Ik THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY From the collection James Collins, Drumcondra, Ireland. Purchased, 1918. of 823 P622. Vl Return this book on or before the Latest Date stamped below. University of Illinois Library JUN ~ 199) Ml L161 — H41 DUNSANY. AN IRISH STORY. '* Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story, That I may prompt them : and of such as have, I humbly pray them to admit the excuse Of time, of numbers, and due course of things, W Inch cannot in their huge and proper life Be here presented." Henri/ /' roL i. PRLNTED FOR SHERWOOD, NEELY : AND JONL>. l-AiiKNOSTER ROW. 1818. Printed by J. EVAIvS, Leicester Street, Leicester Square. ^6 £3 LIST OP SUBSCRIBERS. Allen, Miss, Bradford, The Right Hon. the Earl of. Berwick, The Right Hon. Lord, - Boyle,CharlesGower,Esq. Bnlteel, John, Esq. Bulteel, Mrs. Bulteel, Miss, Burton, Edward, Esq. Betton, Major, Betton, Mrs. Buckle, Mrs. Bage, Mrs. Bright, The Rev. John Betton, Beck, John, Esq. Betton, Nathaniel, Esq. 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" Sure, and he will so," replied my father. ic Ah !" she resumed, " and with his sweet lovely countenance, and his fine figure, when he shall be grown a bit taller, and his graceful easy air, and his pleading when he is a barrister, and the beautiful English ladies all in love with him, and VOL. I. B DUNS ANY *. he chusing an Irish lass, perhaps, at last, and so leaving them all in the lurch, though indeed since the Union, the Irish and English are all one, except that they are of different countries, and — " " Why you are getting on at a fine rate, my heart," said my father, laughing and interrupting this torrent of eloquence, " and skipping across the Channel and back in no time, and laying plans that may prove as futile as those you laid for Lu- cius, Charles, and Clanwilliam." " Oh ! but that was none of my fault, love," she rejoined ; " for though you have got a grand fortune and a fine house, yet you know that the chief part of your land is a bog, and that all the windows are blown out, and the house falling about our ears, and we have not a place to put our heads into but Avhat is open in some part or other, and exposed to the fury of the elements ; and then my brother, so gay AN IRISH STORY. 6 and charming, always setting forth the delight of a soldier s life, and taking Lu- cius by the hand, as it were, and giving him a commission ; then his younger bro- thers following his example as soon as ever they could. I am now very well pleased it is as it is, and that they are gone to die and to fight for the honour of Ireland, and to be made generals, and follow the exam- ple of our brave Wellington. So, if we are to have four generals, I promise you the youngest shall be a judge ; and as soon as he is gone, we will set about re- pairing the house a bit, and putting mat- ters a little in order against some of the boys return." So it was settled, that at the request of my fathers cousin, and my god-mother, Mrs. Shady O'Blarney, (who was going to England), that I should accompany her, and be pla'ced at school, and from thence at college, partly at her expense and partly b 2 4 dunsany: at my father s ; for though both he and Mrs. Shady had large nominal domains, vet neither of them were in the receipt of very splendid revenues. I was just thirteen, wild as a colt, nearly as ragged as one, and wholly untaught ; yet my mother and Mrs. Shady saw un- common elegance in my mien, and my uncontrouled mirth and gaiety they looked on as forebodings of the good fortune which, they predicted, awaited me in the land I was about to visit. At length the time for my departure arrived. I bade adieu to my parents, friends, and play-fellows, and ascended Mrs.Shady's jaunting carr, driven by her own servant, Pat, who had for years been my favorite companion. We had eight miles to go before we reached Dublin, from whence we were to embark, and I soon forgot those I had left behind in the variety this change of scene afforded. AN IRISH STORY. tj At Dublin I was almost wild with ad- miration, having never before seen any thing beyond a little fishing town. Here Mrs. Shady sold her carr, and had my ragged appearance greatly rectified : she also bought a ready-made livery coat for Pat, which she observed would do very well, though wholly different to the family liverv, as I am convinced it was a drum- mer's jacket that the salesman insisted was made for some branch of the O'Blar- ney family, and he only spared it to her, because for why ? why truly, he took a fancy to her sweet countenance ! ! ! Behold us now embarked, myself tole- rably attired, with the addition of a smart fur cap, which I preferred to a hat, having never been accustomed to one ; Pat in his drummer's uniform, several sizes too large for him, the other parts of his dress ragged and dirty, without a hat, and his legs and feet bare, a custom at which I b 3 6 DUNSANY : was astonished to hear some English pas- sengers express their disgust, but to which my god-mother contended, very calmly, originated in excess of cleanliness. O Ire- land ! land of nicety, how differently do I now appreciate thee to what I did at that period. We landed at Holyhead, and proceeded in a chaise to the environs of Chester, where, for a time, we were to remain. We stopped at a noble retired mansion, embosomed in fine high trees, after driving up a spacious avenue of lofty oaks. An elderly gentleman, whose dress bespoke him a clergyman, handed out, and most cordially welcomed, Mrs. Shady; and after leading her into a magnificent apartment, left her for a short time, and returned sup- porting a most elegant woman, who sprang towards my patroness, exclaiming, u my more than mother T and wept convulsively in her arms for some moments. I felt on AN IRISH STORY. 7 this occasion a sensation hitherto unknown to me. My mother being blest with an hi- larity of temperament that never relaxed, so that female emotion was, till now, wholly unknown to me, and I stood staring at the beautiful lady and Mrs. Shady, with my mouth open, and all the signs of utter astonishment expressed on my counte- nance, until roused by the latter with a H Begone, Sir," in a tone of voice I was not disposed to disobey. When summoned to dinner, I was in- troduced to a very pretty little girl of about ten years of age, the grand-daughter of the gentleman that received us, and the daugh- ter of the lady before-mentioned. But, perhaps, before I proceed, it may not be amiss to give the outlines of that family's history, as I became acquainted with it some years afterwards. Edward Clifford and Frederic Delaval (the former heir to an ancient baronetcv, 8 DUNSANY f the other the only son of a dignitary of the church) cemented an early friendship at school, which was continued by their being entered at the same college at Ox- ford, and passing every year a portion of their time at the paternal mansions of each other ; nothing could exceed the affection of the youthful friends : " It grew with their growth, and strength- ened with their strength." On quitting the University, they agreed on making a tour of some length, and staying some time at every place wherein they found any thing to interest them. Bath was the first point of attraction to the travellers, rendered at this period par- ticularly agreeable to both, several families from their respective neighbourhoods being there, with whom they were on terms of intimacy. During a visit to one of these AN IRISH STORY. 9 families, they were introduced to a young lady, of such exquisite beauty and fascina- ting manners, that both the friends became deeply in love ; yet, for the first time in their lives, withholding their usual con- fidence from each other, both appeared abstracted and lost in thought, and from that time to lose a portion of that regard which had heretofore been the solace of their lives. They now became the con- stant shadows of Miss Dormer, yet neither could boast of much encouragement from the fair object of their adorations, an old Peer, enslaved by the brilliant charms of the young lady, being, it was conjectured, on the point of offering his hand to her, and the fair one was too much alive to her own interest to forego the chance of an establishment that promised to a penny- less girl, rank, wealth, and unbounded dis- sipation. However, after some time, the Peer relinquished his matrimonial designs 10 DUNSANY : on a young girl with merely a lovely per- son, in favour of the widow of a rich Bris- tolian, who just at this time shone in full meridian splendour, exhibiting a large heavy person blazing in diamonds, and her sumptuous establishment bearing in legible characters the inference, that she could afford to pay for a title. Miss Dormer bore her disappointment with perfect sang-froid, and to the great dismay of those good-natured persons who affected to pity her, though in their en- vious hearts rejoicing at her losing the chance of a coronet. She assured them she was only laughing at the old fool, and had permitted him to dangle after her just to make him perfectly ridiculous. She now paid some attention to the sighs of her handsome lovers . Delaval she secretly preferred ; but Clifford's father was a baronet, and reported to be richer than the father of Delaval, so she accepted AN IRISH STORY. 11 the hand of the former, after repeated vows of everlasting regard for the latter. Clifford hore away this prize in triumph, whilst Delaval, cut to the soul, retired (to muse on his recent disappointment, and the fallacy of love and friendship) to a roinantic situation in North Wales. Here the gloomy stillness of the scenery con- tributed to increase the melancholv he was plunged into, and in wandering amongst " Those lonely regions, where, retired from lesser scenes of art, great nature dwells in awful solitude." His mind began to rise above those frivo- lous pursuits he had hitherto so eagerly engaged in, naturallv of rather a thoughtful turn, he began to hate a world that he judged had dealt unkindly by him ; for at this period, Clifford and Caroline formed the whole of poor DelavaFs world, and he 12 DUNSANY : scarce bestowed a thought beyond his faithless friend, and the fair but perjured object of his tenderest affections. To the pressing entreaties of his indul- gent father to return home, he urged his newly acquired taste for romantic seclusion, and begged a few months longer absence* to be enabled to farther explore the enchant- ing scenes with which he was surrounded. Frequently would he climb the lofty summit of Snowden, u Whose hoary head, conspicuous many a league, the mariner, bound homeward, (and in hope already there), greets with three cheers exulting — " before the sun had risen ; and, after view- ing that sublime spectacle, sit for hours lost in the deepest meditation, and appa- rently unconscious even of his own ex- istence. ^ AN IRISH STORY. 13 It so happened, that an old friend of his father resided within a few miles of the spot where young Delaval had taken up his residence. To this gentleman Dr. Delaval wrote, and stated his uneasiness at the strange conduct of his son, urging him to endeavour to find out the real motive that could induce so young a man to se- clude himself in such absolute retirement, at the time the most advantageous pro- spects were opening to his view. Mr. Mansel was a man exactly calcu- lated to win the confidence of young Delaval; lie was open, candid, and generous, with a heart feelingly alive to the woes of his fellow creatures ; he quickly got acquainted with Delaval, and as quickly discovered that disappointed love was the cause of his withdrawing from society. M arried to a woman he tenderly regarded, and still in the prime of life, Mansel felt far more inclined to commisserate than 14 DUN SAN Y : ridicule the sensibility of his new friend ; he became more particularly the object ot his pity, from his sympathy towards the unhappiness of his eldest daughter, a girl of seventeen, whose predilection for a man wholly unworthy of her, had been over- ruled by her parents. On writing to Dr. Delaval, Mr. Mans el slightly touched on the uneasiness in his own family, which he confessed he could not but deplore, though he felt he acted right in interdicting a connection, which, from the un worthiness of one of the parties, must, if persevered in, end in the certain misery of the other ; and he added, he the more lamented the present wayward state of the affections of the young couple in question, as nothing would give him equal pleasure (were it in his power) to promoting a match between the son of his valued friend, and his beloved daughter. That he was aware his house could not now be so AN IRISH STORY. 15 agreeable to a young man, as when his Euphemia was the life of it ; however, such as it now was, he should request Frederic Delaval to make it his home for as long as he found North Wales agree- able. Dr. Delaval knew the world, and he knew much of the human heart. In reply to his friend Mansel, he acknowledged, that nothing could exceed the joy that such an event would give him, as his son forming an alliance with his family. " Bring this unhappy, despairing, love- lorn pair together, my dear Mansel, as often as possible," he wrote, " and no doubt but our wishes will be fulfilled : they will become confidants of each other's woes ; sympathizing pity will of course follow these heart-rending details ; — and pity, you know, is near akin to love." Mr. Mansel followed his friend's advice, and the event justified the sagacity of the 16 DUNSANY *. Doctor, as a short time afterwards he had the heartfelt pleasure of embracing his long-estranged son, and welcoming a very pretty, elegant, young woman, as his daugh- ter-in-law. For some years, the happiness of Fre- deric Delaval knew no diminution ; but so sure it is that uninterrupted felicity is not the lot of mortals, he lost his excellent father suddenly, and was slowly recovering from the shock, when a malignant fever broke out in his immediate neighbour- hood, and snatched from him his adored wife and two lovely children. One poor little girl was all that was spared him from this sad wreck of former happiness ; yet, for the sake of this dar- ling child, poor Delaval strove to bear his afflictions with the firmness of a man, and resignation of a Christian : — that all-pow- erful Being, to whom the supplicant never sues in vain, supported him through his AN IRISH STORY. 