We guarded our note of last week on Major O'Reilly's
attack on the Queen% Colleges and University by saying that, if it was accurate in its facts, it was a very formidable attack on the learn- ing of those Colleges and that University. The result shows both that the caution, at least as to the accuracy of the report of the speech, was not unnecessary, and also that the general confidence we were disposed to give to Major O'Reilly's own statements, was probably justified. The President of the Queen's College, Galway, Mr. Berwick, has shown that the story of Mr. Heron's law class " having gone home sick " is a fable. Mr. Heron's law class had during ten years an average attendance of ten, and a minimum attendance of four. President Berwick also shows that the reported form of Major O'Reilly's speech was quite inaccurate as to the French and German classes of the Galway College. Fifty-two students are now attending the lectures in French, and twenty those in German, which is a very fair attendance ; and most likely the modern-language classes of the College are now some of the best attended there. It appears, however, that what Major O'Reilly did say on this head was, that on the evidence of the Professor, as given by himself, the students came to his classes with a preparation in German that may be returned as nil, and with a very slight smattering of French indeed.
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