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Un des symboles sulvsnts apparaTtra sur la derniAre Image de cheque microfiche, selon le ces: ie symbole -^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols y signlfie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc.. peuvent Atre filmte A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grend pour Atre reproduit en un seui ciich*. II est film* A partir da I'angle supMeur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas. en prenant le nombre d'images nAceesslre. Les disgrammes suivants lliustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wm RECOLLECTIONS or A Wuii to (ireat Britain anb |rdanb IN THE SUMMER OF 1862. QUEBEC: WILLIAM PALMER. PBXNTSD BT BtTNTEB, BOBI! A 00. 1863. Ertkrgd, according to the Act of the Provincial Parliameot, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, by William Palmer, in the office ol the Registrar of the Province of Canada. PREFACE. The manuscript for the following pages was prepared from pencilled memoranda in leisure hours during the past winter ; the design being information and amusement through the newspapers, for my fellow-countrymen and others, respecting the "Emerald Isle;" the changes I observed there after an absence of nineteen years ; observations in Wales, London, Glasgow, &c. ; and by inci- dents collected from personal observation and other authentic sources; under the title of "Ned Fenton's Portfolio." At the repeated request of several friends who read my "Recol- lections" in the Quebec Cf-azette, and "Ned Fenton's Portfolio " in manuscript, I have consented to have them published in a small volume, trusting to the forbearance of my critical readers for errors and omissions. For an apology I refer to the concluding part of my " Recollections.'' J. MORPHT. Qniuo, Jaly, 1863. CONTENTS. Voyage from Quebec to Glasgow — Clyde — Glasgow — A Tip- perary man — Belfast — Railroads — Ticket Office — Early recollec- tions — Dublin — Roscrea—Jack McMahon and the ladies — Ne- nagh Silvermines — Lord Dunalleys — Limerick — Cork — Queen* Bton — Bandon — Mahon Abbey — An old acquaintance — Killarney Lakes — Carey O'Leary, a guide — Tralee — An Editor — Waterford -—Voyage to Wales — London, descriptions, buildings,- incidents — ^Borrisinossory — An officer — Dublin — Stoneybatter — A black- smith's forge — Monaghan, early recoUections-r-A landshark — A bang beggar — Ups and downs in life — Causes of changes of scene — Ballibay — Castleblayney — Lord Blayney's demesne — ^En- ttiskillen — Irvinestown — A Petty Sessions — Florence Court — A cottage in a wood — Lisnaskea — Crom Castle — Newtownbutler— Clones — A Fishman— Dialects — Belfast to Glasgow — Monaghan to Londonderry via Enniskillen— Bill Kavanagh — The Tender — Moville — Anglo-Saxon — Voyage to Quebec — An Apology. ■^t'n* RECOLLECTIONS OF A f isit 10 ireat Britain ani |relan)> IN THE SUMMER OF 1862. >< From aloft tho signal's streaming, Hark I the farewell gun is fired ; Women screeching, Tars blaspheming, Tells us that our time 's expired." On the 1st of July, 1862, we embarked at 9 a.m. on board the steamship United Kingdom, at Quebec, for Glasgow, and were detained eighteen hours on the river, two miles below Quebec, awaiting passengers from Montreal, hy the steamhotit Montreal, the machinery of which had got out of order near Sorel. We had a fair passage of thirteen days. Captain Craig and the Officers were gentlemanly and obliging, the table was luxurious, and the berths clean and well ventilated. In the cabin there M'as twenty-five of us, and we soon became as intimate as one family. Conversation, pacing the deck, meals, reading, laugh and joke, smoke and song, and sleeping beguiled the time. There were forty steerage pas- sengers, many of whom, as well as most of the cabin passengers, had return tickets. While awaiting the arrival of the Montreal steamer, the evening was delightful ; the hills of Point Levi, wtih their romantic churches and cottages, and the city on the opposite side, with its tin roofs and church steeples, on which the sun re- flected his setting rays, while the river was studded with ships as far as the eye could take in — presented a view like a grand per- 2 e •REC0LLECTI0N8 OP A VISIT TO <^k s^ spective panoramic scene. Wo weighed anchor at 4 a.m., on the 2nd. Passing the Island of Orleans on the left, yrhich is twenty miles long and five miles broad, wo had a good view of the Falls of Montinorenci, seven miles from Quebec, plunging over an al- most perpendicular precipice of two hundred and forty feet. The south-east shore of the St. Lawrence, for many miles, presents a succession of villages and hamlets, with here and there a church in their midst. At Madame Island, twenty-six miles below Que- bec, the river widens to ten miles, which gradually increases all the way to its mouth. At Cap Tourmente thirty miles below Quebec, the scenery is very grand. From Quebec, St. Thomas is forty miles ; Crane Island, forty-five ; Goose Island, fifty ; the Pil- lars, sixty, — three small rocky islets on one of which stands a light- house. Here the scenery is grand. At St. Anne, seventy miles be- low Quebec, there is a R. C. College. Murray Bay is eighty miles down, and is a delightful place, which has lately become a fashion- able resort for Canadians. Kamouraska is ninety miles from Que- bec ; Pilgrim Islands, one hundred and five ; Riviere du Loup, one hundred and nineteen ; Kakouna, one hundred and twenty (a fashionable sea-bathing place). At the Island of Bic, one hundred and fifty-three miles below Quebec, we parted with our pilot. The Island of Anticosti, four hundred miles below Quebec, is about one hundred and twenty-five miles long, and thirty miles broad. It is a barren, cold place, with stunted trees. For about three hundred miles there is no harbour or bay to protect ships, while the stream, the shoals around this island, and the heavy snow storms which occur in the fall of the year, with its position across the mouth of the river, render it the frequent scene of shipwrecks. On pass- ing Anticosti and ent,;ring the Gulf, the shores of Gasp6 are seen in the distance. After the two first days, which were very fine, we came all at once into a wintry atmosphere, the wind blowing from the snow- clad hills of Labrador, Newfoundland, and from Anticosti, and ORRAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. M «'w from hundreds of icebergs which we saw floating on the ocean in fantastical shapes like huge churches and pyramids, causing us to huddle together in the cabin where the pipes were heated. At 11 o'clock on the night of the third day, at the light-house of Belle Isle, we took on board the maatcr and seven seamen of the bark Arahy Maid, which was bound for Cork from Montreal, with a cargo of 2000 bushels of wheat, and coming near Anticosti, the floating ice got behind and droye her on the rocks, where she be- came a total wreck. After suft'cring a great deal of hardship, a schooner fortunately came and took the crew to Belle Isle light- house, where we took them on board. To give a detail of all the little incidents on board during the voyage would require too much time and space. Different matters struck different minds in various forms, and we conversed accordingly. We had two Wesleyan Ministers on board : Mr. Cobbe of Ni- agara, and Mr. Davis of Georgeville, near Stanstead ; with them we had much conversation, and lent them "The Backsliders' Trial," *' Trial of Alcohol," and other pamphlets. Mr. Davis preached in the cabin the first Sunday, from Genesis vii. 1 : "Come thou and all thy family into the ark" — an excellent sermon and very appropriate. — The ark — the ship — the storms of sea and life — Sin — the harbour of refuge — the ark of safety, Jesus — and the haven of everlasting rest — were the principal topics. On the next Sunday, Mr. Cobbe preached a delightful and in- structive sermon from Hebrews xii. 1. : " Seeing we are en- compassed," &c., "let us lay aside every weight," &c., " looking unto Jesus," &c. The witnesses — the Olympic games — races — the race of life — the crown, everlasting life — sin, the weights and obstructions — Jesus the dispenser of the crown, — Paul ran and obtained the crown — he fought a good fight, — he finished his course, he kept the faith, henceforth there was laid up for him a crown of life that fadeth not away. — Such were the topics of his sevmon. The first land we saw was a mountainous part of the BBCOLLECTrONS OP A VISIT TO l*^; ,-#" County of Donegal, in Ireland. As soon as we distinguished it plainly, a jovial passenger of the Emerald Isle threw up his cap, clapped his wings, crowed lustily, and sung, in a clear manly voice, to the great amusement of the passengers, " If England were ray place of birth, I'd luve her tranquil shore; If bouiiic Scotland were my home, Her mountains I'd adore : Yet pleasant days in both I've pa3!>ed, I dream of days to come ; — Then steer my bark for Erin's Isle, For Erin, Erin is my home," On sailing up the Clyde every eye was directed right and left to the beautiful scenery and rising grounds, green fields, clipped haw- thorn hedges, old ivy-clad castles of Roman antiquity, Dumbarton castle, and the Messrs. Denny's and other ship-yards, the mansions, woods and sloping lawns of Glasgow merchants — the rows of houses and villages for summer residents and sea bathers, for thirty miles — Greenock and Port Glasgow — the numerous, long, Bwift, crowded, passenger steamboats, the riveting and other noises caused by the building of several iron, steam, and other ships, all caused a wonderful change of scene from the sea and sky of the previous day. While wc gazed at the scenery, a Caledonian pas- senger recited the following verse, which was listened to with great attention : — " Land of wild beauty and romantic shapes, Of sheltered valleys, iind stormy rapes ; JOf the bright garden, and the tangled brake, Of the dark mountain, nnd the sunlit lake ; Unrivall'd land of science, nnd of arts, Land of fair faces, and of faithful hearts." It requires great caution and skill to bring a large ship up the Clyde, which is being deepened from time to time by dredging and other means. Not unfrequcntly it requires a tug steamer before and one behind to get a large ship through the windings of the river. We remained several hours for the tide at Greenock, where the Customs officers came on board, and passed all those OREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. who had only such luggage as could be carrictl in hand. Some were not very well pleased at having been left minus their cigars and tobacco. We arrived in Glasgow amid bustle and confusion, in getting the ship moored, the noise of »tcain and sailors, the shouting of porters and cabmen, the rush of passengers and drag- ging of luggage, &c. I passed the customs easily, and cabbed off to 45 Union street, where I exchanged my return ticket for one for a certain ber.,h in the United Kingdom to sail on the 13th of September following. Glasgow, on the Clyde, contains about four hundred thousand inhabitants. There are several fine bridges across the Clyde, and among them is a very grand suspension bridge. Among the many elegant streets, Buchanan, Argyle, and Ingram are spacious, with very elegant and extensive shops — the crescents, squares, and isolated rows of houses are beautiful. Some of the public edifices are magnificent and beautiful speci- mens of architecture, among which may be mentioned the Royal Exchange in Queen street, the new County buildings, the banks Lunatic Asylum, University, and churches. The public menu ments comprise that to the memory of Nelson, in the Green, ont hundred and forty-four feet in height ; an equestrian statue of William III., at the Cross; the statue of Sir John Moore, a native of Glasgow ; of James Watt, Sir Robert Peel, and a most magnificent doric column to Sir Walter Scott — the last four in George Square — and an equestrian statue of the Duke of Wel- lington. The educational, scientific, and literary institutions are too numerous to notice. The University on High street is a very elegant edifice, has twenty-two professors, from one thousand to twelve hundred students, and twelve thousand volumes in the li- brary. The Botanic Gardens and Necropolis are well wwthy of a visit. The climate about Glasgow is moist and the air foggy with smoke. Cotton, iron, and ship-building give employment to many thousands. In 1652 the third part of Glasgow was burned. Among the great men whom Glasgow claims as natives are Gen- to BBCOLLBOTIONS OF A VISIT TO ■li erals Sir Thomas Munro and Sir John Moore, and Thomas Camp- bell, the poet. A Tipperary man, who was a steerage passenger on b jard, on learning that I was going to the County of Tipperary, made my acquaintance, as he was going there to see his friends, after an absence of more than thirty years. He stuck to me like a leech from Glasgow to Roscrea, seventy miles south of Dublin. I ni 3d scarcely say that I was obliged to interfere to extricate him on several occasions, from all sorts of abuse of railroad officials, as he had nothing but Yankee coin to pay his fares, which they refused to take. He got through, however, honestly, with- out any serious breacii of the peace. We came by train from Glasgow to Greenock, where we arrived at half-past seven p.m., and after tea with my Tipperary friend, we got ou board the Stag, a very fine steamer, and were astonished at the hundreds of gap- ing men and boys who lined the quay in listless idleness, instead of improving themselves and families at home. We left Greenock at eight p.m., and, after a pleasant passage, arrived in Belfast at four A.M , where, on landing, the first applicant got my t.