17 deep and heart-riving sorrows. Religion, aided by time, alleviated his affliction ; and the engaging infantine prattle of his little Enphemia, insensibly recalled him from the verge of despair. Scarce could he trust this darling trea- sure from his sight ; and when of an age to receive instruction in the various branches of a polished education, he removed with her to Bath, for the greatest part of every year. The proficiency of Enphemia in every elegant female accomplishment, amply re- paid her fathers love ; and it was on the eve of their departure for Cheshire, Euphe- mia having now done with preceptors of all descriptions, that chance threw Clifford (now Sir Edward) in Dr. DelavaFs way. But how altered ! not a vestige remained of the gay captivating young man of fashion that had gained the hand of the beautiful Miss Dormer ; pale, low-spirited, and ema- ciated, at little more than forty-five, Sir 18 DUNS ANY : Edward looked full ten years beyond that period of life. Dr. Delaval on the contrary had worn well, and was still a remarkably handsome man. After the first effusions of surprize at meeting were over, " you see me, Delaval," exclaimed Sir Edward, " ra- pidly hastening towards that bourne from whence no traveller returns." " Not so, my friend, I trust," replied the Doctor, " the Bath waters are of tried, efficacy, and" — " Ah !" interrupted Sir Ed- ward, " were my complaints of a bodily nature, I might hope ; but alas ! they are too deeply rooted ever to be eradicated." Dr. Delaval, to give a turn to this painful conversation, now mentioned his daughter, and evinced his impatience to introduce one so dear to him to Sir Edward^ who also mentioned his son (an only child), whom he hourly expected. On seeing Euphemia, he appeared ex- tremely to admire her, and took an oppor- AN IRISH STORY. 19 tunity to present her with some beautiful ornaments, in jewels. Dr. Delaval, whose regard for the friend of his youthful days had returned with its wonted fervour, was pained at perceiving the rapid progress decay hourly made in Sir Edward ; indeed, it was the opinion of his physicians that he would not long survive. Dr. Delaval, therefore, actuated by friendship, pressed him to be allowed to assist him in ar- ranging his aifairs, which Sir Edward had confessed were in a very deranged state. During this friendly office, the Baronet made a free communication to him of his pecuniary embarrassments, which Dr. De- laval perceived were chiefly owing to the unbounded extravagance of the woman he had selected for a wife, but whose very faults he loved so tenderly, that he could not bear the slightest reflection cast on her memory ; indeed he could not survive her loss, which painful event had taken 20 DUNSANY : place about a year previous, brought on by a cold, taken at a rural masquerade she had given at their country residence, and where she shone the magnet of attraction to all the young, the thoughtless, and the gay in that neighbourhood. Sir Edward informed his friend, that in consequence of the ruined state of his finances, he had judged it prudent to pro- vide a rich match for his son, who had a company in a regiment now abroad ; and that he had selected an heiress in that part of the country where his family residence was ; and he had settled with the lady's guardians that the marriage should take place immediately on the return of Captain Clifford from abroad ; that he had not mentioned the subject to his son, but he had no doubt of his concurrence when acquainted with the extent of the heavy mortgage on his property, and from his affections being, he believed, disengaged, AN IRISH STORY. 21 and his hitherto ready acquiescence with all his wishes ; and he most strenuously urged Dr. Delaval, should he not live to see his son, to exert the influence of a guardian (for as such he nominated him for the short time Captain Clifford wanted of being of age) to bring about this mar- riage. Dr. Delaval promised he would, to the best of his endeavours, fulfil every wish of his friend, and had the melancholy satisfaction of seeing him close his eyes in peacefulness. The last, sad offices were deferred until the arrival of the young Ba- ronet, whom adverse winds detained ; no- thing could exceed the shock he sustained when he found his father no more, and it required all Dr. Delaval's attention to keep him from sinking into absolute despair. On the demise of Sir Edward, Dr. De- laval had sent Euphemia into Cheshire, and, as soon as possible, he followed with his amiable, sorrowing young friend. Fov 22 DUNSANY *. some time, the grief of the young Baronet knew no amelioration, though the worthy Delaval and his gentle pitying Euphemia J eft nothing untried to disperse his affliction. Time insensibly restored him to his former cheerfulness, and, in consequence, Dr. Delaval called his attention towards the inspection of his affairs, and mentioned his father's last commands, that he should offer his hand to the wealthy heiress, Miss Neville. Sir Edward started and turned pale, and then vehemently protested against so arbitrary a measure as being compelled to offer his hand to an idiot, or, at best, one whose intellects were very defective ; and he remained absolutely deaf to all Dr. Delaval could urge on the subject of a marriage so repugnant to him ; though, had the lady in question been cast in Na- ture's fairest mould, he would still have remained obdurate, his whole soul being engrossed by Euphemia, whom he loved AN IRISH STORY. 23 from the first moment of his introduction to her, though he prudently judged the present not a fit time to avow their mutual regard to his offended guardian ; but a few days after he begged a conference with Dr. Delaval, confessed his love for Eu- phemia, and most earnestly besought his consent to their union. This request, Dr. Delaval, from the most honourable mo- tives, refused in the strongest terms, and the young Baronet and his Euphemia were plunged to the very brink of despair, as the rejection of Sir Edward for a son-in-law was couched in so decided atone on Dr. Delaval's part, that Euphemia knew there was no ap- peal from his fiat, which on this subject was as immoveable as the laws of the Medes and Persians : so Sir Edward had the less difficulty in persuading her to elope with him to Scotland, from whence, crossing to Ireland, they by chance fixed their abode at a pretty romantic villa in the immediate 24 DUNS any : neighbourhood of Mrs. Shady O'Blarney, who, when they first arrived, was absent, but on her return home, hearing that an elegant young couple had domesticated near the environs of her castle, she paid them a visit, and became greatly interested in their favour, and alternately the confidant of their stolen wedding, and of Lady Clif- ford's unhappiness at having incurred the displeasure of her father, who had taken no notice of her numerous appeals for pardon. A few months after Mrs. Shady' s intro- duction to the youthful pair, Sir Edward received orders to join his corps, then going on immediate service. Nothing could equal the anguish of their separation; Sir Ed- ward, with convulsive earnestness, recom- mended his wife to the protecting care of Mrs. Shady, and tore himself from all that was dear to him on earth. He fell in the first engagement, and to Mrs. Shady AN IRISH iTORIf. "26 (krolved the painful task of breaking tbe afflicting news to Lady Clifford, whose agonizing grief can easier be imagined than described. During this soul-harrowing scene, little Euphemia first saw the light, and was the means (in some degree) of reconciling the unhappy Lady Clifford to life, and teaching her the necessity of pre- serving herself for the sake of her help- less infant. Mrs. Shady, did not make good the words of the immortal poet — " He jests at scars that never felt a wound ;" on the contrary, except the loss of her husband, (which, by the bye, Mrs. Blarney would say was no loss at all), she had glided on to rather an advanced period of life in a tolerably smooth channel. Still she was feelingly alive to the distresses of others ; for she would say, u faith now, what matters it in what quarter of the globe a child of misery is born, the same vol, i. c 26* DUN 3 ANY *. God still created us; we are ait fellow travellers hastening to the same bourne ; all joint inheritors of sorrow in this vale of tears. Universal philanthropy guided all her actions — it sprung spontaneously from a heart that knew no guile ; in short, the natural goodness of this benevolent woman's disposition embellished all her actions with the splendour with which a rich autumnal setting sun irradiates the vale below. But to return : When Mrs. Shady found Lady Clifford slowly recovering her health, she fetched my mother to her house, ac- companied by myself, then about three years old. Though no two beings in the world could be more opposite to each other than were my mother and Lady Clifford, yet they accorded wonderfully well toge- ther ; my mother's lively, animated, good humour, amused and diverted the sorrow- stricken protegee of Mrs. Shady, and in- \N IRISH STORY. 27 sensibly roused her from her lethargy of woe. My monkey tricks, my poetical friends have since assured me, contributed their share towards dispelling the fiend Melancholy, and raised an interest for me in the gentle bosom of the amiable Lady Clifford, almost maternal. As soon as Mrs. Shady saw matters going on so smoothly, she professed an urgent necessity to be some time from home ; and giving Lady Clifford and her infant, Euphemia, to the charge of my mother, with the strictest injunctions respecting their wel- fare, she departed ; and though the season of the year caused travelling to be unplea- sant, and the passage from Dublin to Ho- lyhead boisterous and unsafe, yet this worthy friend braved all, and proceeded with all possible speed to the residence of Dr. Delaval, near Chester, where, self- introduced, she told her plain, unvarnished tale ; and the Doctor, who had long re- c 2 28 DUNS ANY : lented, and whose heart bled at the recital of his Euphemia' s woes, readily consented to accompany Mrs. Shady to Ireland to receive back his daughter. A very short time brought them to Mrs. O 'Blarney's, and the Doctor earnestly begged her on their arrival to be very cautious in breaking his near approach to Euphemia ; yet such was her exultation, that she burst into the room where Lady Clifford and my mother were sitting, exclaiming, " I have brought him with me, he is here I tell ye." " Who ? what is it you mean, my dear madam ?" cried Lady Clifford, extremely alarmed. " Why, no other," she replied, " than your own dear father, my sweet Dr. De- laval." " Ah !" said Lady Clifford, sinking on the floor, " my papa ! he comes to chide his undutiful Euphemia." " Not so, my child," exclaimed the Doctor, advancing and folding her in his arms, " your father, my Euphemia, comes to comfort and con- AN IRISH STORY. 29 sole you under your affliction — Come, come, no more of this," he continued, wiping the drops from his eyes, " for the sake of this cherub" (for Mrs. Shady now put the infant, Euphemia, in his arms) " you must endeavour to exert yourself; and when you are strong enough to bear the fatigue of a removal, you shall return home with me, and again resume the first place in both your father's house and heart. CHAP. II. Every year, after the return of Lady Clifford to Cheshire, she and her father had repeatedly reminded Mrs. O'Blarney of her promise of visiting them, but one thing or other had constantly prevented her so doing, until that period, when she set out on her travels, with me and her servant Pat. c 3 30 DUNSANY : Soon after our arrival at Oaklands, (so was Dr. Delaval's mansion called), my patroness consulted him about my educa- tion, particularly as to what school he would recommend my being placed at. It so happened, that a few years before this, a distant relation of Mrs. Delaval had died and left an only child (a son) to the guardian- ship of the Doctor : the father of this boy had, after a long state of celibacy, and contemning matrimony in every company, fallen into the snare spread for him by a pretty, artful girl, who considered a good jointure a tolerable compensation for the whims and caprices of a man old enough to be her father, and for whom she joyfully put on weeds, which were but just laid aside when she married again, and her son, (by his father's will), in case of such an event, became solely the ward of Dr. De- laval, who had placed him at Harrow School, to which place he counselled Mrs. AN IRISH STORY. 31 O'Blarney to send me ; but he would not consent to part with either of us for some time, during which period George Mans el returned from Harrow for the vacation ; he was my senior by about a year, but not being so tall or stout for his age as I was, we seemed pretty much on a footing, and in our plays and pursuits we agreed won- derfully well, and became firm friends, whilst little Euphemia was the idol of us both. That sweet girl's disposition was enchanting, and she never appeared so happy as when procuring from her grand- father (who could deny her nothing) some indulgence for us both. Lady Clifford was extremely fond of Mansel, but I (rough, untaught and uncouth) became in danger of being spoiled by her partiality. During the first week of my stay at Oaklands, the particular friend of Dr. Delaval, the Dean of , paid him a visit of some days : he Was a morose, disagree- 32 dunsany : able old fellow, that growled and found fault with every thing and every body. Pre- vious to his arrival, Dr. Delaval, in speaking of him to my godmother, expressed great commiseration for his misfortunes, which had tended to sour his temper; having been led to expect a vacant bishoprick, which was at last given away to one he had the greatest dislike to of any on earth; though, as some compensation, he had ob- tained the mastership of a college at Oxford, and held church preferment that brought him in almost a princely revenue. "And he ar'n't contented," cried Mrs. Shady, " Och the old badger !" Dr. Delaval looked surprized, Lady Clifford dropt her eyes, and Euphemia, Mansel, and myself, laughed aloud. This old divine was a great ob- server of etiquette at table, to which I was no more accustomed than a bear, my father and mother being the easiest people under the aun, never taking exception at any AN IRISH STORY. 