of
Catholic owners, who have accordingly a good right to be heard as
to the employment of state funds, with which the soil is primarily
chargeable".

In face of these statistics there can be no doubt but that the first
assertion is abundantly proved.

As to the second, all the state aid granted to Catholics is involved in
the grant to Maynooth. The Presbyterians have the "Regium Donum", first
given by Charles II., who allowed them L600 secret service money.
William III. made it L1,200 per annum. In 1752 it amounted to L5,000.
To-day it amounts very nearly to L40,000, and is capable of extension on
very easy terms.

The funds of the Established Church, in round numbers, may be stated as
follows:

Annual net income of episcopal sees, L63,000
Revenues of suppressed sees and benefices,
now held and administered by the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, 117,000
Tithe rent-charge, payable to Ecclesiastical
persons, 400,000
________
L580,000

These figures give an inadequate idea of the real riches of the Church.
The _Dublin University Magazine_, quoted by Mr. Cunningham, says:

"We have before us a letter from a dignitary, whose statement is,
that his predecessor was twenty years in possession, that he leased
severally to one relation after another, as each dropped off, the
lands from which came the emoluments of his office; and, finally,
to his son, who for twenty years after his death is to hold the
land for one-sixth of Griffith's valuation, which, as every one
knows, is as a general rule twenty-five per cent. under the rental,
with a small renewal fine. So that though this dignitary did not
preach in any of his parishes, for he was a pluralist also, for
nearly thirty years, and died leaving a very large sum of money, he
managed to impoverish his successor for the benefit of his heirs
for twenty years after his death. _Qualis artifex pereo!_ must, we
should imagine, have been the reflection of this successor of the
Apostles, as he lay on his bed of death and reflected complacently
on his literal fulfilment of the scriptural mandate, to provide
'for them of his own household', no less than for the interests of