-unk to convey to the railroad depot (about one mile), the conveyance being an ass and cart, my first "turn-out " there for twenty years Belfast, comparatively a modern town, on the Lagan, is on low ground. The streets are spacious, well macadamized and clean. It has the reputation of being the first town in Ireland in commercial prosperity. A cheerful activity prevails everywhere, and it is the great depot for the linen trade of the north of Ire- land. There are upwards of thirty steam mills for spinning linen yarn, employing many thousands of persons, — one alone giving constant work to twelve hundred people, the annual wages of which amount to twenty thousand pounds. Belfast has exten- sive ship-yards and a fine harbor, from which twenty -five steamers ply regularly ; the Lough is a fine object, and the hills which partly encircle the town are studded with the handsome residences of itfl merchants. It has forty-three places of worship, many of GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 11 them very handsome structures. The commercial buildings cost twenty thousand pounds ; Queen's College cost twenty-five thou- sand pounds, and seven thousand pounds per annum is alloAved for its maintenance from the consolidated fund. There are several excellent educational, scientific and charitable institutions, and a great number of factories, breweries and other extensive places of business. The population numbers one hundred and twenty thou- sand. In Belfast and all over Ireland the barbarous practice of servants demanding payment for their services in addition to the regularly advertised fares is continued. In many places servants pay for their places for their chances of begging from passengers, instead of being paid, as they should be, by their masters. The system is demor- alising. It is painful to see healthy, intelligent looking human beings stretch out their hands to you begging for money, which you don't owe them, and which you are not entitled to give. If you give liberally, you are rewarded with such acknowledgments as "May the Lord's blessin' light on yer honor every day ye rise, and send ye safe to yer journey's end, and afther- wards receive yer sowl to glory." If you don't give as much as is expected, it is received with silence and a sullen countenance, and if you give nothing, they dare not curse you before your face lest the master's interest should suffer, and they should be dismissed, but won't you catch it among fellow servants when you are gone. Before leaving a hotel, you are accosted thus: — "I'm the housekeeper, sir." "I'm the chambermaid, sir." "Remember boots, yer honor." "I carried your trunk, sir." " I'm the waiter, yer honor," &c., &c., &c. I noticed some things in Belfast which claimed my special atten- tion, viz : — numbers of bare-fo.oted women and girls going to work in factories, rows of jaunting-cars for hire (vehicles which are used all over Ireland as the most convenient for hire and family HBe), and the absence of outside Venetian shutters on the win- ^i RECOLLECTIONS OF A \'I8IT TO ll li'^ dows. There for the first time, after twenty years of absence, I heard the robin redbreast's song, and the coarse note of the corn- creak. At eight A.M. I appeared at the ticket oiHce of the Railroad Station for Dublin, and was amused at the assumed dignity, the gruff and uncivil conduct of every petty official ; and it is the same all over Ireland, with few exceptions. Before remarking on the purchase of my ticket, &c., I unhesi- tatingly say I prefer our Canadian arrangement of railroad tra- velling as superior to that of Great Britain and Ireland. Here we have less of caste, more comfortable and convenient car accommo- dation — there being no compartments in cars — better ventilation — drinking fountains — stoves, and other conveniences — more civil and obliging officials, and cheaper fares. There the ticket office is not open until ten or fifteen minutes before departure, which, in many places, causes bustle and confusi'on in looking after your ticket, luggage, and rushing to secure a seat. Here, we have an admirable baggage-check system, by which every passenger feels quite easy about the safety of his baggage. There, a porter stands with a brush and a pot of paste in his hand, and as each trunk comes along he gives it a daub and pastes on a piece of paper, on which is printed the name of the station for which it is destined, and should it happen that you arrive at night, with a long train, you get out, amid confusion, run here and there in anxiety looking for your trunk, and you are the more anxious, as passengers a)-e advertised that they are accountable for their lug- gage, the mislaying of which would be a serious disappointment. The carriages (as they are called) arc painted a dark green, claret, or brownish color ; those of the first and second class hav- ing each three compartments, and the third class two, the doors open in the sides, and are locked by porters on leaving each sta- tion. The people sit face to face with their knees jammed us in stage coaches, except in the third class, where the seats are in va- rious positions. There are of course no drinking fountains, no arc all s now, w I will after. At lings. , ence, easy i coin I counti mista GREAT BRITAIN AND itlELAND. 18 % ■I stoves, nor any other necessary conveniences. To meet the views and requirements of the travelling aristocracy, the first class cars are as elegantly fitted up as noblemen's private carriages, and the fares are double that of the third class. The second class, plain and nearly all without cushions, are used by the middle classes, as merchants, respectable farmers, &c. The fares are be- tween the first and third classes. The third class, very plain, are used by the great majority of the people. The fares are much higher than our first class. To say that there never was a trial for assault, with intent, committed in any of the compartments, would not be true. The compartments, however, must be con- tinued for the accommodation of noblemen, merchants, trades- men, laborers, &c. The uniform of the porters is the same all over Great Britain and Ireland, viz. : corduroy jackets, vests and trowsers, and cloth caps with red bands. The depots in the large towns are very grand, being large enough to take in the longest trains, under glass roofs. The station-houses and bridges arc all solid structures of masonry. There are no crossings allowed now, which caused great cutting of hills, and filling of hollows. I will advert to the effects produced by railroads in Ireland here- after. ' 1, : . At the ticket office, I gave what I believed to be fifteen shil- lings, in six half-crowns, for my ticket, but the Jack in office pushed it back to me with a scowl of indignation, as if I were a swindler, telling me it was only fourteen shillings and six pence. My argument was no use, he would not explain. On examining, I found one of the pieces to be a florin or two shilling piece — a coin we in Canada are not very familiar with. I added the six- i^ence, and handing it to the aforesaid gentleman, said, " How easy it would have been for you to give me back the florin, a coin I have not been acquainted with, having just come from a country where it is not in circulation, and to have said, ' Sir, you mistake ; one of these is a florin,' then all would have been right. 14 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO I Instead of that you have hy your conduct left yourself open to censure which must appear in the press." Again, when asking for a check for my trunk for Dublin, the porter would not condescend to answer until ho finished his past- ing on a trunk (as described), then, raising his head, he said, " Don't make yerself unaisy, you'll get your trunk when you go to Dublin, an' that's all you want ; we know nothing about checks." These words were uttered in a tone which prevented a rejoinder on my part, lest worse would follow. Admitting the hectering those officials get from the crowds of various characters they have to deal with, there is no reason why they could not be as civil and obliging as our railroad officials in Canada. From Belfast to Dublin the country looked delightful, the clip- ped hawthorn fences and green fields, the castles, lawns, demesnes, and lakes, and handsome towns and villages — the whole country from north to south, looked as green as the painting in Mr. Mc- Evoy's cyclorama, and like one great garden of Eden. The causes for the reduction of the population and the poverty of the peasantry, are too well known without any explanation from me. When I arrived there in the middle of July, the people were pray- ing in the churches for fair weather, it having rained almost in- cessantly during the previous May and June, accompanied with cold; the crops, as a consequence, were very backward. Provi- dence, however, favoured them, as they had fine weather during the nine weeks I remained there, and the crops made such pro- gress that the people began to show their wonted elasticity, of spirits. When I left there were little or no signs of potato blight; oats, hay, and flax looked well — the latter crop seemed to be the people's great dependence, especially in the north. How early recollections did crowd on me when I saw the clean streets, excellent roads, with closely clipped hawthorn hedges at each side, and forming the fences in the fields, and heard the well remembered songs of the lark and the linnet, the goldfinch, black- bird and t daw, and looked at yards ; tl slain turf and kish* backs; w flax; dig a basket crook ov( the well dies, &c. less roun the mud ragged c doors in country hackney returnin ket shal the oth< the buy a penrn the woi caubeer rent to of weal filth, p furze. GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 16 bird and thrush, the coarse note of the corncreak, and saw the jack- daw, and magpie, and other birds not known to Canada ; when 1 looked at the haycocks in the meadows, and stacks in the barn- yards ; the bogs in which the people were winnowing mud and slain turf, and having them drawn home or to market, in crates and kishes, on horses and asses' carts, and in creels on asses' backs ; watched them pulling, steeping, lifting, and spreading flax ; digging potatoes and washing them with a headed stick in a basket at a rivulet, . and boiling them in a big pot hooked on a crook over a turf fire on the hearth, (by the way, I regret to say the well remembered cups, farmers, browns, blacks, corkreds, pad- dies, &c., have become extinct, and their places taken by a name- loss round white potatoe, the same all over Ireland). When I saw the mud cabins with stagnant pools, and barefooted women and ragged children in front of them, people leaning over their half- doors in suburbs ; the little boys and girls going to school in country places with their readimadeasys under their arms ; the hackney jaunting cars with their loads of passengers going to, and returning from, markets and sea-bathing places ; pigs in the mar- ket shaking their right hind legs to which were attached hay ropes, the other ends of which shook the arms of their sellers, and how the buyers and sellers alternately slapped each other's hand with a penny piece, a half crown or a knife during the negociation ; the working nailors; nailed soles; corduroy breeches, and wool caubeenn ; the crowds of poor farmers with hat in hand paying rent to aristocratic agents ; the pound notes ; the great extremes of wealth and poverty, ignorance and intelligence, cleanliness and filth, pride and humility, beauty and ugliness. When I saw the furze, the fern, the ivy and holly, the heath and cowslip, the prim- rose, the shamrock and daisy, and heard the sounds of the violin and the merry dance, and " the cuckoo's note steal softly through the air," I. could join with heart and voice in the familiar song — || 16 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO .''t: H" " 0, Erin, my countrj', I love thee most dearly ; No music to me like thy murmurinf^ rill ; The shamrock to me is the fairest of flowers, Aod none is so sweet as the daisy clad hill." On the way to Dublin, the factories and bleach greens about Lisburn, the towns of Lurgan, Portadown, Newery and Dundftik, the stupendous railroad bridge across the Boyne, and the beauti- ful country from that to Dublin, are well worthy of notice. On my arrival in Dublin at 11 a.m., at Amiens street depot, it was raining, and the first purchase I made was an umbrella, an indis- pensable adjunct there. We had a walk of four hours along the quays on tie LifFey, and through some of the principal streets and squares. We visited the four courts and saw plenty of gentlemen of the long robe in wig and gown there, gazed upon plenty of jaunting cars, umbrellas, handsome women and nice old men in the streets, and paid a visit to Phoenix Park and Steven's Hos- pital. The park is more extensive and handsome than Hyde Park in Loiidon. Steven's Hospital is almost a town within a house. The hotels are plain, unpretending houses ; the squares, such as Mountjoy, Rutland, Merrion, Stephen's Green, &c., are beautiful, as also many of the streets. The river Liffey divides the city, which gradually rises from both sides of it. A tourist visiting Europe from this country should not, under any circumstances, miss a visit to Dublin,where he will be well repaid, and find amuse- ment to his heart's content in the theatres and singing hotels, saloons, &c. More of Dublin hereafter. From King's Bridge depot we left by train at 3 p.m., passing Newbridge, where there is an extensive cavalry barracks ; Kildare— the Curragh, famous for its races ; the moving bog of Allan, Monastereven, Mountrath, Maryborough, and Portarlington, arriving in Roscrea at 6J P.M., where I parted with my Tipperary friend, and turned into a hotel fatigued, having gone through an extensive variety of scene within the last twenty-four hours. Shortly after entering the hotel, mine host introduced me to a corpulent little pedagogue', about sixty years GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 17 m ;.;» old, with round and smiling countenance, and dressed in a suit of black cloth which had seen a good deal of wear. He was proud of his milesian cognomen, Jack McMahon, and a rich mellifluent Munster accent, being f Jl of anecdote, Irish legendary lore, ma- thematics and poetry. He was very communicative, and pro- foundly displayed his intelligence to mine host and myself. " Full well we laughed with counterfeited glee At all his jokes, for many a joke had he." Next day, after breakfast, Jack and I sauntered through the half dilapidated old town of Roscrea for an hour or two. It was a sort of market day for turf, potatoes, fresh herrings, grass, and some kinds of meat. We saw plenty of asses and carts, corduroy breeches, ragged boys and beggar women. Tavo of the latter sat against a wall, and as we passed, one of them said, " For the love o' God your honor, would ye be afther extendin' your charity, and give me one ha'penny, I didn't ate a bit to-day." "I will," said I. "Long life to yer honor," said the other, "maybe you'd " "Stop," said I, "do you see that river?" pointing to the river not far distant ; " I will give each of you sixpence and a half a pound of soap if you come down with me and this gentle- man and wash your faces, arms, and legs." " Arrah, bad luck to ye for a spalpeen," said one ; " May the divil fly away wid ye," said the other ; and both together, " Go 'long out o' that wid ye , you a gintleman ! durty watlier on you, you beggar, I'd take a little and brain ye wid a stone." "Now, Jack," said I, "what do you say for your country women." " Och, shure, this is not my town," said he, " wait till you go to the beautiful city of Lim- erick, and you'll not see such a durty pair of thrugmuUions as them in a day's travellin', its there you'll see the fairest and finest women in Ireland." "I fear," said I, "your fair fine ladies are exceptions." " I beg your pardon," said he, " the two dirty crea- tures and a few others like them are exceptions to tlie great gal- axy of the far famed gentle sex of Ireland. Allow me," he con- 18 RECOLLECTIONS OP A VISIT TO !1 1 tinued, "to quote from a great author." "Go ou," said 1. " Woman," he continued, "was designed for a companion to man, to soften his temper and polish his manners. They have, at times, formed governors, legislators, and heroes. The great Pericles derived all the power of his oratory, and the elegance of his taste, from the examples and instructions of the lovely Asphasia ; and the Gracchi also caught the spirit of their eloquence, and the fire of their patriotism, from their mother Cornelia." " And what do you think of Eve, Jezebel, Herodias, and others like them in ancient and modern times y" said I. "These are exceptions, likewise," said he. "You must be aware," he continued, " that all great heroes, scholars and Divines are indebted to their mothers for their training. I hope I shall not trespass on your patience by giving you another quotation." "Not at all," said I, "you amuse nnd instruct me. Go on." "Man," he continued, ''is as the rough and crude element of earth, unmollified by the fluidity of water and light. Heaven, therefore, sent woman, gentle, bright, and beautious woman, to soothe, form and illumine the rudeness of his mass. " She comes upon him in the weakness of water, and in the brightness of the morning beam ; she imperceptibly infuses love and delight into him, and bids his affections go forth upon kindred and country. " The planter who planted the vineyard and the vinter who pressed the grape, were born of woman ; and by woman alone the subject and the sovereign receive existence, with all that can make existence advantageous or desirable. She brings man forth in his weakness, and she brings him up to his strength ; he is fos- tered in her bosom; he is nourished with her substance, and he imbibes into his being the sweetness of humanity with the milk of his mother. Without woman, where would be father or where would be child ; where the relations, endearments, and connec- tions of kindred, the charities that bind the wide world together GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 19 into one inclusive family, the great brotherhood of man V She comes not against you in the hostility of weapons, or fearfulness of power. She comes in the comfort and mild light of beauty ; she looks abashed and takes you captive ; she trembles and you obey. Her dominion is sweet, and our subjection is voluntary, and a freedom from her yoke is what no man could bear. " There are no forms of human government that can exempt us from her sway ; no system of laws that can exclude her au- thority. Do we not study, toil, and sweat, and go forth in the darkness, and put our face to every danger, to win and bring home treasure and ornaments to our love V Even the robbers and sav- age spoilers of mankind grow tame to the civilizing prerogative of beauty. "If men seek peace, it is to live in kindly society with woman; and if they seek war, it is to please her with the report and re- nown of their valor." "Now you must admit," said I, "that all excellent women have been indebted to their fathers for their training." " I grant you that," said he. " From your able and learned advocacy of the fair sex," said I, " you must have been fortunate in your choice of a wife." To this he replied in a placid visionary tone, thus : — " Och, Molly asthore, a cushla machree, to yourself be it tould, you're the light of my eyes and the treasure of my heart ; thirty long years we have lived and loved together, amid all the sunshine and shade of life, and never did a cross look pass between us;" and then changing his tone he sang : ** my NorahCreinadear, My gentle, bashful Norah Greina ; Beauty lies in many eyes, But lore in yours, my Norah Creina." At one P.M., I left Roscrea for Nenagh on a three-horse stage- coach with my facetious friend Jack beside me, who amused me all the way with his quaint stories, and histories of the lords of >'i 11 mi !