33 thing, however flagrant ; but when, on observing some potatoes at dinner, I (as was my custom at home) put my hand into the dish and took one, I received a smart rap across my fingers with the end of a crutch-stick, that the dean always had close by his chair. I felt amazingly con- founded, and could scarce rally my spirits into tolerable order again during dinner ; but I never forgot the lesson, nor omitted the use of a spoon in future. I was heartily glad when the cross old fellow drove away in a sumptuous equipage, at which Mrs. Shady, who liked him no better than I did, took occasion to comment on the pride, rapaciousness and pomp of the ge- nerality of the clergy, until Dr. Delaval begged her to have some mercy, when she stopped in great confusion ; though, pre- sently recovering herself, she told him, that she considered him an exception to all general rules wherein any thing odious 34 dunsany : was discussed, but that she always included him in all that was noble, generous, praise- worthy and good. The time now arrived for our leaving Cheshire : I saw it approach with a heavy heart ; I had been made so much of, and had been so truly happy there ; Mrs. Shady was also very averse to going, and with great reluctance bade adieu to the dear inhabitants of that delightful abode. It was so settled, that as she purposed to remain in England until my education was completed, she should take apartments in or near London, that she might be at hand to overlook my conduct ; and I was to pass the summer vacations with her, and the winter ones in Cheshire. I was ready to jump for joy at this arrangement, and felt less sorrowful at going, under the idea of a few months restoring me again to the society I so fondly loved. Mrs. O'Blarney took charge of Mansel back to Harrow, and as he had so frequently been AN IRISH STORY. 35 that road, we found him a very entertaining companion, as it was new to Mrs. Shady, and the farthest of my travels had heen from Holyhead to Oaklands. When we arrived in town, Mrs. OBlar- ney (or, as in future I shall denominate her, Mrs. Blaney, Lady Clifford having prevailed on her to drop the O, and to soften Blarney to Blaney,) took us to every sight London afforded. I was absolutely wild with the novelty, and diverted Mansel not a little by the quaintness of my remarks. One day, Mrs. Blaney having some business at Rundell's, relative to the selling of some jewels for Lady Clifford, permitted me and Pat to accompany her there. As we walked along, I was delighted at the number of beautiful shops we passed, with which this part of the town abounds. My natural exuberant flow of spirits was considerably augmented by the pleasant 36 DUNSANY : variety of this busy part of the metropolis,; and both Pat and I expressed our ad- miration so loud, and our language and tone of voice so strongly proclaimed our country, that we drew the observation of several passers-by when we arrived at the bottom of Fleet Street. The multiplicity of carriages passing in every direction, with the concourse of foot passengers, rendered it rather unsafe to cross over on the Bridge Street side. Whilst we were debating, Pat called our attention to a chim- ney standing without e'er a house at its back. " Peace, you noisy villain," cried his mistress, " must I be after telling you a thousand million of times that they call that chimney an obelisk ? but come along boys." " Aye, get along with you all, and a good riddance into the bargain," cried a wretched looking ferocious vagabond, who was shoveling up a quantity of loose mud that the streets (from a good deal of rain AN IRISH STORY. 37 having fallen) had collected together ; " a set of rahscallion potatoe eaters," he con- tinued, " that starve in their own country, and' 1 — " Come, come fellow," cried Mrs. Blanev, " don't be after abusing your bet- » J CD J ters, but let us pass with civility, though if I had you in my own country, the devil himself shou'd'nt screen you from being treated with a stout shillelah on your back — but let us pass, I say." — u Aye, pass on," replied the miscreant, with a tre- mendous oath, " but take a little of the soil of the country you came to overrun with you ;" so saying, he turned a shovel- full of mire completely over the shoes of my patroness. Pat and I wanted no other signal ; we flew at him like tygers, but he was too much for us, and we all came down together in the mud he had been scraping together. Mrs. Shady shrieked, and entreated the spectators to raise up the boys, or they would be kilt dead ; but ,38 DUNS any : no one would interfere, probably from an idea it was only a sham quarrel, as I have since heard such things are not unusual in v. London, in aid of a set of nimble-fingered gentry, who seldom fail to henefit them- selves on such occasions. After Pat and I had rolled in the dirt until we could hardly be discovered as human, and been beat by our brutal antagonist almost to a jelly, we were rescued from our perilous situation by the intrepidity of a British tar, who, half-seas over, was staggering from Somer- set House to Tower Wharf: — without enquiring into either the merits or demerits of the cause, Jack coolly pulled off his jacket and challenged our foe to fisty cuffs. A ring being instantly formed, they set to, and the disturber of our morning's walk, received, in the phraseology of the polite art of boxing, a complete milling, to which he was justly entitled, and was carried off the field nearly senseless, whilst the honest AN IRISH STORY. 39 tar, taking another quid, walked off; and Mrs. Shady having in the meantime pro- cured a coach, she shoved me into it, then following herself, she dragged Pat after her, and we drove off amidst the shouts of the moh. On stopping at the lodgings we occupied, the servant who opened the door drew hack in affright at our filthy appear- ance, not recognizing us ; but seeing Mrs. Shady, she suffered us to pass into the house, begging us to avoid touching the walls of the passage, or the banisters^ in passing. However, a present from Mrs. Shady soon quieted all her fears on this head, and procured for us the comforts of water, soap, brushes and clean linen, and in the course of some time we began to re-assume the appearance of human crea- tures. 40 dunsany : CHAP. III. At length the day came for me to begin my schooling, and with a heavy heart I set out for Harrow, Mansel having preceded me some days ; but though I went with reluctance, a very short time reconciled me to my situation, and naturally of an easy, fearless temper, I got into great favour with many boys, older and bigger than myself. I shortly became at the head of all fun and frolic, frequently decamping with a chosen set of an evening, for town, and after going to one of the theatres, hiring a chaise and four back again in the middle of the night, and giving the fellows that drove us five times more than pru- dence should have dictated. I set no value on money, from being unacquainted with the use of it : at home I never had any ; AN IRISH STORY. 41 and at Oakland s I did not want it ; but at my departure Dr. Delaval and Lady Clif- ford so amply stored my pocket, that I thought I never could see the end of my riches. Every Sunday I paid my godmother a visit, generally accompanied by Mansel; and if the weather allowed of it, she would send us to walk in the Park, or Kensing- ton Gardens, followed by Pat, whom she cloathed in a very showey livery, with white silk stockings and smart tasselled half boots, which he only wore out of doors, as when alone she was still partial to the national nicety of bare feet. But what she so kindly meant as a check on Mansel and myself, by sending Pat to look after us, as he was by many years our senior, proved a source of evil, as he led us into a great many scrapes, and taught us to utter falsehoods to avoid detection. 42 DUNSANY : On going one morning to stay a few days at Mrs. Blaney's, I was surprized to find the entrance to the house surrounded by a great crowd, and within doors, a con- stable or two. Proceeding to the drawing room I found it full of people, and nothing but noise and confusion ; I made my way up to my patroness, who was loudly ha- ranguing, but, as might be expected, she tookno notice of me. I therefore accosted a by-stander, and requested to be informed of the cause of the strange scene I now witnessed, and was briefly told that the Irish servant of the queer old lady that lodged there, had robbed the shop (a haber- dasher s) to a large amount. I now cast my eyes around, and beheld poor Pat in the custody of two ill-looking fellows, who seemed to enjoy the business with a ferocious sort of satisfaction. At length the haberdasher entered the room, and addressing Mrs. Shady, told her that AN IRISH STORY. 43 it was impossible to settle the affair without a magistrate, and therefore he insisted on taking the offender to Bow Street ; at hearing this, Pat began to whimper, and I, deeply concerned for the honour of Ire- land, stepped up to the fellows who had charge of the prisoner, and offered them my purse (none of the lightest) to let him run off. For an instant they seemed to hesitate; but, unfortunately, my propo- sition was overheard by some myrmidon of the law, then in the room, who, roughly seizing me, demanded by what right I interfered, and threatened me with condign punishment for attempting to com- pound felony. I quickly freed myself from his rude grasp, and my godmother strongly reproved him, desiring him to learn better manners than to dare lay his brutal paws on the descendant of an Irish king; then bidding a servant call a coach, as soon as it arrived she led the way to it, followed 44 DUNSANY : by myself, the prosecutor, Pat and the two constables. Arrived at Bow Street, after the haberdasher had told his story, and made it out clearly that he had been de- frauded of between twenty and thirty pounds, Mrs. Shady, in a voice of great authority, bade Pat stand forth and con- fess the whole extent of his plaguy thievishness. The court appeared much diverted at the expense of my worthy rela- tive ; and the laugh that went round was not abated by Pat's falling at her feet, and beseeching her forgiveness ; and then he would tell a bit of " all how," and about it. " Speak to the purpose then, you blubbering bogtrotter," said Mrs. Blaney, " and let us come to a right understanding of your wickedness." " Oh ! faith, as to that," he replied, " you know the chief part of it already ; but didn't I leave Ireland to serve you? And wasn't you nursed by my own sweet grandmother ? And did'nt she belong AN IRIftH iTORY. 45 to Kilkenny ? And ar n't the streets pared with marvel ? And wasn't there loud waking for her when she died ? And did'nt my own dear father (Murphy Plunket) treat them all to whiskey and tobacco, though he had not a stiver to pay for it, and my own aunt, Judy M c Farline lay, as it were, in a trance for three days, in the whiskey fever ? And so, when I came to London I saw every thing so gay and so fine ; but then I had no money at all. So then comes Mr. Millegan, a gentleman of Ire- land, and he lived in a garret ; for he says to me, says he, " my fortune is a little the worse for wear, and I have been obliged to condescend to a few little tricks unbe- coming a gentleman of Ireland, and so, faith, I am obliged to sculk about at night, for fear of the rascally magistrates." And he brought me acquainted with two more of my countrymen, and we used to play cards every moment I could spare time to 46 DUNSANY *. get there, Sundays and all, "for," said they, " we only follow the example set us by the great in this country, who, instead of saying their prayers, are swindling, or, as it is called, pigeoning the unwary out of their last penny;" I was always on the lo- sing side, and as I could not reckon, they kept the score for me; and when they found I had no money, they swore to mur- der me. Then Mr. Millegan proposed to me to rob my mistress ; but I said, millions should not tempt me to the act. " Then," said another, "plunder the fellow she lodges with ;" so they gave me a bunch of keys which I fitted to the till, and I made free to borrow rather more than twenty pounds ; and now I have made my confession, and I am sorry for what I have done ; but not another word will any of you get, as long as my name is Pat Plunket. Pat's con- fession convulsed the by-standers with laughter ; and Mrs. Shady, addressing the AN IRISH STORY. 47 bench, proposed that they should make a public example of the young offender by privately whipping him. This national mistake caused a roar at her expense, which, when subsided, the prosecuting party acceded to a sort of compromise proposed by a gentleman present, who seemed to feel for the situation of poor Mrs. Blaney. In short, on her consenting to pay the amount of the loss sustained by the haberdasher, and to have Pat sent on board a tender, this unpleasant affair came to a finish : the money was paid down, and poor Pat in- stantlv given over to the custodv of an officer belonging to a tender, but not before I had found an opportunity of transferring the contents of my pocket into his. My godmother and I then returned home to pack up and remove to other apartments, she not chusing to retain her lodgings after what had happened. 48 dunsany : CHAP. IV. The happy day for revisiting Cheshire at last arrived, and Mrs. Blaney, accompanied by Mansel and myself, set out for that loved abode. Nothing could exceed the joy of our meeting on all sides ; Euphemia had learned two new songs, which she accompanied delightfully on the piano-forte. Nothing could be more happy than we all were together. Lady Clifford frequently made me read to her ; and to that accom- plished lady I was indebted for a clear- ness of expression, and losing in a great degree the Irish accent, which, when I first visited England, rendered me almost unin- telligible. • Mrs. Shady was particularly fond of young people, and always willing to con- tribute to their amusement. Christmas, AN IRISH STORY. 49 at an old family mansion, fall of gay com- pany, is generally a festive season. Not unfrequently of an evening ten or a dozen of us would importune her for a story, bor- dering on the marvellous, as with such recitals the memory of my patroness was well stored. Two stories in particular made so strong an impression on me, that I cannot repress my inclination to relate them. THE WITCHES' STORY. Recited BY MRS. SHADY O'BLARNEY. That part of Ireland where my father resided, was surrounded by innumerable poor and miserably illiterate peasants. — His nearest neighbour of equal rank with himself, lived at the distance of five or six miles ; however, as my father inherited this vol. z. D 50 DUNS ANY : estate from a distant branch of his family, so he resolved to make the best of it, and to begin by becoming known to his poor neighbours, and alleviating the misery of their condition. He had not long resided in his new man- sion ere frequent contributions were levied on his purse, for repeated losses sustained in cattle by the adjoining peasantry ; — one man losing his cow, another a wretched animal of a horse, and so on. After n time, my father began to doubt the reality of these unceasing losses ; but speaking to a neighbour one day on the subject, the man flatly affirmed that the witch had a hand in all this devastation. My father laughed immoderately at such a ridiculous assertion, but he was soon convinced the other was in earnest, when he proceeded to inform him, that two poor old wretched women, who had for a vast length of time inhabited a miserable hovel, AN IRISH STORY. 