Genus acre Bello, Studiis Genus acre Minervæ, Devotumque mori pro Rege, Fidêque tuendis.
Among those who followed the Fortunes of King James the Second, were Sir Richard Neagle, his Attorney-General, and Dr. Moore, Provost of Trinity-college, near Dublin; two Gentlemen very justly distinguished in their respective Spheres; the former, a Gentleman of unshaken Integrity, and great Capacity in the Profession of the Laws; the latter, of exemplary Piety, universal Learning, and fine Accomplishments. Louis the Fourteenth, then King of France, protected those worthy deserving Men, with singular Tenderness and Attention; and was instructed and guided solely by Dr. Moore, in the restoring, establishing, and modelling the University of Paris, at that gloomy Period! quite buried in perplexed, unintelligible, peripatetic [pg 047] Philosophy, and disfigured with romantic Legends, and Gothic Jingle! But, at the Doctor's Appearance, Entities, Quiddities, Sympathies, Antipathies, occult Qualities, substantial Forms, metaphysical Degrees, Categories, and all this unideal wordy Stuff, vanished; and were succeeded by a clear, concise Method of Reasoning, and sound, useful, and experimental Philosophy. Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, Chaldaic, and Arabic, were Languages untaught, unknown, in the University of Paris, before Dr. Moore; for whom particularly, Louis the Fourteenth founded, established, and endowed the Royal College, now called College du Cambray: And how well our Doctor succeeded therein, may be inferred from the Character and Writings of his Pupils and Hearers, Boileau, Fontinelle, Poréc, Montesquieu, Fleuri, Lauguet, with many others, and Rollin, his peculiar Favourite and immediate Successor, all great Genius's, applauded Writers, and celebrated Wits. So that, as Ireland had the Honour of founding, it had also that of restoring and reviving the great University of Paris, in the Persons of two of its learned Natives.
The Reign of her Majesty Queen Anne (glorious to her Arms, under the Conduct of John, Duke of Marlborough, and her other Generals, and justly distinguished by the Number of great Genius's and Wits, who enlightened that Period) was in this Kingdom chiefly employed in additional Acts against the further Growth of Popery: And many there were, who deemed it an unparallel'd Severity in her Majesty, to give her Royal Assent to them particular Laws; by which the Roman Catholicks of Ireland (already ruined by their inimitable Allegiance to her [pg 048] Royal Father, Uncle, and Grandfather) were precluded from availing themselves, by a tolerable easy Lease, of any Part or Parcel of these Estates, forfeited by their Ancestors, thro' their unremitting Endeavours, to support and maintain that Stem, of which she was herself an immediate Branch.
So late even as this Reign, the whole Kingdom of Ireland was a desolate diffusive Scene of total Decay! covered with all the ghastly Symptoms of the Consumption of Centuries! But, at length, on the happy Accession of his late Majesty of glorious Memory, the blissful Morning of Peace and Concord began its auspicious Dawn! Yet, as Time, publick Spirit, Patriotism (in its highest Conception) and unwearied Diligence, were all collectively essential to the giving Life, Vigour, and Activity, to national Industry and Improvement, so very long in a melancholy State of Languor and Oppression: Not before the present truly glorious Reign, did Hibernia tune her old Harp, now newly strung to universal Harmony and Elegance, and rear her awful Head from the stupid dismal Dozes of Ages; where comes the literal Application of my third Motto, Renascimur.
Hinc priscæ redeunt Artes, felicibus inde Ingeniis aperitur iter, despectaque Musæ Colla levant.——
Having travelled through a tedious Night, thick-set with Horrors of various Hues! and thus come to the End of a painful Journey; give me Leave, kind Reader, to indulge awhile with admiring the beautiful Variety of Objects, which now surround me, to the serene Delight [pg 049] of the Mind, and refined Gratification of Sense; before I attempt that Display of them to which I have no Occasion of professing my Inequality.
In this Reign, and not before, our Linen Manufacture, in many Respects one of the most profitable Branches of our national Commerce, received all the Encouragement from Royal Bounty, and Parliamentary Sanction, that could be reasonably hoped for.
Persons of the highest Rank, Dignity, and Fortune, were appointed Trustees for the Propagation, Encouragement, and Diffusion, of this beneficial Trade, throughout the respective Provinces.
The Linen-Hall was erected in Dublin, under as just and nice Regulations as any commercial House in Europe.
The North of Ireland began to wear an Aspect entirely new; and, from being (through Want of Industry, Business, and Tillage) the almost exhausted Nursery of our American Plantations, soon became a populous Scene of Improvement, Traffic, Wealth, and Plenty; and is, at this Day, a well-planted District, considerable for Numbers of well-affected, useful, and industrious Subjects.