- !■ 20 RECOLLECTIONS OP A VISIT TO t I. 'Ill 4m ■■■'. I : lilt!! I'fl' ' the soil. We passed Mr. Lloyd's handsome demesne near Roa- crea, Lord Bloomfield's extensive demesne near the ancient burial place of Dunkorrin, as also the miserable and poverty-stricken villages of Monegal and Toomevara, where many an outrage and faction fight took place. Near Nenagh we saw the handsome res- idences and grounds of Mr. Pepper and Mr. Poe, and the old burial ground of Ballymacky. We arrived in Nenagh at 6 p.m., (sixteen miles'*, where I parted with my friend Jack, and met with some friends, with whom I tarried certain days near Lord Dun- alley's. While there, I had an opportunity of observing the man- ners and mode of living of the country people who have very contracted ideas of this country. They ignore Canada alto- gether ; it is all "America." I have been asked several times if I saw the war, or if it had done us much harm ; and how we tried to escape it, and if I came home to avoid the danger. Inquiries were made if I saw and knew such a one — a cousin, brother, or friend of the inquirer ; all of whom, on enquiry, were in distant States of the Union. Near my friends there is a poor village called the Silver Mines, at the foot of a high range of hills, and where at present there are extensive zinc mines, which I visited ; the drawing up of the clay, burning it in kilns, putting it through various washing processes in circular sieves, then drying and packing it in strong bags, which they cart to the rail-road station for England for further operations. The works give employment to about one hundred and fifty people of various ages and both sexes; but operations were retarded by the war in America, which is their best market for zinc. I attended the Episcopal church there. The Rector, Mr. Jones, a good man, an excellent reader and preacher, conducted the services, and preached three encouraging and instructive sermons from " Saul not obeying in the case of Agag, and Samuel's rebuke, 'To obey is better than sacrifice; ' " from 2 Cor. xii. 9, "My strength is made perfect in weakness; " and from James i. 12, "Blessed is the man that OREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 21 endiireth temptation," &c. The good old tunes were well sung, accompanied by a melodeon. 1 visited Rev. Mr. McGrath there, and dined and spent an evening with the Rev. Messrs. Murphy and Gleeson, in tliat neighbourhood ; the latter, an amiable gen- tleman, having ))oen for some years lately a curate in St. Patrick's church in Quebec, was particularly glad to see mo, and asked many questions about the war, Canada, and especially the mem- bers of the congregation he left !\t Quebec. I spent an hour with Lord Dunalley in Kilboy House, a splendid mansion, on a beauti- ful and extensive demesne. The topics of our conversation were Canada, its resources and institutions, as being a preferable field for emigration than the United States, the superiority of our laws and institutions over theirs. He did not admire those of the United States. We talked also of Australia, Ireland, and his tenantry. He is a free, enlightened nobleman, with easy and obliging manners, and seemed much pleased with the conversa- tion. I was much amused in the markets and fairs, while looking at the standings, heaps of apples, nails on tables, kishes of turf, asses and carts, corduroy breeches, ballad- singers, and various other things which are not seen in Canada. In one part of the street a poor bare-footed woman with a child in her arms might be heard singing some mournful doggrell ; while in another part, a droll looking fellow in rags, with stentorian lungs, sings " mar- riage is pleasant, it's all in my eye," or about some poor fellow that was hanged, although innocent. Nenagh is situate in a district of great beauty and fertility, and is well- built, clean and thriving. It has a new court-house, gaol, an Episcopal church, and an old castle, to which is attached one of the strongest and largest round towers in Ireland. The Roman Catholics have obtained the ground and tower with the view of building a large church. They have added considerably to the height of the tower, and intend putting a dome on it and a huge i Hill 'iij; i, I j' i i:\i *«-■: 22 RECOLLi'CTIONS OP A VISIT TO bell therein. There are several very handsome shops on Castle street, among which Mr. Corneil's is one of the most extensive. Contiguous to Nenagh are the beautiful desmenes of Lord Dunalley, Mr. Pepper, Mr. Going, and others. The population is about eight thousand. The railroad is being finished from Roscrea to Bird Hill, which will rnakc a direct unbroken line from Dublin to Limerick, through Nenagh. I went by jaunting-car to Bird Itill, and from thence by train to Limerick, passing Castlcconnel), Annacotty, and Killonan. Limerick is situated on an extensive plain, near the Shannon, and consists of three portions, English and Irish towns, and ITew- townperry. The different parts of the city are connected by five bridges ; one, the Wellesley bridge, which crosses the harbor, cost eighty-five thousand pound-*. Newtownperry, a town of moderate date, is one of the finest in Ireland. It contains a fine square and streets, with handsome shops. The principal public buildings are the Court-house, Prisons, Custom house, Chamber of Commerce, Exchange, Assembly House, Linen Hall, and churches. There is a bronze equestrian statue to the memory of Daniel 0' Council, and a lofty monument to the memory of Spring Rice. There is an extensive Ince factory and other large places of busi- ness, and a good harbor Limerick was a royal seat of the kings of Thomond before the conquest, and capitulated to the troops of William the Third, under Ginkill, in 1691 . The population is about fifty thousand. While waiting the departure of the train for Cork, about one hundred of the roughest specimens of humanity imaginable came up and took their seats. They were volunteers going to a tem- porary naval service on board the Hmok man-of-war at Queens- town. They wore accompanied to the train by their sisters, A\rives and sweethearts, as slatternly, uncouth, and repulsive an assemblage of the female sex as could be found in any civilized ORBAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. tt country ; and such a boisterous uproar of farewells as they did set up was enough "to make Dungarvin shake." From Limerick to Cork, the country is very picturesque, fer- tile and undulating. On the way we passed several attractive demesnes, with their splendid mansions, and the handsome towns of Knocklong, Kilmallock, Charleville, Buttevant, Mallow, Rath- duff and Blarney. At the latter place I had not time to visit the famous stone. At three P. M., after passing through a long tun- nel, I arrived " In the sweet city of Cork where Paddy first opened bis throttle, And he lived at the sign of the Cork, no wonder he tippled the bottle." At four p. M., went on board one of the city pleasure steamers to Queenstown (ten miles), on the river Lee, passing on both sides a continued scenery which could not be surpassed for beauty and magnificence. There were merchants' houses on rising grounds, with sloping lawns, gardens, plantations, and every variety of pleasure grounds down to the water's edge ; the villages of Black- rock, Monkstown, Baths at Glenbrook ; Navy-yard and stores ; Glanmire and Queenstown, with Spike Island on the opposite side of the river, where all the convicts of Ireland are sent for penal servitude. Queenstown has a splendid harbor into which the largest vessels eome in safety. There are good hotels, shops and very fine rows of houses in front of the harbor ; but a great part of the town is on the heights. The houses on the very steep streets with gables to front rising one obove the other. It is a great resort for sea-bathers from Cork. The population numbers five thousand. On my return, "mine host" took me for a two hours' walk in Cork, the streets of which are spacious and well lighted with gas. The most familiar and pleasing countenances, the manliest looking men, and the tallest and handsomest women I have seen are those of Cork. We walked through George and Patrick streets, Grand Parade, South Mall, the Dyke, Sunday's Well, &c. The streets are crowded with pedestrians until a late 'H It II i; I. i 1 I,- 24 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO hour ; the watchmen call out the hour here as well as in most of the towns in Ireland. The city of Cork is built on an Island formed by the Lcc, which is crossed by nine bridges. The principal edifices are the Court- houses, which cost twenty-two thousand pounds ; the Mansion- house, on a fine walk called the Mardyke, the Exchange, Com- mercial-buildings, Prisons, Convict Depot, Infi-marics, Lunatic Asylum, Custom-house, Military-barracks, Theatres, several Scientific, Educational and Charitable institutions. Episcopal Palace, several Monasteries, and two Nunneries. Its beautiful environs are studded with country residences. The Lee forms a splendid harbor, in which float large steam and other ships. Cork has a population of about eighty thousan it for fraid uv the war you kem to Ireland ? " "No, Carey,'" said I, "Canada, where I live, is a British coun- try, and the war is a great way from us, in the United States, M'liich is a foreign country, and among themselves; between the North and South af the country. As if the North of Ireland went to war with the South of Ireland ; the North fighting for dominion, and the South for independence." "Glory be to God, your honor, isn't it a shockin' and haynious thing to think of people murdherin their own flesh and blood; for many a poor fellow from this country is in both North and South. Is there many Irish in Canady, Sir ? " "Yes," said I, "a great many." " May the Lord help the poor Irish," said he, " but its a mor- tial pity any of 'cm wud ever be obliged to leave this beautiful counthry. But small blame to the poor crathers to get out uv i '4 n t:.1: P f 1 V. I! m 1 ■■■ ;f ' * ; n ■ I ,?■■',■ 11 ^m 80 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO a counthry where one half is taken up wid gintlemen's estates, and the other half in black poverty. But tell me, sir, is there any landlords, or agents, or bailiffs in Canady, the same as in Ireland?" "No," said I, "nor pounds to put cattle in for arrears of rent. When an industrious Irish farmer comes to Canada he buys a farm and gets time to pay for it, and when paid for, it is his own for ever; then he is his own landlord, as thousands of honest Irish farmers are, at present in Canada." " But isn't it sthrange," said he, " how the Irish find their way into every counthry ? I saw them in New Orlanes, and if you go to Australia or Jimaky, or Botany Bay, you'll find them ; an' be- gorra, I believe if you go to a counthry where the face of a white man never was seen, you'd find Irishmen in it." "If that's the case," said I, "the Irish must have changed colour on the voyage. I heard of an Irish family," I continued, " that emigrated to New Orleans, and when settled there they employed a negro boy about seventeen years old as a servant. During the four years he lived with them he learned to speak Irish fluently, as the family all spoke that language. Four years after they arrived, another Irish family landed there from Ireland, and when they were on the wharf the same negro who was as black as jet, overheard them talking in Irish and joined them to the great astonishment of the Irishman, who asked him how long he was in the country (New Orleans); to which he replied "four years," and the Irishman turning round with consternation pictured in his countenance, exclaimed to his wife — " marciful powers, Judy, did ye hear that ? he's only four years in the counthry, and he's as black as the ace o' spades ? The Lord be betune us and harm," he continued addressing h^'i ^\!fe and children, "to think that yez all will be as black as the crook in four years is very disthressin'. meillia murther ! what will we do ? We must get back to ould Ireland as fast as we can. 0, tes, and ere any I as in of rent. 8 a farm own for St Irish beir way f you go ; an' be- * a white changed •ntinued, ere they servant. eak Irish ars after and, and black as ;he great le was in years," red in his •nly four ies ? The b'i vsife ;he crook ivhat will can. 0, GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 81 the tarnal vagabone that made us come here ; if I had him by the neck, I'd leather his sowl-case till there wud be no life expected for him." "What a gomeral he was," said Carey, "it's not black but yalla they'd all grow, in half the time wud the faver." " You ought to know these lakes, walks and mountains well," said I to Carey. ♦ " In throth I ought, an' do, your honor. My father an' grand- father, rest their sowls in glory, wor natives of sweet Killarney, an' not that I'd say it, purshuin to honester men ever broke the world's bread. My father was a sthrong, healthy man, wud rosy chicks and purty black eyes. He was six feet high and fourteen stone weight, and so active that divil a man in the counthry could wrastle him. He was game keeper to Misther Brown, and sorra a laise in the counthry that hadn't his life in it , and that's the raison I'm so well known and thrusted in these parts, an' that I know the country so well these fifty long years." " I suppose," said I, " there are a great many guides beside your " yes," said he, " and there used to be more than thare's now ; but Misther Herbert an' Lord Castleross are so mighty particular about their grounds, that none but honest men are al- lowed on them, and all the throublesome blaggards that used to bring disgrace upon us is sent away — bekase they were sthrongly suspected for makin' too free wud some young Inglish gintlemen that got deludhered wud the whisky." " Have you a family, Carey? " said I. "In throth I have, yer honor," said he, " sorra a one less than a wife an' six or seven helpless orphan childher in Cork, where I cuts bacon in a big mate store all the year roun', barrin' the sum- mer, when business gets dull, and I comes here to make a thrifle by guidin' ladies and gintlemin about these parts. But your honor roust be tired. Here," said he, pointing to a pleasure chair, at II RBOOLtEOTIONS OF A VISIT 70 the side of the avenue, " here is an aisy sate, where you can rest in pace for a while, as thare is no bad nay hours to disturb us." "I wonder why you support six or seven orphans," said I. "An' why wudn't I?" said he, "shure Missis O'Leary says they're my own." After resting a while, and when he had pointed out every place of note we had in view, we returned to Killarney, where I parted with Mr. O'Leary on good terms, as he sung a song in which were these lines : — '' Killarncj for ever, and a true honest h«art, And a tight little sprig of ShlUelah." The same evening I left by train for Tralee, where I arrived at lOJ P.M., (twenty miles), and was fortunafe in getting into a com" fortable private hotel. At tea I was joined by a very attractive, charmingly exquisite, and dark complexioncd young gentleman, but withal a little fastidous and sentimental. He was a boarder there, and had just returned from a week's visit to London. Two nice old ladies quizzed and bothered him about his conquests with certain young ladies, and his recent visit to London. While he sipped his tea, and took his little delicate bits of toast between his forefinger and thumb, with which he gently divided his large moustache to let me (opposite him) see the brilliant ring which graced his delicate finger ; two or three newspapers lay on the table, which he scanned over with interesting rapidity between sips, and asked a great many questions about the changes which took place during his absence. Next morning as the ladies and myself had breakfast alone, I enquired the profession of the gen- tleman I had the pleasure of joining at the tea table the previous evening. " O dear," said one, " he is sub-editor of the .