51 on the edge of a swamp, were suspected of practising witchcraft. Nothing that my father could urge was of any avail with his unenlightened neigh- bour — the man's opinion became a very genera] one, and was, as if with one consent, adopted by the whole of the peasantry in that immediate neighbourhood, and their indignation excited against these wretched females, whose appearance depictured fa- mine and misery in its most woeful colour- ing ; and on a scrutinizing enquiry being made as to their way of life, it was ascer- tained, that in the number of years wherein they had resided in the hovel, they were never known to have expended a single penny in food or raiment. This proof of their wretched poverty was, to low minds, an absolute certainty of their guilt. The cunning man, or counteractor of sorcery, was sent for, who, after various incantations and burning the d 2 52 DUNSANY : entrails of some of the bewitched animals in question, dispatched an emissary to watch the actions of these unhappy beings. Just five minutes before this period, some person had acquainted them that a large fire had been prepared into which they were both to be thrown, to appease the fury of the populace, which had assembled for some miles round the country. The poor creatures in the utmost dis- tress and agony, were, with uplifted hands, pacing their comfortless apartment, and calling on their Maker to have mercy on them, all which signs of terror were mis- construed into supposed bodily torments, caused by the before-mentioned incanta- tions. At the very moment that a party of enraged peasants had seized these poor, trembling, unoffending women, with a de- sign of carrying them before a magistrate, my father and a large party of gentlemen AN IRISH STORY. 53 entered the hut and demanded a cessasion of hostilities against the weaker power. One of the females had fainted ; hut the other (on being encouraged) spoke as fol- lows : — " Gentlemen, you see before you two of the most miserable of the human race. We were born to a prospect of better days — from infancy we were in habits of the strict- est friendship — we embarked our all in a concern that failed — we next entered into business below what our former expecta- tions might have entitled us to, but we endeavoured to be resigned to the will of a superior power — we suffered by fire, rob- bery, and severe bodily afflictions — servi- tude became our only alternative — we passed our best days in domestic drudgery, and agreed to accompany a family (to whom we were much attached) abroad — a dread- ful storm wrecked the vessel on this coast — we two poor unfortunate wretches, d 3 54 DUNSANY : whose lives were of no consequence^ were alone left to tell the melancholy tale — bruised, maimed, and sick at heart, we crawled to this hut, dilapidated by time, and approached by no one, from a suppo- sition of its being haunted — here, weary of the ills of life, we vowed never to ask relief, or have any farther intercourse with our fellow creatures — several years we have remained unmolested, but the heavy and multiplied crimes of poverty, age, and a frightful appearance, from rags and the want of the common necessaries of life, have brought on us the horrid accusation of witchcraft, and we are told that a large fire is prepared for us. — Should such a dreadful punishment await its, may the Almighty grant that our torments may uot be long. But one moment more let me trespass on your patience. Have the goodness to look info that old iron-bound cask, which we found on coming AN IRISH STORY. 55 here ; you will then see by what means we have supported our wretched exist- ence." Every one present was deeply affected with this pathetic narration. My father shed tears at so woeful a specimen of hu- man wretchedness, for, on inspecting the cask, it was found half-full of snails co- vered with sea-water, on which alone these unhappy creatures had subsisted. It is perhaps unnecessary to add, that a liberal subscription was entered into for them, and my father had them removed to his own house, nor suffered them to depart till a decent cottage was fitted up for them, replete with every comfort, and where they ended their days in tranquillity and comparative affluence. THE CxHOST STORY. Two young men of fashion and fortune having made the tour of South Wales •56 dunsany : together, and visited every place worthy of notice, resolved, as their time admitted of it, to take a cursory view of North Wales also. If the romantic scenery and " sunny plains," of the South delighted them, how did the awful grandeur, the stupendous mountains and the gloomy stillness of the part of North Wales which they visited, impress them with the most sublime ideas ! Towards the close of one sultry day, after undergoing immense fatigue, they were exposed to a most tremendous thun- der storm, which so terrified the horse of one of their grooms, that he threw his rider, who received some severe contusions by the fall. As they had recently passed a little hut, denominated by the insignia of " New Inn," in large black painted cha- racters over the only window the house could boast, they returned and assisted the poor fel- low into it, where an old woman undertaking AN IRISH STORY. 57 his cure, after seeing him as well accom- modated as the place would permit, they left the other servant to take care of him, and the storm being over, they procured a country fellow for a guide to the nearest town, where they meant to await the ar- rival of their servants. The unavoidable delay occasioned by the accident, caused them to be overtaken by the shades of night, when they still had several miles to go. After proceeding for some length of time through a deep valley, with scarce light sufficient to see the road before them, they came close to an ancient pile of building, from whence the faint glimmer of a light from an old gothic window, gave them the pleasing intimation of its being inhabited. Here then the weary travellers resolved to ask admit- tance for the night, and directed their guide to proceed to the entrance for that purpose ; but the fellow not only refused to do so, 58 dunsany : but most urgently entreated them not to think of stopping at the castle, as it had long been haunted by a ghost that always became outrageous at the approach of strangers. The friends were highly diverted at the man's simplicity, and professing that no- thing was wanting to complete their tour but an adventure of this sort, they paid and dismissed their companion, and proceeded to a large entrance through an old heavy portal, having first secured their horses under a shed in the court yard through which they passed. Here, after knocking and calling for some time, and after de- spairing of being able to make any one hear, an old woman appeared at an iron grating in the door, and in no very pleasant voice demanded their business. On being answered that they were stran- gers, who were benighted, and earnestly begged to be admitted till the dawn of day AN IRISH STORY. 51) allowed of their pursuing their journey, she disappeared ; but soon returning, gave a cold assent to their request, slowly unbarred the door, and preceded them to an apartment that had once been sump- tuous, but the furniture was all gone to decay, and the tapestry with which it had been hung was now in tatters. She placed a lamn on the table, and then enquired if they wanted any thing more ; they pro- fessed themselves to be both hungry and thirsty, offering her a purse (which she refused) to procure them some of the com- forts tljey so much stood in need of. At length she sat before them a coarse loaf, some cheese and milk, on which unsavory fare, goaded on by a keen appetite, they made a hearty meal. When it was finished^ they enquired if they could be accom- modated with beds, being almost exhausted with fatigue ; the woman replied, that the part of the castle they were in was troubled 60 dunsany : by a ghost; that it was never made use of; and that the furniture had remained the same for near a century ; but that they were welcome to repose on the beds, such as they were, provided the evil spirit that disturbed that part of the mansion would permit their resting in quiet. On their deriding the idea of ghosts, she shook her head, and requested them not to persevere in setting at defiance what per- haps before morning they would have a dreadful certainty of. Then, taking the lamp, she led the way up a long flight of stairs to a large, gloomy gallery, after traversing which she unbolted a huge door that creaked on its hinges with a lament- able noise. Here they entered a suite of rooms that had once been magnificent, and where the old woman setting down the light, quickly disappeared. Though in the heyday of youth, blest with an unbounded share of spirits and a AN IRISH STORY. 61 large portion of courage, yet our travellers looked rather aghast at each other when left to themselves. After some time, they thought the best method they could pursue would be, to betake themselves to their comfortless, worm-eaten beds, two of which stood in the large apartment they were in, as if in mockery of former grandeur, each exhibiting tattered relics and mouldering emblems of past magnificence. Each of the friends throwing himself on his dismal couch, inwardly regretted the homely but comfortable bed he had reposed on the night before. On consult- ing their watches, they found it just past twelve o'clock ; so congratulating them- selves that the hour was past for all noc- turnal disturbances, they fell into a slumber that lasted till morning. On awaking, they laughed at the fears that they con- fessed had got hold of them the night before, and which, from the tranquillity 62 DUNSANY : they had rested in, they were convinced had their origin in superstition only. The old woman soon after appearing', recon- ducted them to the room they had occupied the night previous, and setting before them the remainder of the coarse loaf and some new milk, enquired how they had passed the night, and if they were disturbed by the horrid spectre that haunted that wing of the castle wherein they had reposed. Both strangers spoke in praise of the tranquil sleep they had enjoyed, and jest- ingly observed, that the ghost was a most courteous one, and understood the rights of hospitality, in allowing them to rest unmolested by its vagaries, in considera- tion of their being so extremely tired ; but their attendant assured them that the noises heard in that part of the castle were enough to appal the stoutest heart ; and that her- self and all the family were fain to creep into a small new-built apartment, and re- AN IRISH STORY. 63 main trembling for their lives during its terrific visitation. When the woman re- tired with the remains of their breakfast, our friends talked the matter over, and both discredited the statement they had heard. Being firmly of opinion that there was some trick in the whole affair, they resolved if possible to find it out, and the moment the old woman next appeared, they ex- pressed such an admiration for the sur- rounding country, that they most earnestly entreated her to intercede with the family that resided in the other wiuff of the castle for permission to pass one more night there, as they wished to employ the whole day in exploring the enchanting views in that neighbourhood. Their request being complied with, after forcing a considerable present on the old woman, they mounted their horses and made their way to the next town ; here, after seeing their horses 64 dunsany : well taken care of, and making themselves amends for their poor fare at the castle, they purchased a dark lanthorn, and each procured a pistol with a good supply of powder and shot, and, towards the close of day, they again retraced their way to the old castle, and arriving there just be- fore dark, they secured their horses under the same shed as the night previous, and proceeded to explore the premises. They were somewhat surprized at finding one part of the castle in very good repair ; and climbing up to a green terrace, they got a view of a sitting room, tolerably modern, in one part of which sat a female that appeared young, but the imperfect light did not permit their ascertaining whether she was handsome ; they there- fore returned to the door where they had first gained admittance, and where their old conductress speedily appeared to usher them to their dreary apartment. AN IRISH STORY. 65 During supper, they questioned her about the lady they had seen, and enquired if she was young and handsome, married or single, but their attendant seemed very back- ward in replying to these interrogatories, and assured them she was liable to deaf- ness at any change of weather, and she thought rain must be near, by her old malady being about to attack her with unusual severity. After lighting them up stairs, she disappeared, as on the former night, and they instantly prepared their lanthorn, and hid it under an old chair ; then loading their pistols, and each placing one beside him, they laid down on their beds, and agreeing they would not speak a word, all was presently wrapt in uni- versal silence. After they had remained unmolested for so long a space of time that sleep had nearly overtaken them, they were aroused by the most dolorous screams that could 66 DUNSANY : possibly assail mortal ears. Still, accord- ing to their agreement, they stirred not to these screams. Peals of laughter, suc- ceeded as if in fiend-like exultation, and pre- sently fire seemed to issue from four or five different parts of the room — all then was still for some moments, when such a divine air of vocal and instrumental music burst on them, seemingly from the centre of the wall, on a side of the room that had neither door nor window, that the friends could not resist the impulse of softly steal- ing to that part of the room from whence the melody seemed to flow, and one of them forgetting their prudent determina- tion of silence, exclaimed, " That strain again ! it had a dying fall. Oh! it came o'er my ear like the sweet South that breathes upon a bank of violets, stealing and giving odour — " but his quotation was scarcely finished, when a deep sigh caused them to turn in AN IRISH STORY. 