IRELAND.
Prince Napoleon was expected at Cork towards the close of this week, and steps had been taken by the local authorities to invite him to a public dinner.
The Commissioners inquiring into the endowed schools in Ireland have found that the Limerick schools are not in the best condition. The master of one school is paid 150/. per annum; and since 1823, 5000/. has been paid out of the county funds to the school account. There should be twenty boys educated gratuitously at this school. There are four pupils in all, each of whom pays for himself. Not a single free pupil has been nominated since 1837.
Some persons propose to give a farewell dinner to Mr. Govan Duffy, and they pressed Mr. Thomas Carlyle to take the chair. His reply has been published in the form of a letter to Mr. James Hannay. "Addiscombe Farm, Croydon, 5th September 1855. "Dear Hannay—Some short time ago I received a circular, with Mr. E. Whitty's signature, on the same subject as your note, and was well pleased to learn that such a project was in agitation on behalf of Duffy ; to which I wished all success very sincerely, though myself unable to take part in it. I have a real regard and even affection for Duffy ; whose fine truthful intel- lect and ardent humane character were always recognizable to me in the worst tumult of Irish confusions. His course, then, which I never could ap- plaud for wisdom, nor rebuke without pity and respect, has all along seemed to me one of the most tragical; and surely it has been troublous enough, tumbling in the wake of that monster of Blarney, Big 0, and his 'justice for Ireland' (the ugliest impostor generated in my time),—and, alas ! rt ends in a sufficiently mournful manner, though in a manful and pathetic one, on my poor friend Duffy's part! I would gladly go and testify these feelings on his behalf, wherever it might be useful or suitable ; but, on the other hand, I can perceive this dinner will not be the place for me to do it, but for others differently related to it than I, and who probably have somewhat other feelings to express. In short, there are multifarious reasons admonish- ing absence on my part,—two reasons, were there no other : permanent wish to steer clear to windward of O'Connellism, and of anti.ditto, in all their branches; and, secondly the horror and misery I undergo in all public dinners' whatsoever. I pray you, therefore, let me be excused, and be be- lieved, at the same time, to wish the enterprise heartily well, as I do.
"Yours very truly, Csitionar.."
The Very Reverend Viscount Montmorres, Dean of Achonry, has received a letter intimating that he will be shot, in retaliation for imaginary offences, and because he was averse to burials being performed during the time of ser- vice on Sundays. It is stated that this Protestant clergyman is a kind and good man in his dealings with all classes of people.
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