** "A lucrative berth, I presume," said I. " yes, sir," said the lady, "it is worth X76 a year." "A handsome salary," said I. ; GREAT BRITAIN ASTB IRELAND. 88 u can rest irb us." lid I. leary says very place e I parted vhich were arrived at into a corn- attractive, gentleman, a boarder ion. Two quests with While he >etween his his large ing which lay on the y between iges which ladies and of the gen- tle previous Here the conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the said young gentleman, when we entered into a free and profound conversation on newspapers, politics, the American war, the colo- nies, the beauty of Tralee and its vicinity, &c., in the course of which he asked me of my country, position and salary, to all of which I satisfactorily replied, detracting nothing. This account seemed to shake his dignity considerably in the presence of the ladies. Tralee is a very fine town, with a population of about twelve thousand. It is the capital of the County of Kerry. In it there is a handsome Episcopal Church, two large Roman Catholic Chapels, and a Lunatic Asylum. I had a long walk in the beau- tiful demesne and pleasure grounds of Sir E. Denny, where I saw the old Castle of Tralee. In front of the Court-house there are two Russian guns on granite platforms, one on each side, and on which are inscribed the names of the Kerry soldiers who fell in the Crimea. The prevailing names on the sign-boards at Killarney and Tralee, are O'SuUivan, O'Connell, Moriarty, Shea, Shine, Shanahan, Slattery, Scully, McCarthy, Cullinane, Cusack, Ryan, Lawlor, Looney, &c. I left Tralee at 3J p.m. by train, and arrived in Limerick at 10| P.M., where I got into a quiet hotel in Henry street, returning next day to Happy Grove, Nenagh, where I remained for one week, during which I visited several parts of the country, the demesne of Lord Dunally, and Nenagh, in which latter place I attended divine service in the Church of England. In the absence of the rector, the service was conducted by the curate, who preached an excellent sermon. The choir was very good, accom- panied by a fine organ. I was much pleased with that sweet anthem, " Lord of all power and might," which I have often heard well sung in the Wesley an Church, Quebec. Taking advantage of an excursion trip to London, I proceeded by jaunting car and train to Limerick, and from thence by train ¥ llf N KI| RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO ill to Waterford, passing the following towns, in a beautiful and fer- tile country, viz : Boher, Drumkeen, Pallas, Limerick Junction, Tipperary (where Mr. Braddell was shot by Hayes a few days previously), Bansha, Cahir, Clonmel, and Carrick-on-Suir. The latter three towns are on rising grounds, with a beautiful hilly country in the distance, and rich valleys along the river Suir> which forms the splendid harbor of Waterford, about one mile in length, and crossed by a wooden bridge of thirty-nine arches. Waterford has several handsome streets and public buildings, remains of ancient fortifications and monasteries, and a large amount of shipping. The magnificent seat of the Marquii? of Waterford is in the vicinity. It comprises four thousand six hun- dred acres. The population of Waterford is about twenty-five thousand. I embarked on a steamboat at 4 p.m., and arrived in New Milford, in South Wales, at 2 a.m., (90 miles). During that short voyage of ten hours, I saw more sea-sickness than I did in crossing the Atlantic. The scenery on leaving V'.^terford is very grand. Passing the Fort of Duncannon, Light-houses and other places of interest, the rirer reminds me of the St. Lawrence, and sometimes of the Hudson. Opposite New Milford is the very extensive dockyard of Pembroke. The harbor is excellent. At 7J A.M., I left New Milford by the Great Western train for London, nearly three hundred miles, through South Wales, pas- sing about seventy-five stations, a great many coal and iron mines and handsome towns, among which may be named Caermarthen, where I first noticed the Welch women's hats, and the men's big waistcoats, breeches and leggings. At Ferryside there is an old village, a church and high grounds. Kidwelly is a village in a valley, and has an old castle. Pembrey, Llanelly, Laghor and Gower Road are mining villages, with heights and valleys, and a long tunnel at Gower Road. At Landor there are iron mines, a large church on a hill, and a canal in a valley. At Swansea, Llansamlet and Neath, mining villages, the country is diversified GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 86 and fer- Function, few days lir. The iful hilly iver Suir» le mile in le arches, buildings, d a lari^e [arquis of d six hun- wenty-five arrived in uring that ,n I did in )rd is very and other rence, and I the very lent. ■n train for Tales, pas- iron mines ,ermarthen, I men's big re is an old village in a jaghor and leys, and a >n mines, a Swansea, diversified by hills and valleys, and isolated rows of clean houses. Briton Ferry and Port Talbot are villages at the foot of hills. On the route there are bridges, rivers, &c. At Bridge End, Pencoad, Llantrassant, Peterston, St. Pagan's and Ely, the scenery is very grand. Cardiflf is a splendid town, where there is an old castle, a fine church, rows of handsome houses in valleys, bridges, rivers, and public buildings. The Marquis of Bute's magnificent castle and extensive demesne is contiguous. Newpoi't is a fine town, and the country is flourishing. It is situated near the river Usk. As about forty of us were making the best of our time at a refresh- ment table there, a fat, rosy-cheeked, buxon old woman came out of a room with a large joint of roast beef on a side-dish, and in her hurry her foot caught in a rent in the carpet, and dowa she went, and away went the big smoking joint, the dish into smitha- reens, and the gravy over the carpet. Up from the ground she sprung and ran away ashamed, while we all laughed heartily at the mishap, no harm having been done except to the dish and the gravy. Marshfield is the boundary of England and Wales. At Port Skewett, a young cavalry oflScer going on leave of absence from his regiment in Ireland, took leave of me for home. At Cheps- towe there is a castle, abbey and church. WoUaston has splendid scenery on the left ; and the river Severn on the right. At New- ham there is a long tunnel. Gloucester is a flne old town. It has a magnificent cathedral, and around is a beautiful country. Stroud is a handsome town, diversified by hills, valleys, gardens, and a long mill-race contiguous. At Tedberry there is a windmill and a junction, and at Swindon, the most extensive refreshment saloon I saw yet. Reading is a splendid town, and has many fine build- ings. The whole country as far as the eye could tajce in for about two hundred miles to Reading, is the most beautiful, fertile, and diversified scenery I ever saw. Arrived at Paddington depot, London, at 9J, p.m., I took stage for Kensington, where I got a ■f II: RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO ''<[ : comfortable hotel for the night. Next morning 1 had an early walk to Holland Terrace, Kensington, and after a short viHit to a friend, returned, breakfasted, and went to the Intornationul Ex- hibition. I paid the shilling fee, and entered with the crowd. I looked all round and above with perfect amazement. Thero I remained for seven hours, entered my name in the Vi.xitors' Book in the Canadian department, and met many old acquaintances from both sides of the Atlantic. I pictured myself in the most magnificent shop ever seen in the world, forming three sides of a square, and with its appurtenances standing on twenty-eight acres, and composed of the principal nations of the world, each display- ing its productions in its own department in the most attractive manner under its own sign-board. You cast your eyes upwards and read the sign-boards in large letters as you move along, thus, France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Belgium, Turkey, Austria,Pru.ssin, Russia, Denmark, Jamaica, Tasmania, England, Ireland, Scotland, Canada, United States, &c., &c., &c. Amid the vast assemblage of visitors and interested people of all nations and tongues, it ia perfectly astonishing how order was so well kept. To the visitor for the first time, the grandeur of the whole scene is perfectly enchanting, and he thinks that if all his friends could feel as he does, they would strain every point to pay a visit there. The views from the entrances, and from the corners of the galleries, and from other parts of the great lofty glass dome ; the large trans- parent windows in the distance ; the great clock ; the brilliancy of the plate, jewellery, and precious metals ; the splendid picture gallery ; the refreshment saloons ; the highly-polished and elabo- rately carved furniture, pianos, &c., from India and other places ; the immense collections of statuary and arms of all ages, sizes, descriptions and nations ; the models of buildings and machinery ; the specimens of wood, especially those of Canada ; seeds, carpets, dry goods, and especially the poplins and linens of Ireland ; the hardware, saddlery, and agricultural implements ; the sound of OftlAT BBITAZir AHS IBILAHD. 87 ,n early iait to 11 nal Ex- 'owd. I Theio I rs' Book lintance^* the most jides of ii rht Jicres, 1 display- (vtti-activo upwards ong, thus, a,rru.ssi!J, Scotland, ssemblae;e lies, it ia the visitor perfectly feel as he The views eries, and rge trans- brilliancy iid picture and elabo- ler places ; cres, sizes, nachinery ; is, carpets, eland; the ) sound of organs, pianos, and other musical instruments ; the machinery in motion ; weaviag of carpets, linens, &c. ; printing, lifting ; brick, cigar, package and ice making, &c.; the fountains; the glass roof; the immense crowds of fashionably dressed visitors moving slowly to and fro ; all, all are calculated to impress the visitor with a dreamy sensation that he is in an earthly paradise. I left at 4 P.M., and staged four miles to Ely Place, Holborn, where I met a friend, a native of the city, who accompanied me to a musical exhibition in the Strand, after which we had a walk in many of the streets, and then I retired to my hotel, near Day & Martin's blacking factory, High Holborn. Next day met my friend at 10 a.m., by appointment, when we ▼isited the British Museum. Its great size, immense library, statues, mummies, Egyptian and all other sorts of gods, fossils, ancient manuscripts, arms of all ages and nations, and various other things filled me with amazement. From thence we went to London Bridge in a 'bus, and by rail (seven miles) to the Crystal Palace, Sydenham. The picturesque, beautiful and diversified pleasure grounds, in which were ponds, fossils of huge beasts and reptiles, fountains of all shapes and sizes, in various parts of the grounds, in full play, and on which, aswellasthe Crystal Palace, the evening sun had the m ist dazzling effect ; shooting galleries, merry-go-rounds, swing-swangs, teeter- toters, &c. ; the winding and broad avenues ; the Crystal Palace, all iron and glass, on a rising ground, with its lofty grand dome, inside of which there were, at least, ten thousand persons, and an orchestra composed of hundreds, with two bands performing, pre- sented the most magnificent spectacle upon which my eyes ever rested. There were various machines in motion ; several fine evergreens, with birds of various countries r>n the branches and in cages ; a huge hollow tree in the centre, ; wonderfully carved Egyptian gods, in the shape of men, about thirty feet high, and great lions with men's faces, and a splendid collection of statuary. 11 51; i; \r 88 RBCOLLEOTIONS OF A VISIT TO &c., &c. The groonds and what they contained, the building and its interior, the galleries, the orchestra and bands of mnsic, the fashionably-dressed crowds, and general appearance of the whole on that beautiful sunny evening, formed the grandest and most sublime scene I have ever witnessed. I returned by train to London Bridge, where a good view of the Thames was obtained ; walked through several streets by day and gas light, and was amused with the various devices and adver- tisements to allure money out of people's pockets. Men passed along -^ith their backs, fronts and hats covered with advertise- ments ; and by gas light, with lantern hats. All stages or 'buses are covered with advertisements. A bronze bull stood in a con- fectionary window, and out of his nostrils, horns, tail, &c., issued bright jets of gas. At every corner and place people were selling something or doing something for a living, or hurrying as if driven along ; omnibuses heavily laden, crowding one after another in succession e: thick as funerals passing each other, so that it is very dangerous to cross the principal streets. I passed the Bank of England, General Post Office, Exchange, and Mansion House. To enter into a detail of the immensity of business done in these and other buildings in London would fill volumes. I went through Paternoster row, famous for books and stationery ; Lombard street, for bankers, statues of William III. and Sir Robert Peel ; visited famous old Billingsgate fish market, and Guildhall, a famous building well known to lawyers. In the outside hall of the building there are two great statues in corners, one of "Gog " and the other of "Magog." By winding stairs I ascended two hundred and fifteen feet inside " The Monu- ment " of the great fire of 1666, from the top of which we had a bird's eye view of London ; from thence I went to St. Paul's Cathedral, which stands in a large square called St. Paul's Church Yard, and in front of which is a statue of Queen Anne. The mas- siTe, dingy building, on a rising ground, its great tower and dome, ftRBAT BBITAIN AND IRELAND. 