67 oine trepidation, and they beheld a gi- ;antic figure arrayed in white standing lose to them, whilst a faint, bluish light hat gleamed around the figure, discovered he form of a skeleton. They started in ismay on viewing their unwelcome vi- itant ; but one of them creeping to the lace where the lanthorn was deposited, uddenly opened it, when the blaze of light >ecame too much for the spectre, who, hrieking in a voice perfectly human, fled hrough an aperture in one of the pannels >f the room, closely pursued by both gen- lemen ; the sprite flew down long pas- ages, up flights of stairs, and through arious doors, slamming them with a force hat strongly bespoke it to be a ghost endowed with a mortal dread of being liscovered. At length, panting, it rushed nto a room where sat the very lady the riends had seen from the terrace, who, •ising in great affright, helped to disen- 68 DUNS ANY : cumber the poor ghost-player from her terrific head dress., and to reduce her im- mense height a foot or two, when % the spectre assumed the appearance of a very beautiful young woman, and joined in the laugh occasioned by the termination of the night's adventure ; the ladies candidly avowing, that their motive for keeping up the report of the castle being haunted was, as they had it on very moderate terms, just suited to a small and limited income, they were in great dread, from its romantic situation, of its being purchased, and thereby having another dwelling to seek. It had therefore been their constant custom to introduce all strangers into that miserable, dilapidated wing of the castle, where, aided by an old and faithful servant, such un- pleasant accounts were given of the disturbed stateof that part of the mansion, that several had been deterred from buying it. The two friends having now become AN IRISH STORY. 69 confidants of the ladies, readily accepted an invitation to remain a few days their guests, and comfortable apartments were provided for them in that wing of the castle that had been repaired and tolerably mo- dernized. In talking over the ghost ad- venture, the gentlemen were informed that the mansion had formerly been the resort of smugglers, who had made several of the partitions of the rooms in that old part of the house to slide back, and had cut away the flooring in several parts and placed trap doors over, so well fitted, that they could scarce be discernable, through which they lowered the contraband articles they dealt in, to an immense cavern that ran a vast way under the castle walls ; it therefore required but little ingenuity to carry on the deception of the premises being haunted. The friends were not only charmed with the situation of the castle, but with its occu- piers also, and they resolved to purchase it 70 DUNS ANY *. together, and put it into complete repair, having prevailed on the sisters to give them a legal right to protect them from the ills but. too frequently arising fVpm straightened finances. After the purchase was completed, the old haunted apartments were pulled down, and a modern edifice erected on its, sate ; the tattered furniture was removed to make way for every thing that taste could devise, or wealth procure ; and the old gloomy mansion, in a very abort time, became one of the most cheer- ful, elegant residences in that part of the country. CHAP. V. Some years glided on in the happiest manner. Mrs. Blaney lived in an easy, pleasant style in London, and every winter we passed six weeks, to my heart's content, in Cheshire ; but the happy way in which AN IRISH STORY. 71 I lived did not render me forgetful of my other ties : I wrote frequently to my father and mother, and now and then got answers. Of my brothers I also often heard. Lucius, the eldest, ran off at twenty, with ons of the nine daughters of an Irish earl, then in her sixteenth year. On the young couple's earnest solicitation for pardon, the carl readily granted their request, professing there was not the least necessity for their taking such a step from the fear of his withholding his consent, as the fortune of Lady Juliet was comprised in the clothes ?he went off in. Lucius, who was desperately in love, suffered no diminution of regard for the air object of his affections on hearing his, which so well pleased the earl, that le exerted his interest in his favour with jo much success, that he was almost im- nediately gazetted, major of a regiment of iragoons. 72 DUNSANY *. * My two next brothers, Charles and Clanwilliam, were both of them captains in the army, pushed on by the interest of my mother's only brother, Sir loicius Montgomery, who had a regiment of his own, in which my fourth brother, named Montgomery after him, was a subaltern. My uncle had lately been appointed to a high command in India, whither Charles had gone with him in the capacity of aide- de-camp, and Montgomery as military se- cretary. I ardently longed to be of the same profession as my brothers, but my inclina- tions were overruled, Mrs. Shady being obstinately bent on leading me progress- ively to the bench. Mansel and Euphemia were the con- fidants of my dissatisfaction at the pro- fession chosen for me ; but though we devised several plans, yet they were of no avail, and matters went on much as here- tofore. AN IRISH STORY. 73 I must not omit mentioning to my readers a very singular, not to say dis- agreeable, habit of Mrs. Shady, which was, smelling her fork or spoon at meal times. I had been so accustomed to this, and contrasted with the elegance of Dr. Delay al's board my father s was so wholly different, that when this was pointed out to me by Euphemia during one of our visils at Oaklands, I could not help ex- pressing my surprize at her persevering in so strange a behaviour. At my father s, there was always a great deal of plate littering about on shelves and window-seats, which, as well as I recollect, had imbibed the hue of saffron, encrusted with grease and dirt; therefore, when Mrs. Shady (who was often there) smelt to a fork or spoon, it excited no particular ob- servation, though sometimes my mother would say " Dogherty shall clean the plate a-bit to-morrow;" however, as Dogherty VOL. I. E 74 DUNSANY I either forgot his orders, or had plenty else to do, the plate remained as usual. But at Dr. Delaval's, the case was wholly different. Such elegance, beauty and neatness were visible in every part of his comfortable mansion, that I was astonished Mrs. Shady should persevere in so strange and offensive a peculiarity. " I have mentioned it to mama," said Euphemia, " but she was excessively angry with me, and she says she loves and re- pects Mrs. Blaney too well to have any of her little eccentricities made the sport of such an ignorant girl as I am ; but I know it is exceedingly ill-mannered to smell your fork or spoon. Grandpapa has made me read Lord Chesterfield on polite- ness, and he particularly mentions what an ungenteel thing it would be to smell your meat on a fork; and poor old Hud- son looks ready to sink when she does it, and frecmently removes the plate near her, AN IRISH STORY. 75 for fear there might he a spat or dull mark upon it. 1 declare, Dunsany, I love Mrs. Blaney almost as well as you do, or mama either, and I am ready to cry when I see the observation and laughter so strange a habit causes." I was secretly vexed that the oddities of my worthy god- mother had become so notorious, and 1 ventured to mention my chagrin on the subject to Lady Clifford. That amiable lady entered at once into my feelings, and promised to laugh Mrs. Blaney out of a ridiculous custom that could only arise from want of thought ; at the same time cautioning me against being too prone to observe failings where so much deference (on my part) was due. A few days after this conversation, Lady Clifford (in a way peculiarly her own, and at which the most fastidious could take no exception) mentioned the subject to Mrs. Blaney. e2 76 DUNSANY : That good-natured woman thanked her, and promised to be on her guard in future against making herself a butt by such odious behaviour ; " but, faith my dear jady," she continued, " the fault rests with a villainous butler I had, who changed away all my plate from Castle Blarney and put mock silver over brass in place of it ; and I used to be poisoned by the smell; and he would keep his hunters and treat with claret ; and when I would enquire how this was done, Oh ! his aunt, Mrs. Larry, could afford to give him plenty of money ; so Mrs. Larry died one day, and scarce left enough to pay the waking at her funeral; — then I began to open my eyes, and I sent for Lawyer Rook, who found out all about it, and put him to prison, I threw all the plated rubbish to the dogs, and soon after removed to a snug little cot I had near my cousin Mountstuart's, and Lawyer Rook let out AN IRISH STORY. 77 all my lands to great advantage, taking care always to keep a good portion of my money in his hands ; hut then, he says, that since the union we are all obliged to pay heavy taxation ; — a plague on them all that could not let dear little Ireland rest in its original state !" My patroness was strongly attached to her native country, from which nothing but her regard for me could have so long detained her. I often smile when reflecting upon her be haviour at a city party, to which we were introduced to witness that preposterous pageantry, my lord mayor s show. The friend that took us there being un- expectedly called away, we were left at the mercy of the company, most of whom seemed inclined to quiz the old Irish lady, whose dress and whole appearance was (I confess) that day unusually outre. A vast number of witticisms passed both e3 78 DUNSANY : before and during dinner at the expense of our country, which Mrs. Shady passed over in contemptuous silence ; but after dinner the attack became more home. " Pray, madam/' said a very young lady, address- ing my godmother, " have you any bread in Ireland, or in fact any thing but pota- toes ? Oh !" (she proceeded without wait- ing for a reply to her well-bred question) " how I should hate Ireland, where they call potatoes fruit !" u As to Ireland," said a gruff-looking old man, whose portly appearance bespoke him strongly inclined towards the good things of this life, " as to Ireland, they does as they pleases in those there out- landish places, but I says, says I, old England is good enough for me." " Yes, surely, my dear," replied a stiff thin lady, gaudily dressed, " with your fortun you can command any thing this country pro- duces, and as to going to them there AN IRISH STORY. 79 foreign parts when one can live at home, I have no notion of it;" then turning to Mrs. Shady, " I have heard, ma'am," she continued, " that at your Irish dinners and suppers, if a gentleman only looks at a lady, (an Irish one I mean), she directly answers, Port, if you please." " Very possibly, ma'am," replied my patroness, good-humou redly, " or claret, if you please, either." " As to claret," said the gruff old gentle- man, " I dos'nt envy them that, not I, old port is quite good enough for me." M Really, Sir Peter," shrieked his lady, " your vulgar manners makes me ashamed of you. Port indeed! I wonder you can go about to so shamefully xm&ervalee your- self ; why didn't you treat with all sorts of wines when you was chosen warden of the company ? And pray what said Sir Jeremy Griskin to me on that occasion ? — Why, says he tome, ' My dear old quintessence of 80 DUNS ANY : all that's odious, (for he's very runny, and you must always take his queer speeches for complimenting), says he, the " " Pooh, pooh, wife," surlily interrupted the knight, " what signifies what that jackanapes said ?" " I have heard, ma'am," resumed the persevering lady of Sir Peter, addressing Mrs. Shady, " that all you Irish boast of having a park and fifteen hundred a year ; at that rate, Ireland must be a monstra- shious rich place." " Aye, aye," cried the city knight, im- patiently, " but then, child, you know it is only for one year they reckon at that rate." This attempt at wit had such an effect on the company, that they were convulsed with laughter. My patroness waited very calmly for a little cessation from their mirth, when, taking her heretofore un- tasted glass of wine, " Ladies and gentle- AN IRISH STORY. 81 men;' said she, " I have the honour of drinking hetter manners to ye all ; ' then, rising, she beckoned me to follow, and withdrew, leaving them nearly overcome with confusion. CHAP. VI. The period now arrived when I had done with school. Mansel had left it about half a year before me, and had re- turned to Oaklands, where, on joining those beloved friends, the first painful emotion I ever felt was, at perceiving his visible admiration of Euphemia, (whom I adored). She also appeared much attached to him, which was a source of great pain to me ; though had I been less interested, I could have readily admitted that her re- gard for Mansel was more like that of a sister to a favourite brother, than of a na- 82 DUNSANY I tare to cause me the misery I frequently experienced. Dr. Delaval seemed anxious to promote a mutual affection between them; and I frequently sighed in secret at behold- ing the happy Mansel favoured with the hand of Euphemiain the dance, or cho- sen by her grandfather to be her escort on horseback, or her charioteer in an open carriage, in preference to myself; but from Euphemia I received many proofs of re- gard that made me some amends, and Lady Clifford was partiality itself towards me. At last Mansel and I were entered at the same college at Oxford, and were both of us much pleased with our situation. Mansel, who was only placed at college as a mere form, requisite to complete the education of a gentleman, had far more spare time than I who was designed for a profession ; but such was his friendship AN IRISH STORY. 83 for me, that he passed most of his leisure hours in my company, and would seldom accept an invitation abroad, if not in my power to go also. He was in short ex- tremely amiable ; and but for the dreaded idea that Euphemia might love him better than she did me, I should have regarded him (herself excepted) beyond any earthly being". On our quitting Oxford, Mansel re- turned to Oaklands, and I was entered at the Temple by the advice of Dr. Delaval. Being utterly averse to any profession bu1 the army, I paid very little attention to that chosen for me, consequently made but slow progress towards the bench, or, as Mrs. Shady termed it, the long robe and big wig. In short, when I reflected at all on the subject, and took a survey of myself in a glass, it appeared an utter impos- sibility for my features ever to assume the austere severity, the immoveable gravity, 84 dunsany: not to say a portion of that inflexibility requisite to form the unutterable and dig- nified countenance of a judge. Neither did I think the elastic bound of my footsteps exactly calculated to support the dignity of the ermined robe. Time, Mrs. Shady assured me, would ultimately remove these objections. Time, she said, would imperceptibly cast the sombre shade of reflection over mv coun- tenance ; would steady the wildness of my disposition, and eventually bring me to a fit sense of my own incorrigibility. But I only laughed at what I called musty aphorisms. My path appeared strewed with roses, and I thought not of the thorns that lay hid beneath. Still, at times, my preference for the army remained in full force, and I often- times became restless and irritated at being chained to the dry study of the law. My ardent spirit caused me to pant for an op- AN IRISH STORY. 