In my next Letters I shall enter into a comparative view of the number of Roman Catholics at present, and forty years ago, chiefly in England; including some account of the rapid increase of their chapels, colleges, academies, &c. &c. during the same period, I conclude this, Sir, with one obvious remark, which cannot too often be repeated; that all the voluntary societies, charitable institutions, and multifarious establishments connected with Roman Catholics, possess the peculiar feature (not belonging to ours) of being closely linked together by one common religious bond, the end of that united chain being always in the hand of a SINGLE AGENT at Rome, whose instruments are the Prelates and Jesuits dispersed over Christendom. No British institution, affecting morals or religion, is ever capable of escaping the eye of so vigilant a head, nor the hands of such efficient members. This is a striking and imposing feature, not always remembered by Protestants. LETTER V. SIR, If we look back to the period immediately preceding the French Revolution, it will be found that Popery was even then slowly advancing in Great Britain; but, the circumstances connected with that event had a powerful influence in promoting its rapid increase among our Protestant population, and contributed to soften down those feelings of antipathy which prevailed among the common people against Queen MARY's admirers. The principle of kindness and sympathy so universally exercised towards thousands of heroic French exiles, while it afforded extensive relief to suf-. fering humanity, and was highly commendable in its motive, exposed us to the secret operation of insinuating errors. The Papist was charitably forgotten in the Christian; and the serpentine poison, thus gradually diffused through our population, was not discovered till its rankling tendency began to be felt the Priests more especially (for I had full proof of this), were gratefully disposed to repay the national munificence by eager endeavours to introduce their own church notions into our families, in which they evinced their pious zeal and religious consistency. Schools were presently multiplied; more chapels soon were erected; numerous controversial works and Popish Journals were disseminated; new private teachers, of both sexes, had easy access to our children: at length, the busy Jesuits overran the British Isles, as they now do all quarters of the world; and it is stated, on good authority, that more than four thousand English converts to their faith have been made within the last twelve months! See a Letter signed FIDEI DEFENSOR, in the Orthodox Journal for Feb. 1819, p. 56. In many of the large north-western towns, such as Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, &c. it is common to have a thousand or twelve hundred children at one time admitted into their communion, by the rite of confirmation; but one cannot pretend to say how many of these were born of Protestant parents, nor have I the means of knowing what proportion they bear to former admissions of that kind. The total number of Roman Catholics in England and Scotland has been variously estimated by their own writers: some say there are 500,000; others reckon them only 350,000; but all agree that the number is progressively advancing: and the Dublin orators (Mr. Scully, Mr. O'Connell, Dr. Dromgoole, &c.), hoping soon for the downfall of the Church of England by its continued defalcations, boast of their rapid increase! Now, whether the total number be half a million, or even the lowest computation, there has been a frightful addition since the last Parliamentary returns, made to the House of Lords thirty-nine years ago, when they amounted to only 69,376; and they were but 67,916, in the year 1767. A late Roman Catholic author, who published on "the State and Behaviour of English Catholics, from the Reformation to the Year 1781," says; "The truth is, within the present century we have most rapidly decreased. Many congregations have entirely disappeared in different parts; and in one district alone, with which I am acquainted, eight out of thirteen are come to nothing; nor have any new ones risen to make up, in any proportion, their loss. These are facts of certain notoriety. In the nature of things it could not be otherwise. Where one cause can be discovered tending to their increase, there will be twenty found to work their diminution."-p. 117, second edition. After comparing these facts and the preceding statements, I think you cannot doubt of their whole number being much augmented in Great Britain within the last thirty or forty years, and that their additional strength is chiefly deducted from our Established Church. I shall introduce the general subject of Academies, Colleges, and inferior Seminaries, by another quotation from the above work; wherein the author gives, in his usual lively style, a brief answer to the opinions then prevalent, A.D. 1781, respecting Roman Catholic Schools, &c. He tells us, p. 168, "It was a groundless rumour, which lately prevailed, that Catholics were opening schools in all parts of the kingdom, whereby the rising generation of Protestants were all to be perverted to the errors of Popery. The real fact is, that we have not opened one new school since the year 1778. The whole number of those which we have, are, I think, BUT THREE, at least those of any note. There is one in Hertfordshire; one near Birmingham in Warwickshire; and a third near Wolverhamp ton in Staffordshire. In London are some day-schools; and in other parts may be, perhaps, little establishments, where an old woman gives lectures on the Horn-book and the Art of Spelling. As her lessons convey no documents of treason or sedition, Government need not watch her with any anxious attention §.-At the two first-mentioned schools are generally about twenty or thirty boys, who leave them about the age of twelve or fourteen. That in Staffordshire is far the most numerous. Its design is to give some education to children of a lower class. They learn their religion, and such other things, as may qualify them for trade and the usual business of life. When it can be avoided, they never admit Protestants, from an apprehension that it might give offence; as also from a well-grounded suspicion, that it would tend gradually to weaken the religious principles of the Catholic boys. It is to me astonishing, that Protestants can be found, who, were it in their power, would deprive us even of this small privilege of educating our own children! I have omitted to mention two schools for the education of girls, one at Hammersmith, the other at York. They are ancient establishments; and by no means, I apprehend, calculated to bring danger to the Protestant powers of the British Empire." As a striking contrast to the above account, I refer you to another authentic Roman Catholic statement, published in "The Laity's Directory for 1819;" a little wook annually printed" BY PERMISSION," for the use of their own people, by Keating and Brown, of Duke Street, Grosvenor Square. Here I see a list of about FIFTY institutions, under § "After more accurate inquiries, I am still confirmed in the truth of the above representations. We have opened no new Schools of any note: though it has been repeatedly asserted that even thirty-two or more had been erected since the passing of the Bill in our favour. The instructions of Imaginary Teachers cannot instil much poison into the breasts of real Protestant Children." the names of Colleges, Schools for Gentlemen, Seminaries for Ladies, Preparatory Establishments, and " Charitable Institutions for promoting spiritual and corporal works of mercy,”—all which latter (being in the Metropolis and its vicinity) are said to be "under the Patronage of the Right Rev. Dr. Poynter, V. A."-I do not find among them the famous school for Calmel Buildings, wholly under the management of Priests (Mr. Gandolphy was one of them), but chiefly maintained by the purses of Protestants in Mary-lebone; nor do I know how to estimate the comparative importance of those numerous institutions, for promoting Popish education in England. But some of them, which are passed over superficially in the "Laity's Directory," are certainly very important in a POLITICAL point of view; for instance, the one thus described: "STONYHURST COLLEGE, Blackburn, Lancashire; REV, CHarles PlowDEN, President. The plan of education and the terms are the same as usual; and may be had by applying to the President, or to the Rev. John Scott, No. 11, Poland Street." This is all the notice here presented! I feel it right to particularize and distinguish that Jesuitical College, however insignificant a place it may have found in the "Laity's Directory." Other Jesuitical proceedings might, perhaps, be sifted by the aid of Parliament, as they certainly ought to be, for the information of Protestants. But, I first shall repeat what is stated of Jesuits, by the author of the conciliatory volume already cited: "It is often said, that Popish Priests have an unbounded zeal for making Proselytes. Were it true, I see no reproach in the charge. It proves that they are sincere in their religious belief; that they esteem themselves in the best way; and that they wish to impart to others the important truths of salvation. The man of zeal, and only this man, will, every religion, strive to make converts; and when evidently he is not actuated by motives of interest or some in |