39 four hundred and four feet high ; its columns inside and outside ; its forty monuments, organ and whispering galleries, transparent windows and lofty ceilings, &c., are calculated to strike the visitor with awe, surprise, and admiration. The tomb of the architect, Christopher Wren, is in the crypt, on which is inscribed, " Seek- est thou his monument — ^look around." The tombs of Wellington and Nelson are in the crypt. The length of the cathedral is five hundred feet ; the breadtb in the cross two hundred and eighty-six feet. It cost about seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds. From a London guide I take the following : — " The most affect- ing sight to be seen in the wide world is the meeting of the char- ity children of the various parishes of London in the cathedral, on the 1st of June, when more than eight thousand children sing together in one sop j of praise to God. In front of the cathedral is a statue of Queen Anne, who came yearly to this cathedral to return thanks for the victories of Marlborough. The Count de Saligny, a savant and a judge of effect, prefers St. Paul's cathe- dral to St. Peter's at Rome. ' After having passed all the day in examining it from every point of view,' he says, ' I do not hesitate to tell you that, as a whole which can be taken in once, I think the cathedral of the city of London is the finest edifice in the world ! perhaps the finest that has ever been erected. In saying this, I do not forge* that the Parthenon once existed, and that St. Peter's does still exist. I am disposed to rank the cathedral of London before the latter, for St. Peter's is too large for all its parts to conduce to one general effect." , x- ■-■ From St. Paul's we proceeded to the Tower of London, passing Newgate prison, a dingy old building, in front of which many a man was hurried out of existence for the good of his country. " A more abominable place than old Newgate never existed : fever, disease, want, wretchedness of all kinds, and even hunger, carried off hundreds of poor innocent wretches whilst awaiting -. 1 4 %} ■1 f ' ■ ■'1 1 ' : :| ^^^^^91 ll '' ili m RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO iiH k their trials. Such a state has happily long since passed away, and Newgate is now a model of cleanliness and care." At the Tower we paid for our ticket at a lodge, and were con- ducted through a great gate hy one of the warders, hurley old pensioners in handsome uniform of loose hlue frock coats, and caps with lace bands. As the passages in many places are wind- ing and narrow, each warder takes about twelve visitors, to whom he minutely describes everything as they pass. The Tower, which I have not time to describe, with the military barracks within the walls, stands on thirteen acres. It was a palace dwelt in by various sovereigns until the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Since that time it has been a state prison, and a royal arsenal, and a place of safety for the crown jewels. In the ordnance de- partment are guns of all dates and countries. The first thing of special notice is a line of cavalry statues on horseback showing the armour of the twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. On the ceiling above are fixed various kinds of sabres, and opposite the cavalry are some infantry statues and arms of all descriptions of the centuries alluded to. From thence we passed to a narrow winding stairway, at the top of which, in a recess, stands a statue of Gen. Wolfe as he appeared on the Plains of Abraham, at Quebec. Next we entered the cell, about ten feet by six, walls fifteen feet thick, and very low ceiling, in which Sir "Walter Raleigh was confined twelve years. Then we were shown the block upon which Anne Boleyn placed her neck when she was beheaded, and the iron box into which her head fell ; thumb screws, iron collars, and fettery ; and a sort of day room in which state and other prisoners languished for years, and the inscriptions they left on the walls. In the yard we were shown the spot were royal and other prisoners were gullotined for trea- son ; a beautiful brass cannon presented by the Sultan to the Queen, and the entrance b}r which state prisoners were brought from the Thames and to trial. Besides the royal prisoners who pectal fort, dundal and cl| hood creatid earth labors! OBEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. ^P suffered by the axe on the spot described, there are the illustrious names of Sir Thomas Moore, the Earl of Surrey, Lord Seymour, the protector Somerset, Sir Thomas Wyat, Dudley, Earl of Nor- thumberland, Lord Guilford Dudley, the Earl of Strafford, Arch- bishop Laud, Sir Harry Vane, Lord Stafford, Algernon Sydney, Duke of Monmouth, Earl of Derwentwater, Lords Kilmarnock and Balmerino, and Simon, Lord Lovat. A visitor in passing through the Tower, and contemplating such scenes, cannot avoid comparing the present civilized, peaceful, and glorious reign and times with the barbarous and cruel times of the past, and contem- plating the evanescence of all sublunary things ; all the actors in those cruel scenes have long since mouldered with the clods of the valley, the beheaded having gone but a little while before the per- secutors. How much have we to be thankful for to our beneficent Creator, that our lot was not cast in those cruel times ; that He has given us existence in the present age and in a free and en- lightened land ! From the Tower we went to the Thames tunnel, passing the mint and the London docks, where I stood and looked around me. On walking along those docks, viewing the vast shipping and stores, and the business going on, and thought of the fact that thirty thousand vessels entered those docks in one year, of the effect on that city and on almost every nation in the world, I was bewildered with astonishment, and thought of the words of Brook* — " The merchant, above all, is extensive, considerable and res- pectable by his occupation. It is he who furnishes every com- fort, convenience and elegance of life, who carries off every re- dundance, who fills up every want, who ties country to country, and clime to clime, and brings the remotest regions to neighbour- hood and converse ; who makes man to be literally the lord of the creation, and gives him an interest in whatever is done upon earth ; who furnishes to each the product of all lands, and the labors of all nations, and thus knits into one family, and weaves m S|i : 1i I > 1 li ^42 RECOLLECTIONS OV A VISIT TO int* one web the affinity and brotherhood of all mankind. Gen- tlemen of large landed properties are apt to look upon themaelveB as the pillars of the State, and to consider their interests and the interests of the nation as very little beholden to or dependent on trade, though the fact is, that those very gentlemen would lose nine parts in ten of their returns, and the nation nine-tenths of her yearly revenue, if industry, by commerce, did not raise the pro- ducts of land to ten-fold their natural value. A nation that is a merchant has no need of an extent of lands, as it can derive to it- self subsistence from all parts of the globe. Tyre was situated in a small island on the coast of Phoenicia, and yet that single city contained the most flourishing, opulent and powerful nation in the universe. The seven united provinces do not contain land sufficient for the sustenance of one-third of their inhabitants; but they are a nation of merchants; the world furnishes them with an abundance of all good things ; by commerce they have arrived at empire ; they have as- sumed to themselves the principality of the ocean, and by be- ing lords of the ocean, are in a measure become the proprietors of all lands. Should England open her eyes to her own interests, she will follow he same prosperous and ennobling profession ; she will see that without a naval pre-eminence she cannot be safe ; and that without trade her naval power cannot be supported. Her glory will also flow from this source of her interests, and a sail-yard will become the highest sceptre of her dignity- She will then find that a single triumph of her flag will be more avail- able for her prosperity than the conquest of the four continents ; that her pre-eminence by sea will carry and diffuse her influence over all lands, and that universal influence is universal dominion. Avarice may pile ; robbery may plunder ; new mines may be opened ; hidden treasures may be discovered ; gamesters may win cash ; conquerors may win kingdoms : but all such means of ac- quiring riches are transient and determinable; while industry i: GREAT BRSTAIN AND IRILAND. 48 and commerce are the natural, the living, the never-failing foun- tain from whence the wealth of this world can alone be taught to flow." On passing, I noticed the telegraph lines over the city fastened to chimneys, &c. On arriving at the Tunnel, we descended a wide winding stairway, at the bottom of which there are entrances to two passages divided by little stalls, or toy, confectionary, music book shops, all lit with gas. On arriving at the opposite side we ascended a similar stairway, and took steamboat for Hunger- ford Suspension Bridge. Prom the boat we had a good view of the bridges, docks, and buildings on both sides. We passed Charing Gross, Trafalgar square, one of the finest squares in the world, Nelson's column in the centre,- 162 feet in height, surmounted by a statue, erected at a cost of .£40,000. There are also in the square statues of George IV., Sir Charles Napier, Charles I. and Sir Henry Havelock ; and two fountains of red granite. Sur- rounding are St. Martin's church, which cost thirty thousand pounds ; the National Gallery (which we visited). College of Phy- sicians, Union Club House, Northumberland House, and Charing Cross. - From thence we went to the Houses of Parliament, and en- tered the House of Commons through a hall in which there are several fine statues and paintings. The chamber of the Com- mons is sixty-two feet long, forty-five feet broad and forty-five feet high. It is comparatively plain. The seats are covered with green cushions, and there are no desks. The House of Lords is ninety-seven feet long, forty-five feet high, and forty-five feet broad, and with its costly works of art, stained glass, gor- geous decorations, and corridors with statues and pictures by the best artists, carving, &c., is, perhaps, the most magnificent apart- ment in the world. We passed through Westminster Hall, the largest room in Europe without pillars. The House of Parlia- II n; f i; ; mii 44 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO ment altogether is of the most beautiful workmanship, and is one of the noblest structures in the world. Leaving the palace of Westminster, we crossed over to West- minster Abbey, said to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Europe, and the most ancient religious structure in the metropolis. It was built by Henry III. In the confessor's chapel are the chairs on which the kings and queens of England are crowned. The abbey contains a great number of monuments of kings and queens, statesmen, heroes, poets, and persons distinguished by genius, learning and science. In the " Poet's Corner" are tombs or statues of Addison (1719), Garrick (1779), Camden (1628), Handel (1759), Goldsmith (1774), Gay (1732), Thompson (I-^IG;, Shakspeare (1616), Prior (1721), Gray (1771), Spenser (1598), Milton (1684), Ben Johnson (1637). The epitaph, "0 rtre Ben Johnson," is expressive and quaint. In the cloisters and other places I saw several epitaphs dated in the twelfth century. Leaving the abbey we had a fine view of the Houses of Parlia- ment, Admiralty, Whitehall, Horse Guards, Treasury, United Ser- vice, Army and Navy Clubs, &c. We returned by St. James's Park, along the broad avenue by which the Queen goes in state to open or close Parliament ; stood and viewed Buckingham palace, the late Duchess of Kent's residence, and St. James's palace, Geo. IV.'s residence. In passing St. James's square, we saw a statue of George III., Covent Garden theatre and market, Drui^ lane theatre, Duke of York's column, Crimean column, Lambeth palace, great offices and churches, and Regent street (one of the finest in the world\ In the summer, on a fine afternoon. Regent street presents ft scene of carriages, shops and pedestrians, unparalled in any city on the globe. We passed through Piccadilly, a splendid street, Haymarket and Oxford streets, took a stroll in Hyde Park, en- tering by the marble arch, originally erected at Buckingham pal- ace, at a cost of eighty thousand pounds. At the opposite 8id« « OREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 46 of the park is Rotten row, the afternoon drire of the aristocracy, and presents a varied and picturesque appearance. The statue of Achilles, near the corner of the park, was cast from cannon taken by the Duke of Wellington at the victories of Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse and Waterloo. It cost ten thousand pounds, which sum was subscribed by the ladies of England in honor of the duke. At the corner of the park stands the residence of the late as well as of the present Duke of Wellington. Next day we had a walk in Bloomsbury square, Tottenham Court road, Wells street. Great Portland street, Regent circus, Princess and Hollis streets. Chancery and Fetter lanes, Edge- ware road, Oxford terrace, Cheapside, &c., &c. From a guide to London I take the following : — "STATUES IN THE METROPOLIS. " Sovereigns. — Richard Coeur de Lion at the Palace, Westmin- ster ; Edward Sixth at St. Thomas hospital ; Elizabeth, Royal Exchange, at St. Dunstan's church and Temple-bar ; Charles First at Charing Cross and Temple-bar ; James Second, Whitehall and Temple-bar ; William Third, St. James' square ; Anne, St. Paul's church-yard and Queen's square, Westminster ; George First, Hart street, Bloomsbury; George Second, Leicester square; George Third, Pall Mall east, and Somerset House; George Fourth, Trafalgar square ; William Fourth, King Wil- liam street; and Queen Victoria, Royal Exchange. "EMINENT PERSONS. "Duke of Wellington, Hyde Park corner and Royal Exchange ; Lord Nelson, Trafalgar square ; Duke of York, Carleton Gar- dens; Duke of Kent, Portland place; William Pitt, Hanover square; George Canning, Palace Yard; Sir Thomas Gresham and Sir Hugh Middleton, Royal Exchange; Francis, Duke of Bedford, Russell square; Shakespeare, between poetry and punting, Fall Mall ; Achilles, Wellington memorial, Hyde Park ; i i- \ W i: f • , j; ik. i 1 46 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO Sir Robert Clayton, St. Thomas' hospital ; Charles James Fox, Bloomsbury square; Guards' Memorial, Waterloo place; Cri- mean Memorial, in front of Westminster Abbey ; Sir Chai. Na- pier and Sir Henry Havelock, Trafalgar square ; and Dr. Jen- ner, Kensington gardens." There are about eight hundred places of worship, and seven thousand policemen in the city of London. . On Sunday we went to Mr. Spurgeon's church (called the Tab- ernacle), passing Somerset house, one of the largest houses in the city — which is for meetings of the Royal Society, Society of Antiquaries, School of Design, Colleges, &c. — Blackfriar's bridge, which cost two hundred and sixty-two thousand pounds, and the Elephant and Castle. When we arrived, we found the steps crowded with people, and the word soon passed along, " Gentle- men, mind your pockets." As soon as the doors were thrown open, we all rushed in, and I was strong and active, as well as fortunate, in getting a seat, as the aisles were crowded. In a short time Mr. Spurgeon made his appearance. He is stout and comparatively young, but by no means prepossessing, having a chubby face with a small nose. His manner, accent, and intelli- gence, however, removes any unfavorable impression his counten- ance might beget. The building is rather plain, supported in front by a row of columns. There are two galleries, one above the other. All the people face the minister. There are no cor- ner pews, no side pews, no persons behind the minister, nor at his sides, no pulpit nor posts in the church to obstruct the view, and the whole interior, which is beautifully finished, without any lavish expense, is a pattern of symmetry, neatness and comfort. It is calculated to seat comfortably five thousand people, and in cases of emergency six thousand. Every individual can distinctly hear each word the minister says, without the least extra effort. There is a platform in front of and below the minister, on which a pre- centor and about twelve singers sit, (there is no organ) ; on the GREAT BRITAIN AKD IRELAND. 