“With a leathern satchel on his back, containing his portable library, he sometimes travels not only through his own province, but frequently over the greater part of the kingdom. * No door is shut against the poor scholar, who, it is supposed, at a future day may be invested with the apostolic key of Heaven. The priest or schoolmaster of every parish through which he passes, receives him for a few days into his barefooted seminary, and teaches him bad Latin and worse English; while the most opulent of his schoolfellows eagerly seize on the young peripatetic philosopher and provide him with maintenance and lodging; and if he is a boy of talent or _humour_ (a gift always prized by the naturally laughter-loving Milesians) they will struggle for the pleasure of his society. * It has been justly said, that, “nature is invariable in her operations; and that the principles of a polished people will influence even their latest posterity.” And the ancient state of letters in Ireland, may be traced in the love of learning and talent even still existing among the inferior class of the Irish to this day. On this point it is observed by Mr. Smith, in his History of Kerry, “that it is well known that classical reading extends itself even to a fault, among the lower and poorer kind of people in this country, [Munster,] many of whom have greater knowledge in this way than some of the better sort in other places. He elsewhere observes, that Greek is taught in the mountainous parts of the province. And Mr. O’Halloran asserts, that classical reading has most adherents in those retired parts of the kingdom where strangers had least access, and that as good classical scholars were found in most parts of Connaught, as in any part of Europe. “Having thus had the seeds of dependence sown _irradically_ in his mind, and furnished his perisatetic studies, he returns to his native home, and with an empty satchel to his back, goes about raising contributions on the pious charity of his poor compatriots: each contributes some necessary article of dress, and assists to fill a little purse, until completely equipped; and, for the first time in his life, covered from head to foot, the divine embryo sets out for some sea-port, where he embarks for the colleges of Douay or St. Omer’s; and having begged himself, _in forma pauperis_, through all the necessary rules and discipline of the seminary, he returns to his own country, and becomes the minister of salvation to those whose generous contributions enable him to assume the sacred profession. * * The French Revolution, and the foundation of the Catholic college at Maynooth, has put a stop to these pious emigrations.