85 portunity to signalize myself as my uncle and some of my brothers had done, and to gain a portion of those laurels so gloriously obtained by the British army. v - Now all the youth of England are on fire ; Now thrive the armourers, and honours thought Reigns solely in the breast of every man." Euphemia too wa9 partial to the army, from its having been the profession of her father, whose untimely death she fre- quently deplored to me with tears. " Still let me for such a feeling loss." Lady Clifford, on the contrary, though she considered the army the most honour- able profession in the world, yet she had suffered too acutely in the loss of her hus- band not to tremble at the probable dan- gers that awaited me, should I pursue the DUNS ANY : bent of my inclination. She therefore strenuously opposed my wishes on that head, so that I had nothing left but to drudge on (very unwillingly, I confess) in the line chalked out for me. Mrs. Shady made frequent parties for me, to divert the chagrin I visibly laboured under. She had, during a short visit to Cheltenham when I was not with her, met with some of her country folks, and pre- vailed on them to come to town to pass a few months. One lady of the party she was particularly partial to — she was the widow of Sir Ulic OCalligan, and had, in her youth, been a celebrated beauty. The hand of time had left very slight traces of her former charms ; yet the same vanity was predominant at near fifty, that, at less than half that age, had led her to sigh for unbounded admiration, also for the attainment (if possible) of a coronet ; how- ever, the fates were against the matrimonial AN IRISH STORY. 87 speculations of the lady, and poor Miss M c Guire at past thirty, had the only alterna- tive either of being branded with the odious appellation of old maid, or becoming the fifth wife of Sir Ulic O'Calligan, a man old enough to be her grandfather, and disagree- able in every respect. After her release from her ancient bar- gain, her ladyship, who was determined on being married again, had frequented every place of public resort throughout Ireland ; and having, when a slim graceful figure, been famed for her dancing, more particu- larly for the ease and agility with which she performed the jig step, so her egregious self-love blinded her to the alteration in her figure, which had become large and coarse, consequently her affectation of youth, fulness only subjected her to derision ; so, pitying the want of taste in her own coun- trymen, that could so little appreciate her charms, she resolved to try her fortune 88 DUNS ANY : amongst the English, and therefore joined a party of friends at Cheltenham, where her vanity received the utmost gratifica- tion, as crowds came to see Lady O c Cal- ligan dance, and to amuse themselves at her expense ; yet such was her folly, that she received all the compliments paid her in derision as profound truisms, and, at the end of the gay season at Cheltenham, she came up to town, no doubt with the cruel design of causing all her female competitors to die with envy; probably, with the determined barbarity of capti- vating, and absolutely enslaving, the hearts of all the men. Soon after Lady O'Calligans arrival in town, Mrs. Shady gave a ball, purposely to show off the dancing of her friend. I don't know why, but so it was, this fat Irish woman was my aversion. Judge then of my mortification when I found her my destined partner for the evening ; and AN IRI9H STORY. 89 Jiow did I execrate the officiousness of Mrs. Shady, that led her in my name to solicit an honour I would have flown to the extremity of the universe to have avoided. To my utter dismay, the dow- ager, to cut a superior figure beyond any of the company, came attired in an old court suit, stretched over an immense hoop — the very dress, my godmother whispered me, in which she was presented at the castle on her marriage. It was chiefly composed of orange satin, and her large person, and high complexion, gave her the appearance of being encompassed in flames. Besides being so very much increased in circum- ference since the dress was made, the hoop was considerably taken up ; therefore, her legs and feet, (none of the smallest), like- wise clothed in flame-colour, were greatly exposed. To remonstrate with my godmother was useless; for not five minutes elapsed from 90 DUNSANY : her communication to me and the entrance of my destined partner. A smothered titter that went round the room amongst the female part of the com- pany gave the first intimation of her ar- rival ; and the next moment I was loudly called on hy Mrs. Shady, who, placing the large-palmed hand of Lady O'Calligan in mine, congratulated me on my good fortune in obtaining so accomplished a partner, and bade me try my very best dancing. It is so natural to an Irishman to dance well, that perhaps her caution would have been needless had I not unfortunately re- collected, that the last time I danced, Eu- phemia was my partner, and I became so abstracted, that the jig steps, and all the attractive graces of her ladyship, were utterly lost upon me, though I was not quite insensible to the ridicule her appearance created, nor indeed of my own share in contributing to that effect; for I was so AN IRISH STORY. 91 negligent, and kept at so formal a distance from her, that the younger part of the company quizzed my want of gallantry very liberally. I felt quite relieved when supper was announced, and, for the first time during the evening, joyfully offered my hand to the dowager ; and leading her to the table at which Mrs. Shady presided, I took my seat beside her, and in helping those near me, endeavoured to dispel my chagrin. A very pretty rattling girl sat on my other hand, with whom I entered into conversation, and finding she had friends in the neighbourhood of Chester, was beginning on the subject nearest my heart, namely, my Euphemia, when I was most provokingly interrupted by Mrs. Shady, who enjoined silence, as Lady O'Calligan was going to favour the company with a favourite national air, and she called upon me to accompany her, this I fl at v refused; and my lively, lovely neighbour, was so di- 92 DUNS ANY : verted at my cold manner of refusing Mrs. Shady's request, and entered so archly into the folly of the scene, that I thought she would have fallen into fits, from the con- trariety of her feelings ; for looking across the table, I beheld the frowning counte- nance of a severe looking old lady full upon her. My beautiful neighbour whis- pered me, it was her aunt, " who," said she, " always watches me in company, lest my predilection for the ridiculous should carry me too far." The song had now commenced, and eight or ten verses got over, when, by some accident, a candle caught the end of one of Lady O'Calligan's long ostrich fea- thers, that formed part of her stupendous head dress, and the confusion that ensued happily put an end to the singing. After the company had departed, I was compelled to listen to my patroness, who began an elaborate detail of the grace, AN IRISH STORY. 93 beauty and accomplishments of her fair friend ; and the subject as well as the ob- ject of the suffrage being so wholly indif- ferent to me, I cut the matter short by readily assenting to all she said, and when I returned to mv chambers, soon forgot (in sleep) all recollection of my divine partner. Soon after Mrs. Shady's ball, I was in- vited with her to a gay party, which I did not the less readily join from learning the fat dowager was not to be present ; though I found her the theme of con versation with several who had met her ladyship at Mrs. Blaney's. " Lady O'Calligan is so large and heavy," said an elegantly formed young lady, " that I wonder she likes to draw the attention of the public to her dancing." " She must be at once an unfeeling, bold creature," cried an old lady, " with her jig steps and such sort of folly, for I am sure she is considerably my senior, and I have 94 DUNSANY : not danced " " Since the coronation," said a young man, with a sly look at the younger part of the company. " But," said an elderly gentleman, " ex- cept that all comparisons are allowed to be odious, one must be induced to greatly favour our own fair countrywomen at the expense of this gigantic figurante ; and I sum up the whole of what I would say, in doubting the nice sense of propriety, in fact the delicacy of the lady in question." " You are all in the wrong, quite in the wrong box, I tell ye," vociferated Mrs. Shady, who had sat very impatiently during this conversation, " Lady OCalligan is, I can assure you, quite a prude." This speech had such an effect on the company, that I thought some of them would have died of laughter ; and a very pretty young lady, with more flippancy than good breeding, ridiculed the idea of Irish prudery, and, indeed, seemed in her AN IRISH STORY. 95 * attack uncharitably disposed towards our whole nation. Mrs. Shady warmly retorted, and al- leged, that Ireland could produce as many patterns of female excellence as any other nation under the sun ; and that all the good qualities were not confined to the fair sex either ; for not many miles from her castle there had formerly dwelt a her- mit. " A hermit !" reiterated several at once, and laughing vehemently. " Really, ma- dam," said a fashionahle looking young man, " an Irish hermit must be a rara avis, a perfect unique in nature. What, I presume he ate herbs only and drank of the limpid stream, occasionally heightened by the flavour of whiskey or usquebaugh. ,, I couid no longer restrain my impa- tience ; but stepping up to the last speaker, I told him, that however the fair sex were privileged to utter their sentiments, yet 96 DUN8ANY : having the honour to be born an Irishman, neither could I, nor would permit any man to east the slightest reflection on my country; then presenting him with my address on a card, I resumed my seat. Mrs. Blaney questioned me when we got home on the subject of my conference with the above-mentioned gentleman, as I had spoken to him ap^rt from the company. She greatly commended my spirit and courage. " Och ! Ireland for ever !" she exclaimed, " where all the lads are candle- snuffers. Why now, d'ye think, boy, I would ever have married Mr. Shady G'Blarney, though he had a grand estate, (a little out at elbows by the bye), and was cousin German to Lord what's his name, and all that ; and what though he was ugly enough to frighten the crows, and blind of an eye, yet I should never have thought of accepting him had he not fought thirteen duels, and promised me to AN IRISH STORY. 97 make them up the dozen and half before he died. But of what avail are promises ? the seventieth duel he was engaged in he was shot dead as a flounder ; so I was very well pleased that he kept his word with me, as far as he was able !" When I retired, I examined my pistols and got them in readiness ; I then wrote a farewell letter to my Euphemia (to be delivered to her in the event of my falling) ; also one to a friend of mine, requesting him to be my second ; for I fully expected to be called out the next day. But all my precautions were needless ; for though I remained at home ten days, I heard nothing from the gentleman. I then vowed to post him for a coward, go where I would, until my friend, in convulsive peals ot laughter, reminded me that I did not even know his name. VOL. I. 98 dons any: CHAP. VII. Lady Clifford had made a point with m e to correspond with her, as she kindly said my letters afforded her amusement, though I knew the motives of that charming woman were to accustom me to express myself with freedom on paper. To her respected father I sometimes wrote; and with Mansel I kept up a close correspond- ence, because from him I heard of Eu- phemia ; for he was so much in love that his letters were filled with her praises. To that idol of my soul I now and then wrote, and now and then got a few lines in return. " Dear Dunsany," said she to me when we parted, " make no fuss about asking leave to write to me, I have so many scribbling friends, that your letters will in the mass cause no suspicion. And mama loves you entirely, and will not, I AN IRISH STORY. 99 am certain, be angry, should she discover that we correspond." " O Euphemia !" cried I, "you recon- cile me to life when I was thinking of dying for your sake. And why not death rather than living torments. To die is to be banished from myself. Euphemia is myself, banished from her is self from self." Euphemia smiled through her tears, and instantly replied, " I will not listen to this folly. u Men have died from time to time, and worms have eat them : but not for love." I was greatly mortified at finding that both Mrs. Shady and Lady O'Calligan took it into their heads, that the duel I was so near being engaged in was on ac- count of something disrespectful said of the latter. It was in vain I asserted that it was in the cause of my beloved country that I took umbrage. It was all non- f2 100 DUN SAN Y : sense, Mrs. Shady said, and no one would believe it possible, that a fine young man (an Irishman too) could be insensible to the charms of a most beautiful and ac- complished female. I sighed at the ob- servation. I was, alas ! but too much engaged with the image of one lovely fe- male ; and I could have averred with truth, that insensibility formed no part of my composition. My sigh was misinterpreted by my godmother, who, after some raillery at my so clumsily carrying on the farce, set it down that I was over head and ears in love w 7 ith the dowager. It was to no purpose I protested that I respected and regarded her ladyship as my countrywoman, and nothing farther. She would not listen to me, but made out a romantic story to Lady OCalligan, which led that benign charitably disposed lady to give me such flattering encouragement, that I must have been blind indeed not to AN IRISH STORY. 