47 singers' platform is the minister's platform, on which, on his left, is placed a small table, where his Bible and Hymn book are laid, and in front a neat railing on which he sometimes places one or both hands, or stecs back or towards his Bible, as occasion may require. The arrangement appeared to me to compare favorably with our boxed-up pulpits. Mr. Spurgeon commenced service with a short but sublime prayer. He then thanked the people for their contributions during the week for their college and sun- day schools, and requested that at least five hundred of his con- gregation would go to Mr. Collin's church during the Exhibition, so as to give strangers an opportunity to visit them. After read- ing the sublime old Psalm, "Before Jehovah's awful throne," which the great majority of that vast assemblage sung to the tune of Old Hundred, he read the sixty-fifth Psalm, on which he made suitable remarks at the end of each verse. This was fol- lowed by the reading of the second chapter of Ruth. On con- cluding the lessons he addressed the people, saying that as it was then harvest time in England he wished to take them all with him to the harvest field, and chose as his text the fifteenth and six- teenth verses of the second lesson. After dwelling for a short time on his own knowledge of gleaning, and the hospitalities of the harvest in England, he compared Boaz to Christ, the reapers to ministers of the Gospel, and Ruth to the various classes of hearers. As he was a reaper and in his Master's service, he let fall handfulls of grain to the gleaners — the sinner, the backslider, the timorous, the penitent, &c. To all he held forth the most sublime and encouraging promises of the Saviour, whose willing- ness to save was so much greater than Boaz's friendship to Ruth, &c. He concluded with a hymn and a very excellent prayer. His voice was clear, his accent pleasing, and his words audible without pressure. During the whole service he did not utter one word that would give ofience to the most fastidious person in the congregation.-^The edifice cost twenty thousand pounds, and the ml- ■» Hi l\ '" ^Bh ii' m d , jj \, I I^^^BJ 1 1 48 KIOOLLIOTXOMS 01 ▲ VISIT TO ground four thousand pounds, all of rhich was paid before anj service was held in it. After dinner, we visited old City Road Weslejan chapel, passing several beautiful streets and squares on the way — among which was Islington (the Angel), where there were several street preachers holding forth to little groups at cor- ners. The chapel is a plain brick building, very like the Wes- leyan church of Quebec in tbe interior, and is not much larger. In the plain little grave-yard k.i its rear we saw the tombs of the venerable John Wesley, Richard Watson, Joseph Benson, and many other Wesleyan worthies. On the wall, in a crescent be- hind the pulpit, over and at each side of the communion table, in marble, are the cenotaphs of John Wesley, Charles Wesley, John Fletcher, Richard Watson, Adam Clarke, Joseph Benson, and Jabez Bunting. i >'-^r»*< We lingered some time reading and pondering over the epitaphs of those once eminent men, now in the realms of everlasting joy, and thought of their works that follow them in all civilized coun- tries, &c., and in our libraries. We then asked the sextoness to let us see Wesley's chair, but she declined, as Doctor Jobson, the superintendent, was not at home. So we left and came to Old Smithfield, where the old wooden pens for cattle still stand. At the east side is St. Bartholomew's hospital, founded in 1102 ; over the entrance is a statue of Henry YIII. Adjoining the hos- pital is the church of St. Bartholomew the Great, built in 1102. In it are two fine monuments to Sir Walter Mildmay (1589), and James Rivers (1641). The church is approached through an ancient gateway; the houses are very old. We came through the ' gate which the martyrs passed, and stood on the spot where they were chained to the stake and the faggots placed round them, and mused with aching sensation on the bar- barous cruelty of fastening men and women to a stake and burning them, for hplding opinions which they conscientiously believed to be right. We left the spot with sad and gloomy OBBAT BMXAIK AVD XBILAND* 49 79'^' feelings, and went to evening serviee in St. Martin's Episcopal ohnroh on Ludgate hill. Next morning, at 6 o'clock, we left the great metropolis by train from Paddington depot, and arrived in New Milford at 7^ p.m., (nearly three hundred miles). The harvest had set in, and the people were busy with the sickle at excellent crops. The country, all the way, was most beautiful. Nothing could exceed the diver- sified sceaery of hills, valleys, woodlands, rivers, lawns, castles, towns, villages, mines, &c. The people at all the stations and in the crowded cars were well conducted, and seemed to be intelligent and industrious, especially so in the mining districts. From an address b'y Dr. Guthrie, a celebrated minister of the Presbyterian church, delivered on a missionary platform lately, I make the fol- lowing extract. Ir speaking of the Welch Calvinistic Methodists, he said : — " He spent three or four days at Slanberris, at the foot of Snowdown ; he found there about eighteen hundred workmen in quarries, from which the hotel in which he lived was separated by a narrow way. The houses of these people were scattered over all the surrounding scenery. He saw these men and their families on Saturday, and he saw them on Sunday. He had travelled a good deal of the world, had been in a considerable number of the coun- tries of Europe, throughout the greater part of England and Scotland, and some parts of Ireland, and he had no hesitation in saying that the working men of Slanberris, the miners of these quarries, in their houses, in their attire, in their habits, and in their church attendance, were the finest people he had ever seen under the sun. He was among eighteen hundred workmen ; he did not see a rag ; he did not see a. wretched-looking mother ; he did not see a starving looking child; he did not see a foul or dirty cottage. The cottages were as white as lime could make them, and they were as clean and tidy inside as care and good house- wifery could render them. The children were all comfortably clad ; 60 RICOLLIOTIONS OF A VISIT TO and though he was five days among these people, he did not see any signs of drunkenness but on one single occasion." Before leaving England, I thought of the lines in Goldsmith's Traveller : — , . " Te glittering towns, with wealth and splendor erown'd ; Ye fields where Summer spreads profusion round ; Te Inlces, whose vessels catch the busy gale ; . . « To bending swains, that dress the flowery vale ; >^ 'v* For me your tributary stores combine, Creation's heir, the world— the world is mine." ■ -■ i ^*:- On arriving in New Milford, the steamboat was ready to sail, and we got on board at 8 p.m., reaching Waterford at 4 next morning. After a pleasant walk along the harbor and through the principal streets, we stepped into the train at 6 a.m., and arrived in Limerick at 10 a.m., (seventy-seven miles). After breakfast with my friend, David Johnston, a dry goods merchant who travelled with me from London, I returned to my destination, learning that an officer whom I had not seen for upwards of thirty years, and for whom I entertained a high regard, had been living in a town called Borrisinossory, and who had no notion of my presence in Ireland, I wrote to him to the following effect : " My Dear L , I have been on the wing for the last few weeks, and would be most happy to light on you, provided you do not alter my course. I shall be in Roscrea on Friday next, by coach, at 1 p.m., (D.V.), where and when I would be rejoiced to meet you." To which he replied, expressing no little astonishment at the cause of my presence in Ireland, saying he would meet me with his vehicle, and convey me to his residence. — When I arrived at Boscrea, there was my friend according to his appointment, with his man, horse and car waiting for me. After the usual saluta- tions, and half-an-hour's conversation, such as might be expected from attached friends after more than twenty years* absence, we drove like Jehu over seven miles of a beautiful road, passing some handsome demesnes and the river Dee on our way to Borrisinos- sory, a i of poor 1 best hou populati military My frici height, i and man exercisei topped ' which w] we had s colleotioi able arti< tion to a in Ameri arrived a ries of th afford, a£ the most and smol Next r door, anc after the lasting a( arrived a and other mode of kept remi the Vice- Wellingt( Dublin is fiscal, CO ORBIT BRITAIN AND IBBLAND. (^ sory, a village in the Queen's county, composed of one long street of poor houses, with few exceptions, my friend's being one of the best houses in the town, which contains about eight hundred of a population. All that can be said of it is that it was formerly a military station of some strength, and has a neat Oourt-houso. My friend L is on the other side of fifty, about six feet in height, square and stout, dark complexion, with round dark eyes and manly features — as active as a buck, and fond of athletic exercises. He was dressed in a loose suit of light grey cloth, topped with a small pepper-and-salt straw hat. To his house, which was well furnished, was attached a large garden, in which we had a walk before dinner, after which he shewed me his rare collection of guns, pistols, swords, canes, and various other valu- able articles ; then we had a walk through town, and an introduc- tion to a few families, to whom I had to explain all about the war in America, &c. At 6 o'clock p.m., a party of six gentlemen arrived at his house by invitation. I need not dwell on the luxu- ries of the table. All I can say is, we had the best the town could afford, as well as music, &c. ; that he sung about half a dozen of the most laughable songs, and that laugh and joke, drink, song and smoke beguiled the hour until cock crow. Next morning, at seven, his man had the horse and car at the door, and my friend accompanied me to the railroad station, where, after the warmest expressions of friendship, we bade each other a lasting adieu, and away I started in the train for Dublin, where I arrived at 11 A.M., and had 3^ hours of a walk in Sackville street and other principal parts of the city. Jaunting cars are the public mode of conveyance through the city, the streets of which are kept remarkably clean. The Lord Lieutenant's residence, called the Vice-Regal Lodge, is in the Phoenix Park, in which stands the Wellington Testimonial, which cost twenty thousand pounds. Dublin is the centre of all the political, ecclesiastical, educational, fiscal, commercial, and military institutions of the kingdom. m Ml I y 'J \H :n 1- I '■ V >l ; I j t i j 1 BEOOLLICIIONS OF A VISIT TO Dublin Castle contains an arsenal, armoury, government offices, vice-royal chapel, and state apartments of the Lord Lieutenant. Sackville street is one of the finest in Europe, in which are the Post-office, Rotunda, and Nelson's pillar in the centre, one hun- dred and thirty-four feet high. In Stephen's green there is an equestrian statue of George II. In College green is the Bank of Ireland, formerly the Parliament house. Trinity college, and an equestrian bronze statue of William III. In Dawson street, besides a number of handsome public buildings, there is an equestrian statue of George I. Christ church and St. Patrick's cathedral, with their monuments, are well worthy of a visit. The principal public buildiLg:^ are the Exchange, House of Industry, Rich- mond Penitentiary, Linen Hall, the Four Courts, Royal Hos- pital of Kilmainham, Dr. Stevens' and other hospitals, barracks, charitable institutions, and the theatres. Dublin is the oldest city in Great Britain or Ireland, and has a population of about two hundred and fifty thousand. Eleven hundred police keep it in order. The environs and bay are beautiful. I could not think of leaving Dublin without having a ramble in a well-known street, called Stoneybatter, a multum in parvo mere Mibernico business locality, celebrated for its humorous, ready- witted, active residents — "some of the rale ould shtock" of the Emerald Isle — famed in days of yore for tatterdemalions, fiddling, dancing, singing, whisky-drinking, ventilating drapery, gymnas- tics, shillelahs, and battles royal ; and where a motley, ill-regu- lated police, or guardians of the night, 'yclept " Charleys," were not only despised for their unwelcome intrusion, but often obliged to take to their heels and b( at a helter-skelter retreat, while defi- ance was being hurled after them in the shap& of brickbats, pota- toes, turf, and other familiar missiles. While some were hunted like bag foxes, others having been cornered up like badgers, were allowed to sneak off, with "fainting steps and slow," carrying with them indellible impressions by the knuckles — as hard as the knocke whose i ary by screwed uproaric might I Stoneyl Thew its votar bones ai noses an was " Ir( ary corri Thady events, a being " t Now, hoi inhabitan their plac batter is We en grained, a handsoi pressure " Touch.' twist, the nation to vicious ; erned, fee city, by t GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 53 knockers of Newgate — of the leathering heroes of Stoneybatter, whose ideas of civilization and the golden rule had become vision- ary by the too froquent application of Paddy's Eye Water, which screwed up all the faculties of the minds of both sexes to such an uproarious point of action, that the inhabitants of Pandemonium might be said to be Quakers in comparison to the boozers of Stoneybatter. Here is a jollification chorus : — "Whilliloo, hubbaboo, whack, hurra I .^, Tear away, fight away, Erin-go-bragh ! ^ Stoneybatther for ever, at;d whisky agra — Whoo I who dare cough?" The mountain dew, however, did its work effectually, in leaving its votaries sick, sore and prostrate with wounds, bruises, broken bones and bandages, red and black eyes, bloated faces, bloody noses and rags. There the renowned Terry Driscoll, whose motto was " Ireland for the Irish," conducted his distinguished epistol- ary correspondence for many years with his quondam friend, Thady O'Donohoe of St. Giles, London, on the politics, passing events, and gossip of Ireland — a land he so often boasted of as being "the first flower of the earth, and the first ^em of the say." Now, however, there is an apparent change ; the guzzling, rioting inhabitants, with their fluttering garments, aie " faded and gone ; " their places are taken by a sober, industrious people, and Stoney- batter is now as civilized as any other street in Dublin. We entered a forge, and while there we saw a crooked, cross- grained, cross-eyed, grey-haired old blacksmith attempting to shoe a handsome young ass, the nose of which was stretched by the pressure of a piece of rope fastened on the end of a stick called a " Touch." If the ass attempted to kick, the touch got an extra twist, the torture of the nose being an antidote against the incli- nation to kick. Now, this ass, I was informed, was not naturally vicious ; but having been brought up since it was a foal, and gov- erned, fed and cared for as well as the most aristocratic ass in the city, by the chap who held the touch to its nose, it was very V ;''l 64 RECOLLECTIONS OT A VISIT TO spirited, and a great favourite. Many a little boy it tumbled off its back in the mud, by rearing, flinging, or lying down to tumble ; and as this was the first time for it to get shod, it would not sub- mit without resistance ; hence the application of the touch. While the old blacksmith was stooping with the forefoot of the ass be- tween his legs, and his back to its tender-hearted owner, the ass turned his face to him with a plaintive countenance, as much as to say — " Am not I thine ass ? What have I done that thou, my kind master, shouldst squeeze and screw up my innocent nose in this cruel manner ? I wonder if all other asses have to go through 'fluch an ordeal as this in the shoeing ; if so, it would be better for them to go barefoot all their days. Oh ! how soon you would re- lieve me if you were after getting a twist of this rope on your own nose." Touched with feelings of compassion, the poor fellow un- , twisted the touch a little, and again a little — and the ass looked as if it said, " Now my old coon, look out," — and then, such a rear. Up sprang the ass's two hind legs, and down tumbled the old blacksmith on his back. He speedily regained his perpendic- ular, and hammer in hand, and fury in his countenance, after hammering the poor ass on the ribs, he made such a charge at its owner, that I thought he was about to be knocked down. " Why did you let go the touch? " he roared. "Begor, it slip- ped, sir," said the chap. "May the divil slip yer sowl out, ye vagabone ; ye might have kilt me. Bad luck attind the shoe yer ass'll git in this forge. There, now," he continued, " take yerself and yer ass to blazes out o' this in a minnet, or I'll hammer the sowls out o' both 0* yez." For the benefit of those whom it may hereafter concern, I may me.ition that taking into consideration the anxiety, trouble and expense of trying to keep possession of trunks at raihoad sta- tions, hotels, and with porters on removal from place to place, the delay and confusion in searching for them on arrival with long trains at depots, the rough handling and upsetting they get, and their lia- GREAT BRITAIN AKD IRELAND. m - •'>''.