serve, that the increase in the number of reported cases of intoxication for the year 1838 is not attributed by the InspectorGeneral of the Constabulary to an increase in the number of offences of that kind actually committed, but to the effect of a circular which about that period he addressed to the Constabulary, calling upon them to exercise greater vigilance in taking up drunkards. Comparative Statement of the Number of Persons taken into custody by the Dublin Metropolitan Police for Intoxication and Assaults during the years 1839 and 1840. It is very greatly to the credit of Father Mathew and his coadjutors, that the Society has been kept entirely free, although not without great difficulty, from any kind of exclusive religious or political feeling. It is open to all without distinction, and amongst its most ardent supporters are to be found persons of all religious persuasions, and of every shade of political party. On the medal there is a religious device of the Paschal Lamb and the Crucifix, with the motto "In hoc signo vinces," but the medal is given only to those who apply for it, and all persons who merely take the pledge from Father Mathew are thereby constituted members of the society. It is a remarkable fact, that he was at first opposed by the clergy of all denominations, and by none more than by those of his own Church; and, although they have been forced into participation and apparent approval by the general enthusiasm on the subject, they still continue to regard the influence which he exercises with some jealousy. The belief of supernatural power has undoubtedly contributed something to Father Mathew's success, but it is proper to state that he has not himself given the smallest encouragement to any such belief. From the beginning he has uniformly and publicly disclaimed all pretensions to miraculous power for any purpose whatever, and his extraordinary success is, no doubt, mainly attributable to his own simple and energetic character and style of eloquence, and to the actual experience of tens of thousands of his converts of the intrinsic goodness of the cause which he advocates. The opportunity which the popular enthusiasm has afforded him of making money by the sale of medals has naturally been made the ground for an imputation on him of interested motives. It has been made, however, to a wonderfully slight extent, and only when his name first began to attract attention. Now that all the facts connected with the subject have for a long period been under the observation of the public, the charge is, on all hands, admitted to be entirely unfounded. Wherever a surplus has been left, it has been appropriated to Charitable purposes; but at Cork, the more permanent scene of Father Mathew's labours, the number of medals distributed is so small, as compared with the number of those who take the pledge, that, after paying a salary to the person employed to distribute them, and after carrying to account those which are given to such as are considered too poor to pay for them, no balance has remained applicable to any purpose. Indeed, we have good grounds to believe that, in his private fortune, Father Mathew has been a loser by the cause in which he has been so patriotically engaged. He has certainly given several remarkable proofs of his disinterestedness. It is stated, and we have reason to know truly stated, that some of his nearest relations, who were engaged in business as distillers, have been seriously injured, in a worldly point of view, by the success of the Temperance Movement, and he has himself uniformly declined all those opportunities of personal distinction which his *success and consequent celebrity have thrown in his way, from the rare and most praiseworthy fear of lessening his influence with the people, and injuring the great cause which he had undertaken.* * During his first visit to Dublin, the Lord Lieutenant pressed Father Mathew to dine with him, and told him that he would invite to meet him some persons who were desirous of making his acquaintance, and whom he could hardly have an opportunity of meeting under other circumstances. This invitation he begged to be permitted to decline, excusing himself on the ground of his simple habits, and of the determination he had made to preserve them, from a belief that on that preservation depended, to some extent, his influence with the people, and consequently his success in the work to which he had devoted himself. ART. IX.-CHILDHOOD, Illustrated in a Selection from the Poets. By H. M. R. London: Harvey and Darton. 1841. 12mo. CHILDHOOD illustrated by the Poets;-the golden age in the golden light of genius;-those whose souls are ever fresh, sitting by that freshest "well" of living water and discoursing;-the heavenliest minds, telling all they feel and know of the heavenliest form of human nature;-from such a combination of "divine subject," with "the vision and the faculty divine," we must have a collection of the truest poetic things. The title of the book announces the treasures it contains ;-Childhood, as regarded, not by this poet nor by that, but-by THE POETS! The very idea of such a work was singularly graceful and happy, just such an idea as secured its own most successful realization, and which, when it came into the mind of one wishing to contribute something to the lovely and holy influences of domestic life, must have stirred it with a sensation of sudden joy, with the consciousness of the EUREKA, 'I have found it!' There is no other period of life that could thus have concentrated upon itself the Poetic Mind, for there is no other period that has a unity. The fountains of all rivers have a common Genius, the Nymph might be characterized, but the Rivers,who will characterize them, or reduce them to a unity? the arrowy Rhone, the muddy Rhine, the yellow Tiber, the majestic Thames. And so with Man,-he presents one aspect, one character only near the fountain. Let the stream run, and then we get out of Poetry into Potamology. It was quite impossible that such a Book should not be as beautiful in execution as it was in conception, for it summoned to its aid, throughout all times, the genius of the Poets. At the same time we must express our feeling that THE POETS have not done their duty by so choice a subject. They have not turned their deep eyes into the heart of Childhood. Wordsworth is the only one of THE POETS who has studied childhood; who has dwelt upon it with the steadfast, loving, reverential gaze which could alone see into its depths, or do justice to the nature of childhood, so profound yet so elastic, so simple yet so mysterious. In this volume there are only a few lines from Shakspeare, and nothing from Milton, Spenser, Chaucer, Pope. It is significant of its spiritual beauty, that for the most poetic things ever said of Childhood, we must go to the Saviour of Mankind,-to him who had the deepest insight into Humanity. "Their Angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven." "Unless ye become as a little child, ye shall not enter the kingdom of God." "Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven." "Whoso shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me." In selecting one or two Specimens of this rich volume, we shall take, as most interesting, those that are most likely to be new to our readers. There are some lines, bearing the initials of the editor, addressed to her firstborn son, which are in every way beautiful. We especially admire the holy maternal feeling rising into more elevated sentiment, the mother yielding her son from her loving breast, to purchase for himself a nobler love, by a strenuous life of true service to God and Man. The generosity of the last four lines, the willing surrender of her place to a stranger, is perhaps a little beyond even "mother's love." Has the distance of the day, and the imaginary nature of the vision, not contributed to that self displacement? To my firstborn. "Bless thee, may Heaven bless thee, my sweet boy,' Breathes from thy parted lips, when gently press'd And when by sleep's soft touch thy laughing eyes Upon thy peaceful beauty, till arise Bright visions o'er my soul of future days, Of boyhood's fearless truth and well-earned praise, The good and beautiful in nature found, Of manhood, foremost at his country's call, Her freedom to defend, and see unbound Chains which too long have borne her children to the ground. Thus doth my hopeful fancy dare to trace The bright perspective of approaching years; For how can I behold that tranquil face, And think Care's withering touch or Sorrow's tears Must quench its light? But why these boding fears? I know that thou in life's distress must share, Whose gentle voice each sorrow shall remove, Or lead thy chastened heart to rest in God above!" There is great repose and finish in the following sonnet by the Rev. J. Johns : On a Child sleeping in a Thunder Storm. "Beautiful innocence that thus can sleep, ; While the sky flushes pale, like hate in ire Itself with its own heavenly dreams, though wild Our last extract must be the following extremely sweet and graceful "Baby's Song," by the Editor: "Low-murmured words I hear, mother! Which mingle in my dream, mother! Soft kisses too I feel, mother! And a gentle breath upon my cheek, The little angels round me, My soul with them would keep, But my heart is linked with thine, mother! I wake and bending o'er me, The whispering voice, the loving kiss, |