A NEW GRIEVANCE FOR IRELAND.
BELGIUM is the envy of-Ireland : it once belonged to Holland ; now it has an independent Legislature, and something more—it has achieved Repeal. Ireland, indeed, achieved the very object that Belgium sought : the Flemish province freed itself from the arbitrary, government of Holland by separation ; Ireland was freed from arbitrary government by a thorough change in the dominant opinions of the United Kingdom. Still Ireland envies— and another pang is to be inflicted. The laws of Belgium are to be translated into Belgic, and Flemish orthography is to be substi- tuted for Dutch ; the new kingdom casting off the last mark of subjugation. Does not Ireland incontinently sigh for a transla- tion of her laws into Erse ? In the House of Representatives one gentleman asserted, that "the Dutch language was itself pure Flemish, and, in the time of Halma, the Dutch Dictionary was called L Vlaemsch Woordenboek.' " The dialect of Lancashire is also " pure Flemish" ; for Lancashire men have better made themselves understood in Bruges than in London. Belgic is a master-tongue, and asserts its mastery. This increases the analogy, and the chagrin. It is well known that Ireland is the parent of all learning, and that English is nothing but, not pure, but very impure Erse : decidedly, our statute-book ought to be revised by a committee from St. Giles's.
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