\ bility to get mislaid for days, or lost, as many have been to the great inconvenience and loss of the owners — it would be much bet- ter and cheaper to put up with handy portmanteaus^ and replace by purchase all articles of clothing as they become worn or soiled, than to be encumbered with trunks, thus all harpies would be avoided, and time, expense and trouble saved. Babies are sometimes troublesome companions in railway tra- velling, especially to the mothers and nurses, and often disagree- able to passengers. They should never be taken on pleasure trips. A story is told of a baby having been loft with a young lady in this way: — "In the cars between London and Bristol, a short time since, was a young lady and an affable middle-aged woman, with a child about ei^h* months old in her arms. The young lady spoke to the baby a^ n v ter of course, and the female who appeared to be baby's m l r, kindly desired her to take the baby in her arms, a request which was promptly acceded to. Shortly after- wards the train stopped, and mamma, having got out to procure 'some refreshment,' decamped to parts unknown, leaving the young lady a present of the baby, which of course she was obliged to carry home to her family as a keepsake." At 2| P.M., left by train for Monaghan, passing, among other stations, the towns of Bahenny, Malahide, Skerries, Ballbriggan, Drogheda (an ancient town made memorable by Cromwell, King William 3rd, and the Boyne, with about sixteen thousand inhabi- tants), Dunleer, Oastlebellingham, Dundalk, Jonesboro', Newry, Poyntzpass, Scarva, Tandragee, Portadown, Armagh (a city, and the seat of the Primate of Ireland ; it has two splendid cathedrals, Protestant and Roman Catholic, a lunatic asylum, handsome walks and beautiful environs, and a population of nine thousand), Tynan, Caled'^n and Glasslough, and arrived in Monaghan at 7 p.m. I walked down the streets, once so familiar as being the home of my childhood, the place where the first twenty years of my life ;»■ ■ 1 •'I I M ■ ' ii .■ i 56 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO were spent, and looked on the people, the sign boards, &c., and beheld the alterations and improvements in the buildings, &c., with mingled feelings of pleasure and pain. The old people of my early acquaintance were dead ; the middle aged had become old and decripit ; and the strong and healthy had come to the decline of life, or emigrated. Strangers had taken the place of old fa- miliar shopkeepers ; children had become parents, and the church congregations, every one of which had been familiarly known, were now, with few exceptions, strangers, because twenty-seven years had elapsed since I lived there. Among the many changes in life which came under my notice, I may mention a few. The son of an organ-blower of one of the churches had become a general in the American army. A school- fellow, the son of an honest unpretending grocer, had become cele brated in connection with the press in Belfapt and Dublin, as a member of the British Parliament, and latterly a minister of the Crown in a distant colony. Two boys of my early acquaintance, one the son of respectable and wealthy parents, who was tenderly brought up in the most respectable part of the town ; the other, a ragged urchin of the lowest possible extraction, and brought up in the purlieus of the town, were known to me many years after- wards in a distant city, — the former as a turnkey in the gaol, the latter in a dignified position as a doctor of laws. A piagistrate in Ireland is presumed to be a gentleman of con- siderable intelligence, influence, and estate, and in a position to command the highest possible respect. He is treated as such by the people, especially by the police, and is regarded as a person of distinction, holding Her Majesty's commission to dispense impar- tial justice to all ; consequently, there is as much difference be- tween the rank of a policeman and that of a magistrate, as there is between a private soldier and his commanding o£G[cer. I was acquainted with a magistrate and a policeman, not a hundred miles from Monaghan, and have often seen the latter bring pris- oners I by the years p in a dis "Jack: ploymer Police, 1 election of emp] them on march pi wards, I the pair, to paradf fully dan pecially i I was aghan an so besott( company Of the came und A"ge on his lea land on note for a few days, Ontario, I was a wards rec ingly tale] On hearin and died GREAT BRITAIN- AND IRELAND. 67 oners before the J. P., and salute him properly and address him by the proper and dignified title of "Your Worship." A few years passed away, and the said J. P. and policeman called on me in a distant city, they being at the time deficient of cash, and as "Jack fellows," begged of me to recommend them for some em- ployment. I said the only influence I had was with the Chief of Police, who I thought required some special constables, it being election time. They said they would be glad to obtain any sort of employment. Accordingly I spoke to the chief, who took them on, and next day I saw the pair, baton in hand, assisting to march prisoners from the Court-house to the gaol. Shortly after- wards, I saw the chief, who told me he was obliged to dismiss the pair, as they absented themselves for a whole day, and came to parade dirty, and with black eyes and cut faces. It is fear- fully dangerous to tamper with strong liquors anywhere, but es- pecially in America. I was acquainted with several promising young men in Mon- aghan and other places in Ireland, who, on my return, had become 80 besotted with liquor, that I was ashamed to be seen in their company. Of the many terrible instances of giving way to liquor, which came under my notice, two or three may suffice. A " gentleman attorney " of high standing bade me farewell on his leaving Ireland for America ; I afterward saw him in Ire- land on his return, and again in Canada when I endorsed his note for a suit of clothes which he had in his possession only a few days, when he got on a spree and drowned himself in Lake Ontario, leaving me to pay for the clothing. I was acquainted with a young officer in Ireland, whom I after- wards recognized in Canada as an attorney. He was an exceed- ingly talented, clever, handsome fellow, but addicted to liquor. On hearing that a legacy had been left him, he got on a spree, and died on the street. ■"1 iiii r f y n^m-' \\ I 58 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO A handsome, fine fellow, who was intended for a gentleman, came from some place in the county of Monaghan to Canada, and took to liquor drinking, which he never gave up, even when reduced to a stable man, until it killed him. Such shocking instances of giving way to liquor are now hap- pily rare exceptions in this country. I have never known an in- telligent, industrious, sober person emigrating to Canada who did not eventually do well. Monaghan is the capital of the county of the same name. It has a handsome Episcopal church, court-house, county infirmary, military barracks, work-house, and a beautiful new national school- house. Its streets are well macadamized, clean, and lit with gas. There is a central square called the Diamond, in the centre of which there is a stone pedestal with steps around it, called " The Market Cross." On these steps I once saw the Be v. Gideon Ousely preaching to a large and attentive audience, when a vaga- bond shoemaker, whose name] I well remember, walked deliber- ately out of the crowd, and with his clenched fist struck him a severe blow on the face. The fellow was arrested, and on being brought to trial, Mr. Ousely pleaded for a mitigation of sentence, and got him off with a short term of imprisonment. There are also some handsome shops. Contiguous to the town are two small lakes, and several beautiful demesnes, — namely, Rossmore* park, Bessmount park, Castleshane, Cornecessa, Ballyleck, Ra- connell, &c. "Peter's Lake," which is nothing but » stagnant pond, might, with advantage to the health and beauty of the town, be filled up and made into a handsome little park, with broad gravelled walks, grassy mounds, evergreens, &c., and palisaded all round. There is a handsome walk sailed " The Plantation," which will be much improved by the railroad company. With an encouraging landlord, Monaghan would soon become a town of some importance. John Holmes, Esq., publishes a well-conducted weekly paper called the Northern Standard. Ani^ong the few GREAT BBITAIN AND IBELAND. 69 warm-hearted old acquaintances which remained was John Bus* sell, an extensive merchant in the Diamond, with whose amiahle family I spent many pleasant evenings when last in Monaghan, and was highly entertained and aiP' ''<;d with the quaint narratives of his recollections of the j , ; ii.. - ughahle scenes i' ' ""nn^c- tion with his business operations in almost all parts of ^x'eland, and many parts of England ; his voyage to and from, and busi- ness operations in Canada during a number of years ; his useful business hammer which he was often obliged to use as a weapon of defence on his voyage ; his protection of a female slave while she was making her escape ; how the hurling clubs of Monaghan in his early days used to raise the wind; how an intimate friend and he while taking a near way through fields to a gentleman's house in the country, fell into a deep ravine and miraculously es- caped unhurt, and among many other quaint tales and anecdotes, his account of PADDY MURPHY THE LAND SHARK. Paddy left the County of Longford, in Ireland, with the view of emigrating to America ; but when he reached Liverpool, his funds had become too short to carry his family across the Atlantic, and settling in Liverpool as a lodging-house keeper, his house soon be> came known to all his old neighbors who came to work at the Eng- lish harvest, to sell their pigs, or on their way to America. Paddy soon became an object of notice to the Shipping Agents, *who gave him a handsome percentage for all passengers he brought them, and the gains he made in this way caused him to set his wits to work to increase them. So he wrote letters to his influential frien^ls in Longford, setting forth the superiority of his house as a home for his countrymen while they remained in Liver- pool, and by his experience and knowledge of the deceitfulness of strangers and the dangers to which his innocent old neighbors were exposed, he was in a position to befriend and protect them 8 I 60 RECOLLECTIONS OP A VISIT TO from all sharpers. And Paddy succeeded. His house was known to all the Longford train of comers and goers. On one occasion he received a letter adv: ng him that four families were preparing for America, and would sail for Liver- pool on a certain date shortly. Accordingly, he was on the watch for the steamer, and was fortunate in meeting them all on board at landing ; and right glad they were to see Paddy, who shook hands with every one of them, aaked several questions about the sale of their little homesteads, furniture, voyage, the old neigh- bors, and especially about the good parish priest and curate. He was particularly attentive to the women and children, with whom he kindly and freely conversed and sympathized, and never left them until he had all their baggage securely fastened on carts, behind which the whole crowd, consisting of nineteen adults and six children, walked to his house, and were all introduced to his wife. " Here, Biddy," said he, "jist look roi- ' and see who I have brought you. Here is Mick Darby, Pav Cusack, Bryan Kelly, Martin Cassiday, and their misthresses and childher, our own dar- lin' oul naybors, and some iv them our own kith and kin." Then turning to the whole group, he continued, " Och, blugarounthers, boys an' girls, jewels, but it's ourselves that's glad to see yiz. Sit down every mother's sowl ivyiz. Mickey," said he, address- ing his son, a ^^ quarterelift" who stood gaping with eyes, mouth and ears, " run out to Nancy Niblock for the loan of a couple of ^Jirms ' an' a few chairs ; and Biddy, let you and Ellen Hughes get on the big pan as fast as yez can, and get us some beefshtakes and praties, an' some tay, an" afther that maybe we'll not have a dhrop of rale oul' malt in spite of the naybors. Come here, Dan," (addressing another son), "go long an' get the half gallon jar, and run as fast as ye can to Peter McEtee's for half a gallon of the best Irish malt whishkey, an' we'll have a dhrop before we ate a bit, for yez must be mortial tired and waried after the jour- ney. GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 61 After the meal, and while the liquor was on the table, Paddj took a long slip of paper and took an account of the sea store that each family had provided. He put down what, in his opinion, would be required in addition thereto, as well as a list of cooking utensils, &;c., and putting the memorandum in his pocket he raised his head, while every countenance was fixed on him as on an oracle, — their best friend and protector, while they inwardly pitied those coming from other parts of Ireland on a similar jour- ney, who had no friend like Paddy. . " Och, boys, jewels," said he, " but ycz are in luck, I was down this mornin' to Pine sthreet, and Misther Tapscott tould me that the finest ship that eve left Liverpool for Amerikay will sail the day afther to-morrow to New York, and that there is room left in her for twinty passengers, an' divil a sowl more," (by the way the destination of the poor creatures was Kingston in Canada, and it was a terrible outrage to send them by New York instead of by Quebec) " Now," he continued, *' let yiz all go to bed airly, for yiz want yer rest, poor crathurs, after the hardships yiz cum acrass on the journey, and in the stheamer, and the men of yiz must be up airly, for we'll have a dale to do to-morrow." Next morning after breakfast, Pjiddy brought the whole crowd to the Shipping Agents, where they paid four pounds and ten shillings each for twenty passengers, out of which he made a good haul by way of percentage. He then brought them to a cheap, grocery, where he purchased plenty of everything for them, the grocer of course tucking Paddy's percentage on the regular price of the goods. The next place was a sort of marine store where he bought them water-cans, plates, mugs, knives, forks, spoons, &c., and had his percentage there. "Now, boys," said he, "thar's only one more place which we must not forget, an' that's the dollar office. But. yiz need not all come there, I can take yer money myself an' get it changed." On being asked what the dollar office meant, he replied — " You 62 RECOLLECTIONS OF A VISIT TO flee, your Irish money wud be no use in Amerikay, where nothing but dollars will pass ; so they all shelled out and gave him their money, and he returned in a short time with gold dollars, giving one dollar for five shillings sterling. After charging them a pretty fair profit on the beefsteaks, praties, an' tay, and their beds, he left them on the ship, and with many prayers for their future welfare (such as a south of Ireland man only can pray), and with crocodile tears in his eyes, he bade them adieu. While in Monaghan I visited several scenes of youthful