101 have perceived that my own consent alone was wanting to cause me to be nominated as successor to the once happy Sir Ulic. One day, after Mrs. Shady had been for some time haranguing on the beauty and brilliant qualifications of her fair friend, I became so exasperated, that, starting from my chair, I told her, if I was to be so eter- nally pestered on a subject so utterly dis- agreeable to me, I would instantly bid her adieu, and go into the army. She appeared somewhat startled at my vehemence, and declared she had only my good at heart in wishing to promote a match that would be the making of my fortune; but that for her part, she verily feared I was mad, for she never saw so altered a being since I had left Cheshire ; that she heartily blamed Ladv O'Calligan for so sadly misplacing her affections ; that I was a fellow without gratitude or am- bition, and totally unworthy of being so f 3 102 dunsany: highly distinguished ; and if I would not stick to the profession made choice of for me by my mother and herself, I might go hang or drown myself, for what she cared. Company coming in, happily ended our altercation before it was carried too far for pardon to be solicited or accorded on either side ; but hearing from Mansel that Euphemia was paying a visit in the neighbourhood of S — — , I took a French leave, and sat off for that ancient town, famed for its enchanting situation, the extreme loveliness of its females, and its unrivalled walk along Sabrina's limpid stream. On my arrival, I found, to my infinite chagrin, that my Euphemia had only the day before departed with a gay party to Harrowgate ; here then ended all my high-flown expectations of the delight with which I had flattered myself Eu- phemia would have received me. Crest fallen, I was compelled to return to town* AN IRISH STORY. 103 and in a somewhat different style to the way I had travelled down. In short, my finances neither permitted my following my Euphemia, or flying back in that swiftest of all conveyances, a chaise and four, without the incumbrance of any lug- gage, save a small portmanteau, which, in the rapid progress of my journey, I contrived to lose. Miserably out of spirits at being disappointed in meeting with Euphemia, I ordered a place to be procured for me for London in one of those jolting, disagreeable vehicles, yclept stage coach. On my entrance early next morning into my close-smelling conveyance, I found two seats already occupied by an old lady and a plain dressed, respectable looking man. No sooner had our tumbrel began to scroope along the rugged pavement, than the old lady began to get talkative. After the usual English introductory pre- J 04 DUNSANY : face, (the weather), she proceeded to en- quire if I was a stranger in that part of the country. u Entirely so," was my reply. " And pray, sir, what do yon think of onr good old town ?" I answered, that having passed a very few honrs in it, and the principal part of that time in sleep, I conld not possibly give an opinion on the subject. Our fellow travellers smiled. a Really, Mr. Sniggers," said the old lady, " I don't see any thing to smile at in my plain question." " But the young gentleman, my good madam, avows himself to be a perfect stranger." " Suppose he is, I thought he might just have taken a survey of the town, by a stroll in the quarry, a peep at the new church, and " 6 Pray, amongst your lions, don't omit AN IRISH STORY. 105 the white-washed gothic window of a cer- tain ancient pile," interrupted Mr. Snig- gers. c Oh ! you are there, are you," cried the old lady, " always at that old gothic window; I am fairly tired with perpetu- ally hearing of it whenever we chance to meet together." " Sir, (addressing me), " that same old window was crusted over with the dust and dirt of ages ; so, as it was a striking object, what does one of the church war- dens do, but had the old, heavy frame-work painted quite fresh and clean, and all round about it nicely white washed, at once giving a pretty, lightsome, modern appear- ance to an old smoaky, dingy window, I can't say how many hundred years old." " A barbarous act in an enlightened age !" I exclaimed. " It is to be presumed, the church war- 106 DUNSANY *. den was no antiquary," drily observed Sniggers. The old lady seemed to scorn a reply, and we journeyed on in silence a few miles, until the sight of a noble mansion drew from me some observations. " Some faults are found with that mag- nificent structure," said Mr. Sniggers, " by those who are, or affect to be, judges of architecture ; but it strikes people in gene- ral as a noble building. The father of its present possessor was a man only known to be beloved ; — never again shall I wit- ness such hospitality, such condescension, such general urbanity, as was combined in this regretted nobleman. To him the supplicant never sued in vain ; — from his door the needy were never turned empty away ; — his sumptuous board was the seat of festive conviviality ; — and when he was suddenly snatched from his adoring ad- herents, not an eye but wept the tribute of AN IRISH STORY. 107 his worth — not a voice but feelingly ex- claimed, * We ne'er shall look upon his like again.' ' We now relapsed into our former si- lence, which, as heretofore, was broken by the loquacity of our female companion. (i I really don't know any people that have more to boast of than we Salopians," cried she, addressing herself to Mr. Sniggers, though evidently designing her conversa- tion for me, probably provoked at my ap- parent stupidity, for I could not rally my spirits sufficiently even to enter on the most common-place topics. " Pretty well, pretty well, as to that," answered he. " You are never satisfied, Mr. Sniggers, with your pretty wells indeed ; I say, I don't fancy there's e'er a town in England or Wales, let alone Ireland, Scotland, 01 108 DUNSANY : France, that can boast of such beautiful ladies as we can ; we will not even ex- cept the seraglio of the grand seignior." " Whilst we are on this extensive search after beauty/' replied Sniggers, laughing, " though," continued he more seriously, " I could never comprehend how the women of Lancashire obtained the appel- lation of witches, in preference to those of our county, who are undoubtedly richly gifted in the witchery of beauty." That's what I say," rejoined the old lady, " we certainly have a great deal to boast — there's our ladies ; there's the Severn running almost round our town ; our handsome bridges, and our unequalled salmon ! ! !" "If you are not straitened for time, sir/' said Mr. Sniggers to me, " you would find a great deal at Birmingham well worth inspection." " And of all peo- ple, those manufacturers are the most AN IRISH STORY. 109 horrid/' exclaimed the old lady. " I was not about to comment on the manners of Birmingham people, Mrs. Pratt," coldly answered Mr. Sniggers, " or their accom- plishments, farther than within the pre- cincts of their numerous employments." " The most odious purse-proud crea- tures," cried she, " and so arrogant at semblies, as if they carried their money- about with them. I never sees any of them, but I bless myself for belonging to a place that is above trade." " Pooh! pooh ! woman," retorted Sniggers, u how can you utter such absurd nonsense ; a pretty figure we should cut if any of our towns refused to trade. Buonaparte has" (perhaps not unjustly) " styled us ' a little nation of shopkeepers.' " " Yes, a nasty vagabond, he ought to have had his head knocked off for his im- pertinence," rejoined Mrs. Pratt; " and I wonder at you, Mr. Sniggers, a man of 110 DUNSANY : your years and experience, and great pre- tensions to piety, to go about so shamefully to undervalue your king and country, as to utter over again any of the blasphemy of such a villain !" " But why so warm, my good lady," replied Mr. Sniggers, " why so impetu- ous ? No one that knows good Mrs. Pratt, of Pride Hill, will ever doubt her loyalty." " I am not ashamed, Mr. Sniggers, of having it known that I am well affected towards our government," said Mrs. Pratt, ? I arn't one of your millers, (not I), finding fault with every measure adopted by our parliament men, and begrudging the small waste and abuse there may happen to be in the public expenditure; though, per- haps, a little snug sinecure (if I could ob- tain it) would make me sing in another strain." " I should like to know what you mean AN IRISH STORY. Ill with your snug sinecures, Mrs. Pratt," re- torted Sniggers, angrily ; " if it comes to that, a namesake, and perhaps a relation of yours, has managed to secure a tolera- ble proportion of the public money, for doing nothing ; but I promise you, how- ever patient honest John Bull may be de- pictured, his burthen is almost too heavy to be much longer sustained, without a desperate effort on his part to get rid of it. Here the coach stopping, the alterca- tion between the townsfolks ended for the time; but fearing a renewal of hostilities, by no means diverting to me, I left them to settle their political dispute as they thought proper ; and taking my seat out- side the coach, I pursued the remainder of my journey in that manner. On my arrival in town, I waited on my godmother, who either had not, or pre- tended not to have missed me in the time 112 DUNSANV I I had been absent. She and Lady O'Cal- li«;an were more inseparable than ever, and both seemed to have but one opinion as to my devotion to the latter, though I took every method in my power to unde- ceive them. — If I escorted Mrs. Shady into public, we were sure to be joined by her friend, and my other arm seized upon by the dowager, as if I was already her property. — If I absented myself for some days from visiting my godmother, I was sure to find Lady O'Calligan there on my next visit. If I premised with Mrs. Shady, that if she was alone I would pass the evening with her, we were generally broke in upon by her friend ; and so sure Mrs. Shady would contrive to be called out on some particular business, and leave us so long together, that our stock of con- versation, merely cold rejoinders or short monosyllables on my part, was wholly exhausted, and I woukl fly to a book or AN IRISH STORY. 113 newspaper for refuge from a companion so very disagreeable to me. The hints I gave Mrs. Shady were of no avail ; she only laughed at me ; and when I told her, propriety demanded her remaining with her female guest, or else their withdrawing together, she would say I ought to thank her on my knees for the opportunities she gave me to make my fortune ; for that Lady O'Calligan was desperately in love with me ; and as I had such an aversion to the study of the law, here was at once a re- source against continuing in a profession I disliked, and gaining a beautiful, wealthy wife into the bargain ; though she must say, for her part, I was unworthy of such singu- lar good fortune ; for never was there such a poor awkward scapegrace at making ad- vances to a fine lady, as I was. It was in vain I protested, that if I wanted bread, and Lady OCalligan had the wealth of the universe at her command, I would not 114 DUNSANY : make her my wife ; I was still subjected to the same intrusion from the fat dow- ager, and the foolish contrivances of Mrs. Shady to bring about the match, which, she said, she had set her heart upon seeing take place. I took every method possible to convince her that her wishes on this subject would be frustrated, and at last, in the plainest language, assured my god- mother, that her friend was my utter aversion; but she only laughed at me, and ascribed my asseverations to bashful- ness, and the dread of a refusal. At length, driven almost to desperation, I threw myself at the feet of the commander- in-chief. I made known to him my family and connections, and earnestly besought him to grant me an ensigncy in a regiment going on immediate and the most dan- gerous service, adding, with the volubility natural to my country, " I will prove my- self worthy of such confidence, by dying AN IRISH STORY. 115 for my sovereign, and afterwards com- pelling our enemies to own, that no power can withstand our brave nation, for I glory in the appellation of Englishman, though born in Ireland." The most generous prince in the uni- verse smiled approbation at my enthusiastic address. — My request was complied with and I was appointed to a regiment that daily expected to embark for service ; pre- vious to which, I resolved once more to see Euphemia. I was received by all that family with delight, and soon found an opportunity of imparting to her and Man- sel the steps I had taken, and the ardent hope with which I was inspired, which led me forward with the utmost certainty of distinguishing myself, thereby becoming deserving of my friends, if I returned to them, being covered with glory ; and if I fell, should die happy in the certainty of their lamenting me, and the knowledge 116 DUN SAN Y : that I had not, by one unworthy action, rendered myself undeserving of their regard. Finding this conversation led to some painful emotions in us all, and the fine eyes of Euphemia being filled with tears, I instantly changed it, and imparted to them the whole history of Lady O'Calli- gan — her falling in love with me — my hatred to her, and a long et cetera of non- sense, that almost killed them both with laughing. The first opportunity I had of being alone with Euphemia, I expressed my uneasiness about Mansel, and gently up- braided her with her regard for him, though I secretly felt he was formed to captivate — he was handsome, elegant, good tempered and generous, and had moreover a fine estate; besides which, his cause was warmly espoused by Dr. Delaval, who, though in other respects flatteringly par- tial to me, yet, in regard to any attention AN IRISH STORY. 117 on my part towards his grand-daughter, he was coldness itself. Euphemia, it must have been allowed by an impartial observer, rather treated Mansel as a beloved brother, than a lover ; but the green-eyed monster had got some- what of a hold on me, and prevented my seeing so clear in this case as I probably should in any other, where the idol of my affections was not concerned. " Dear Mountstuart," cried she, u why would you have me treat my cousin with reserve and coldness ? consider how amiable he is!" " Ah ! Euphemia," I replied, u it is those amiable qualities in Mansel that render me unhappy. Yes, when I shall be gone far from hence, duty towards Dr. Delaval will perhaps lead you to see Man- sel in a different point of view to what you do at present ; and I (far away) shall have the prize of my Euphemia' s love 118 DUNSANY : alienated from me ; but I will never sur- vive your loss, no, by heavens ! I will shoot myself first, and Mansel afterwards !" Euphemia laughed heartily at the blunder I had so unwittingly uttered, and assured me of her eternal constancy ; " at the same time, dearest Dunsany," (she continued), u that I shall extremely regret your ab- sense, yet you must not expect me to live on sighs and to fret myself into thejaundice; nothing shall compel me to alter my sen- timents in your favour, so depend on me." — u O Euphemia!" I exclaimed, " thou art one of the best as well as the loveliest of creation ; you, O you ! so perfect and so peerless, are created of every creature's best!!! The appearance of Dr. Delaval, who was seeking us, abruptly broke up our conference ; he presented a letter to me, which was from the regiment, acquainting me that it was now under orders for im- AN IRISH STORY. 