Preferments and Posts are fewer, they are only bestowed on Natives. By
this Means it will come to pass in Time, that our Parts must be as
slight as our Encouragements, and poor as our Country; for here, as in
the dead Level of the Ocean, there is no Rising but by Storms and
Tempests, and the Miseries and Ruins they occasion; and therefore half
our Gentry owe their Estates to the Wars and Rebellions of Madmen and
Bigots. But as to Eminence in Learning, or distinguish'd Abilities,
they are quite overlook'd; or at least the Handful, that _Ireland_ has
seen preferred of her Natives by them, is miserably small. In other
Nations some, nay, Crowds, are advanced by their Knowledge and Talents,
but here they are discountenanced and brow-beaten; some are enriched by
Trade, but here all we have is contrived to ruin us: Some make large
Fortunes by their Skill in the Laws, but with us, where Plaintiffs or
Defendants are one or other of them Beggars, the Proverb will tell you
what is got by the Suit. I must add to all these Complaints, that even
Avarice cannot bring a Man in _Ireland_ a moderate Acquisition of
Wealth; for here all Men do so universally outlive their Circumstances,
that Saving is grown as scandalous as Thieving, and a Man is hooted out
of the World more frequently for the one, than he is hanged for the
other.

PRIOR. It is easier, Mr. _Dean_, to exclaim on this Head, than to shew
the Justice of the Complaint; for whoever will carefully look over the
Lists of those who have been preferred in Church and State for some
Years, will find there has been greater Attention than ever paid to
this Matter. But lest you should dispute this Fact, I will only hint,
that there are Grounds to say