days, the woods, hills and glens of Rossmore park and Cornock, &c., where we rambled after school hours in search of birds' nests, wild fruits and flowers ; the lakes where w^e fished, the winding river, called "the Black water," in a rich valley, and sat on the bank of a wide deep part, called "the turn hole," where only those who could swim dared venture. While there I thought of the " rag eating heifer," that made free with our clothes. The banks had so fallen in that the once great swimming place had become about the size of a large Upper Canada whisky vat. I stood at a little well beneath the shade of a large hawthorn bush, in the centre of a little farm of three acres, within half a mile of the town, and which we once owned, and thought of our gambols and sports then, our kites, dogs, gardening, bird>nesting, fish ponds, harvesting and summer-house building there in years gone bye. " And many a year elapsed, return to view, Where once the cottage stood, the hawthorn grew, Remembrance wakes with all her busy train. Swells at my breast, and turns the past to pain." And I thought of the exclamation — "The frien roads, in doing away with turnpikes, and coach and dray road making, county cess paying for such roads, and rendering it necessary for the sessions of magistrates and cess payers at several times and places to levy a rate therefor. The time of the road makers has also been and is now diverted to agricultural purposes. They have likewise suspended stage coaches, post cars and dray- carts ; and consequently their makers, as well as harness-makers, horse-shoers, hostlers, carmen's inns, roadside public houses, miserable old villages which were the resort of the idle and disso- lute, &c. They have also prevented cruelty to animals ; that is to say, the yearly murder by slow torture of hundreds of horses, by bleeding shoulders and backs, broken knees, wind and heart in stage coaches, post-cars, drays, &c., and they have facilitated business in various ways. The merchant, the butcher, the cattle and other dealers, now go to distant markets and return the same day with their purchases, thereby saving the time and expense heretofore occupied in going to and returning from business, and stopping overnight, through fatigue and inclemency of the weather, at roadside public houses ; and the country people take advantage of cheap excursions (which frequently occur ) to purchase their household wants in the largest and cheapest places, and to visit their distant friends whom they heretofore met only once or twice in a life-time. The journey was considered so formidable that m h * RECOLLECTIONS OP A VISIT TO people used to make their wills and set their houses in order be- fore starting. Distance now is almost annihilated. They also prevent crime, by the shutting up of those roadside public houses before alluded to, which were the indirect cause of half the crime of the country. Some were obliged to stop there in returning from markets, others by fatigue or inclemency of the weather during their journey, and some resorted there from the pure love of liquor, but none with malice aforethought, to raise rows. How- ever, the liquor invariably did its work ; drunken brawls, assaults, robberies, and sometimes murder ensued, and fearful have been the consequences. Farmers and others making sales in markets now return to their homes in safety in the trains, thereby dis- appointing ruffians disposed to waylay and rob them, and avoid the expense, loss of time, and temptations to drink liquor in roadside inns. Drunkenness, as a consequence, is removed, and the people have become wiser and better. Should riots take place, or any serious disturbance be appre- hended, large forces of troops (in reply to telegram) can be con- veyed in a few hours to the most distant parts of Ireland ; and large parties who collect at given points for political demonstra- tions are conveyed with speed to their homes, by the railway, thereby avoiding a delay which would bring them in contact with opposite parties. In furthering the ei.ds of justice railroads effect a great saving to the country by expeditiously sending criminals to tbeir destination without exposure to rescue ; by saving road making, in the reduction of the police force, &c. They benefit the country in various other ways, by causing idle and disso- lute loungers about markets, inns, stables, hackney men, and various others, to find more honorable employment, in raising produce from the ground, &c., and by the introduction of hun- Ireds of tourists and others to visit, without fear of outrage, the beautiful scenery, salmon fisheries, grouse shooting, and remark- able places in Ireland, who heretofore would never have thought ORSAT BRIT.ON AND IRELAND. ff of travelling in Ireland by slow coaches and jaunting cars. By this means a large amount of money is expended and knowledge diflTused. Large sums are paid from time to time to corporations and private parties for right of way for railroads, and employ- ment given to thousands of people in connection with their con- struction, rolling stock and traffic. " Valleys are being filled, mountains and hills brought low, crooked places made straight, and rough places plain ;" by means of the railroad and telegraph, many go to and fro, and knowledge is increased. .We went by train from Monaghan to Enniskillen, passing through Newbliss, Clones (a thriving market town on the top of a hill), Newtownbutler, where a terrible battle was fought in 1689, be- tween generals McCarthy and Hamilton, in command of the Irish brigade, on the one side, and Wolsely and Perry, in command of the Enniskilleners, on the other, in which the Irish were routed and put to great slaughte)', and some of them haviiur retreated to Crom demesne, ran into Lough Erne followed by their pursuers. The place is called " The Bloody Pass " until this day. Lisnaskea was taken in the way. It is a thriving village owned by the Earl of Erne, who resides three miles distant in Crom Castle, a mag- nificent structure and picturesque demesne on the borders of Lough Erne, and to which the writer paid a day's visit. Ma- guire's Bridge was once a thriving village, but is now fast going to decay. Enniskillen, in the county of Fermanagh, is well built on an island in Lough Erne ; it has a court-house, prison, and town-hall, in which is preserved the colors born by the Ennis- killenerci at the battle of tho Boyne ; Portora school, a large in- fantry and artillery barracks, county infirmary, workhouse, a handsome new Episcopal church, a lofty column to the memory of General Cole, &c. A neat steamboat plys on Lough Erne be- tween Enniskillen and Belleck (twenty miles), in connection with the Dundalk railroad. The surrounding country is notable for its picturesque scenery, the castles and demesnes of the Mar- IV mooLLionoNs or a visit to quia of Elj, the Earls of Bellmore, Enniskillen, and Erne, Sir Arthur Brooke and D'Arcj Irvine being contiguous. The inhab- itants supported the Protestant cause in 168d, successfully de- fended the town against King James's forces, and afterwards dis- tinguished themseWes at the battle of the Boyne. The celebrated Doctor and Mrs. Palmer visited that place a short time ago, and were instrumental in turning many wayward Enniskilleners to the wisdom of the Just. Irvinestown, seven miles from Enniskillen, and convenient to Necarn Castle, the residence of Mr. D'Arcy, is a handsome vil- lage bordering on the county of Tyrone. While there I visited a petty sessions court where a variety of cases were set down for hearing, viz : — non-payment of wages ; Loan Fund default- ers ; wandering pigs ; unlogged dogs ; obstructions to thorough- fares by vehicles, mud, stones, &c. ; breaches of the liquor laws ; drunkenness, assaults, -threatenings, &o. Fines varying from five shillings to sixpence were inflicted in almost all cases brought by the police. In the hearing of wages and assault cases, the magistrates lis- tened patiently to those poor people manifesting a spirit of envy, hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness, by abusing each other in rude and reproachful language ; in reply I was informed that such squabbles were allowed for the purpose of inducing people to settle their disputes by the dread and fear of such exposure— to obtain a knowledge of their manners, habits and secrets, and in view of the maxim " when rogues fall out, honest people come to their own." Part of this policy appeared reasonable, if I might judge by the number of wages and assault cases which were called and entered '' No appearance." In the case of Foster versus Fagan, the plaintiff was a tailor, about forty years old, five feet four inches high, slender make, with a closely buttoned up thread-bare brown frock coat, dark colored pantaloons, and listen shoes, pale, care-worn, lank visage, SBBAT B&ITAIM AND IRILAND. 79 dry red hair, small squinting eyes with red seWages, thin nose, small mouth, and long, pointed chin, to which was appended a small, red goatee ; he spoke in a snivelling, Tyrone accent, and looking like one who had unfortunately missed the pathway to a reasonahle share of the good things of this life, he stood hefore the court and audience the beau ideal of anything but a hero ; his woe-begone figure betokening something like a sorrowful re- collection of the past, a gloomy foreboding of the future, and dissatisfaction with the present that would have touched a cord of sympathy in the heart of a cynic. The defendant was about thirty years old, over six feet high, with broad, square shoulders. He wore an old tweed shooting coat with capacious pockets, into which he stuffed his big, un- washed hands, and drew them out occasionally to feel his chin, scratch his head, or throw his arms a-kimbo ; his long legs were partially covered with corduroy trowsers,»the bottoms of which were wraggled by wear and tear, and on the knees of which were two broad patches of new stuff differing in color from the original ; his uncombed hair was jet black, and curley; his eyes grey, large and penetrating ; his nose, of Cromwellian shape, was inclined to the left ; his cheeks were ruddy, with no whiskers ; a sarcastic smile played on his extensive mouth, which exposed to view a well arranged set of ivories ; his whole contour and manner indicated a very slight acquaintance with Chesterfield, and were calculated to excite risibility in the most gloomy audience ; he stood before the court with one shoulder inclined downwards and a twist in the other, as if he had naturally or by accident been deformed. The whole scene was befitting the pencil of a Gruikshank, and the pen of a Lever. I have neither time nor space to give a detail of the trial. The action was brought to recover seven shillings for mak- ing a dress coat. The defence set up was, that the plaintiff made a mis-fit, by which the cloth was lost to the defendant. The plaintiff proved the making and delivery of the coat, and non- ' til .I'll 80 KlOOLLECtXONS OF A VIEIIT TO payment of his wages. On the defendant being asked why a de- cree should not issue, he stated that the plaintiff sooilt his cloth, for which he would take an action against him as sure as his name was Fagan, if he was worth it ; that he would prove to the satisfaction of the court that the coat was botchedy by then and there putting it on. To t;his the magistrates assented, and the coat having been taken out of a handkerchief, the little tailor as- sisted in putting it on the defendant, who contorted his person so much that the operation was a very trying one, and while the tailor was plucking, pulling, patting, and trying to button the coat, the defendant fidgetted, twisted his one shoulder, then the other, went to the right, left, and right-about-face, and while the audience were indulging in suppressed laughter, a wag bawled out, "Well to wear, Fagan," and the magistrates declared they never saw a wors« fit. The tailor remonstratingly said, " Plaze yer honors, the coat is a gude fet, but Fagan's twustin hisself a purpose to mak it a bad yen ; it's not the first time he thried to chate folks. Chathery chin, '11 niver win. A hope yer honors will do ine justice ; he wants to rogue 'ne out o' my hard airnens, it's neither fair nor just, and me hevin' a wife an six childher luckin' till me for support." While the tailor was speaking, the defendant kept wriggling into various shapes pretending to make the coat fit, to the amusement of the audience and at the expense of the little tailor, whose case, in my judgment, was wrongfully dismissed. ' ; From Enniskillen I went to Florence Court, the residence of the Earl of Enniskillen, a beautiful house and demesne at the foot of a range of barren hills, from thence to Derrylin via the miserable old village of Kinawley. We attended divine service in Derrylin church. The service was conducted by Rev. Mr. Rowe, in the absence of the rector, the Rev. Mr. Fox. Mr. Rowe preached a good sermon from Heb. ii. 4, to an atten- tive congregation. The singing was meagre, there being a very «BBAT BBITAXN AND IBBLJLND. 81 defectiye and inharmonious treble by four females without leader or accompaniment. * ...,'.- As the shades of evening were falling, I was wending my waj by a circuitous path in an extensive wood at the bottom of which there is a narro'..r^#iMW^^— " 94 BEOOLLBOTIONS OF A VISIT TO threatened invasion by France. " If the French should conquer us," said the prisoner, looking through the iron bars of the win- dow, "what would become of our liberty, Englishmen's most cherished privilege ? It is not to be expected that men who are slaves themselves would preserve our freedom." " Ay, slaves ! " said the porter, " they are slaves fit only to carry burdens, every one of them ; sooner than stoop to their slavery, I would join the army." " It is not so much our liberties," said the soldier, "as our religion that would suffer. If the French should vanquish us, our religion would all go to the devil." To attempt such an absurdity as to please all your readers would be as asinine as the conduct of the man with his ass in the fable. I would require such a pure, sweet flow of language, beauty of style, power of imagination, and such a wonderful talent for description and dialogue, as would make the narrative of an old blacksmith who was tumbled on his back by a kicking ass while attempting to shoe it, affecting to tears, and others stand aghast with clenched hands and awe-stricken, upturned countenances at the depravity of human nature as evidenced by lovely women, the centre and charm of the social circle, selling goat's milk and whisky &V Killarney — eloping with their future husbands and exchanging prayers for alms while sitting against a wall in Roscrea ; at Bryan Kelly's tipsy ad- ventures with pigs and beggars in Monaghan, and an acquaint- ance of mine who was crushed out of existence by a metal boiler tumbling off his waggon when he was longing to get to the next tavern. What an interesting picture, too, might be drawn in- view of the inspired maxim, " For the love of money is the root of all evil," of the grasping propensities of human nature, and man's unfeeling conduct in taking advantage of his neighbour's straits, as illustrated by the cupidity of Paddy Murphy, the land shark. But my design was not to usurp the functions of a pilgrim, or an itinerant missionary, by producing sermonizing adventures, fit GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. 96 only for "the unlearned and the unstable," but for the amusement of my friends and your cheerful readers, by descriptions of places, productions, and human nature in some of its phases, pas- sing incidents, changes of scene, peculiarities of language, garb, manners, and customs in the various places I visited ; and by call- ing up old recollecfiions, to remind them of the flight of time. And here I will conclude with the last words of Maccabees : — " And if I have done well, and as is befitting the story, it is that which I desired ; but if slanderly tftid meanly, it is that which I could attain unto * * * and here shall be an end." J.M. QuiBio, December, 1862.