119 mediate service. I therefore found it ex- pedient to set off directly; most painful was the parting between me and my be- loved friends ; Dr. Delaval most generously forced a draft on me to a considerable amount, and Lady Clifford presented me with a miniature of herself, taken when she was about the age Euphemia was now, and rendered invaluable to me from the strong resemblance it bore her lovely daughter. I joined the regiment to which I now belonged at Portsmouth, and was on the point of embarkation, when it struck me that I ought to acquaint Mrs. Shady with my departure from England. I therefore wrote to her, most ardently thanking her for all the kindness I had received at her hands since I left Ireland under her auspices. I regretted the clan- destine step I had now taken, as it threw the imputation of ingratitude on my 120 DUNSANY : character. At the same time added, I must freely confess that her deafness to my repeated solicitations to enter the army, which she must pardon me for say- ing bordered on obstinacy, moreover, my being so perpetually harrassed with the odious subject of Lady O'Calligan, (a woman who was my aversion), must plead my excuse for acting in opposition to the wishes of my friends. The army> I continued, always being the profession I preferred above all others, I had now another motive added to inclina- tion, which was, that I might so far dis- tinguish myself, as to become worthy of the hand of Euphemia Clifford, who was my soul's idol ; and that when a bullet had pierced my heart, I would still proclaim my devotion to her and gratitude to Mrs. Shady. As soon as possible I received the fol- lowing answer : — AN IRISH STORY. 121 ». Sir, "I received your letter from Portsmouth, and was much surprized at the contents, though, from your late refractory wicked- ness, I should not wonder at any thing. — So, sir, you throw away your chance of the robe and big wig, and for what ? for a paltry commission in the army. I am afraid, Mr. Dunsany, you will find the pay of a sub scarce enough to clear your tailors bill, let alone eating or drinking. " Then you most shamefully reflect on the most beautiful and accomplished lady in the world, who shall be nameless ; and because you have set your mind on a chit, you are so daring as to affront Lady O'Calligan. Out upon you for a paltroon, I say. Come, come, Dunsany, give up this idle folly of a soldiering life ; consider the hardships of it, now don't be after vol. I. G 122 DUNSANE : being such a scapegrace as to go at all, at all. Ah ! I fairly think you are only shamming after all for a bit of fun ; come back then, I say, and throw yourself on your knees before Lady O'Calligan and me, and then see if we are such hardened monsters as to spurn you. I shall say nothing farther in this letter, as it is the last I will write you, though in my next I shall inform you of the poor chance you have of obtaining the hand of Euphemia Clifford ; for truly I believe she's en- gaged, so I think that's reason enough, arn't it ? " So return to town., and then, after see- ing you, and begging you to excuse any thing wrong on my part, I may be induced to once more admit you into my presence ; till then I remain your offended cousin, " Shady O'Blarney." AN IRISH STORY. 123 CHAP. VIII. The bravery of our army has been so justly appreciated, and its valour in the numerous actions in which the British have been engaged for this last twenty years particularly detailed, that I leave it to abler pens than mine to comment there- on, and proceed to state, that I did not disgrace my country in the share I took in several heroic engagements ; I gloried in the wounds I leceived, and when speedily promoted to a company, I could hardly contain my exultation, from having de- served my promotion. Amongst my brother officers was one who particularly engrossed my esteem ; he was a Scotsman by birth ; his manners mild, and some- what reserved, yet so truly amiable, that he was justly esteemed by the whole regi- ment. Notwithstanding our dispositions g2 124 dunsany : were very opposite, we soon became firm friends, his calm and steady temper often counteracting the wild impetuosity of mine. He evidently laboured under some op- pressive sorrow, and I i was some time acquainted with him before I became the confidant of his woes ; I frequently jested with him on the subject of love, pro- fessing myself one of the most ardent of its votaries, and ascribing his depression of spirits to have its origin in disappoint- ment. He laughed at these insinuations, and after some time confessed to me, that his dejection was occasioned by the distresses of his family, which it was utterly out of his power to alleviate, as the pay of a lieu- tenant (which he had been near eight years) was barely sufficient to support ex- istence. He sighed bitterly as he said this, and tears filled his eyes ; I felt sincerely AN IRISH STORY. 125 for him, and pressed him to acquaint me with the cause of his unhappiness, when he beeran as follows : — " Of my descent I say nothing, because, though I might with truth boast of being related to some noble families, yet I feel a far greater pride in reflecting that I never, by a single action of my life, cast a stain on the name of M c Pherson, than in claim- ing kindred with those who might despise my poverty. " My father was an honour to human na- ture, and an ornament to society. My mother was his counterpart ; they had a numerous family, of which I am the eldest. * My father, early in life, chose the army for his profession, and he purchased every step until he attained a company, when prudential motives compelled him not to lay out any thing more on a life unhap- pily very precarious, from his constitution &3 126 dunsany: being greatly injured by the pernicious climate of tbe West Indies. My mother s fortune was about three thousand pounds, which remained untouched until I chose the army for my profession, from a strong predilection to follow the footsteps of my father. " Both my parents were averse to this measure, and both urged me to settle in some line that, by remaining at home, I should be a protection to my sisters, should they be so unfortunate as to become or- phans. But in this instance I adhered pertinaciously to my own opinion, my wishes were complied with, and my dear father purchased an ensigncy for me, and in due time a lieutenancy in the same regi- ment to which he himself belonged. u My father was universally respected and beloved in the regiment, though natu- rally of a reserved, retired disposition. He was not in habits of intimacy with any AN IRISH STORY. 127 of his brother officers, one excepted, who was by birth an American ; his name Poivnal. He was, to all casual observers, 6 every thing to every one ;' but his real disposition was comprised of subtlety, avarice and meanness. He had been the means of saving my father from what might have been a bad accident, by his horse falling under him when riding out together ; and the gratitude of a heart that knew no guile, was such, as to be proof against many rumours to the disadvantage of Pownal ; various indeed were the whis- pers of his treachery and doable-faced con- duct ; but he had gained the entire con- fidence of our colonel, Lord George B , and whatever favours were solicited, were sure to fall to the ground if the suit was not backed by Pownal. Lord George B was rather a well-meaning man than otherwise, not over wise, and too much led away by the flattering of his 1 128 dunsany : parasite. His lordship was partial to my father^ and always professed a wish to serve him ; and my father looked forward to that period, when the age of my only brother (at this time a mere child) should be sufficiently advanced, that he might seize a favourable period (aided by Pow- nal) to secure the interest of his lordship towards providing for his youngest son. " I must not omit mentioning, that when I had been about four years an en- sign, a lieutenancy became vacant by the death of a brother officer ; and as I was now eldest ensign, my promotion seemed Certain, and without purchase also. But Pownal, in confidence, gave my father to understand, that as the nearest relatives of he deceased officer were in indigent cir- cumstances, equity demanded some com- pensation to be made them ; and he hinted that Lord George B— — thought a less sum than one hundred and fifty pounds could AN IRISH STORY. 129 not be offered, which sum, my father (whose compassion was wrought upon) placed in Pownal's hands for the benefit of the relations of the young departed officer. "The joy I felt at gaining this step received a check at perceiving the thought- fulness parting with this sum of money caused in my parents, as my two commis- sions had now cost five hundred and fifty pounds, and they had six other children. " Scarce had this uneasiness blown over, when my beloved father fell into a linger- ing disorder, which, whilst it caused no immediate fears for his valuable life, yet got but too sure a hold on his constitution. To be brief: we lost him, and, at the very time when we flattered ourselves some fa- vourable symptoms had taken place, " Words cannot convey to you, dear Mountstuart, a description of our sorrow ; the more severe, because the blow came 130 DUNS ANY : unexpectedly. My poor mother, almost heart-broken, removed to London with all her children, except myself, that she might personally solicit the pension. I was left behind, and was literally left alone in the world's £ vast space.' Fervently did I pray to be taken to that place of heavenly rest to join the best of parents and of friends ; but I was supported by the will of the Most Hi^h through the first affliction I had known, and called again into that world I at times almost sickened against. " One day, when some circumstances had brought my sad loss fresh again in my memory, I was visited by my father's old and faithful servant, now in the service of another officer in the regiment. Finding me miserably dejected, the worthy crea- ture sat down at my feet and wept with me. " Ours has been a sad loss, my dear young master," at length he articulated, u but we ou^ht to take comfort when we AN IRISH STORY. 131 reflect, that he we mourn is gone to re- ceive the reward of his goodness. — Ah ! would it but please the righteous God to punish those who, at sueh a time, could rob the widow and the fatherless ! But a time will come — yes, a time must come, and I shall live to see my desire upon my enemies." " How ?" interrupted I, u what is it you mean ? What enemies is it you speak of ?" " My dear young master," he replied, " I meant to let the secret die with me, but it is not permitted it should ; vou must hear me with calmness, and I will then reveal to you all 1 know of a most infamous transaction." 1 motioned for him to proceed, and he narrated as follows : — " You must, my dear master Charles, have long observed the increasing intimacy of Pownal with your dear papa, whose gratitude to him was such, as to blind him to his arts and impositions ; but I 132 DUNSANY : knew the man, though I durst not speak. Manifold are the mischiefs he has caused by his hypocritical tales to our colonel, who is the dupe of this vile yankee. Well : ahout a week before our loss, I was sent by my dear master to tell Mr. Pownal, that, at a certain hour that day, he should be ready to finish the business they had in hand. I brought for his answer, that he would wait on Captain M c Pherson at the time he had appointed. Before he came, I went into my master s room to put things a little in order, and to dress my master, when he was most particular with me that no one should interrupt his conference with Pownal. " To you, Donald," said he, ' ' I will be so far explicit, as to assure you that Lord George B has the welfare of my family entirely at heart ; and my good friend Pownal, with the approbation of his Lordship, is going this evening to assist me in adjusting — in short, in c ase of my AN IRISH 9T0RY. 133 death " I burst into tears, and he proceeded. " Acquaint your mistress, whom I expect, and beg her to keep all the children from me, as I am going to trans- act very particular business ; after which, if in my power, I will sup down stairs." I bowed, and went to my mistress with the message, and then remained in readiness to shew Mr. Pownal to my masters chamber, where he had not long been, when I could no longer withstand the im- pulse (forgive me my dear young master) of listening to their conversation." u You were much to blame, Donald," cried I, in- dignantly, " yet I acquit you as to curi- osity alone being your motive." " Ah ! my dear sir," he continued, " I knew well the character of Pownal — I knew him to be mean, pitiful, designing ; but my master was completely deceived in him. I had been his faithful servant from the moment he left Scotland to enter the army, 134 DUNS ANY : his countryman too. Can then any thing wrong be put as to the motives that influ- enced me to listen ? No ; as I trust in a hereafter, I stand acquitted on that score. When I had taken mv station within ear- shot, I heard my master earnestly recom- mend his family to the care of Pownal, who solemnly promised to make their in- terest his, through his influence with Lord George B ,who would, he was positive, take care of their future welfare. " Charles will of course be his lordship's peculiar care," continued the deceiver ; " as when he is better off, he will be able to assist his sis- ters, and my lord will doubtless memorial our sovereign for a pension for Mrs. M c Pherson, which will not be refused him, his interest being unbounded, as the affair we have now settled will, if closely inspected, preclude her obtaining one on the same grounds with other officers' widows." AN IRISH STORY. ' 135 " But when, my dear friend," said my master, (anxiously), " do you think the sale of the commission will he effected ?" " Why," replied the other, (hesitatingly), u prohahly in a fortnight or so. " But," rejoined my master, " should I not live to that period, would his lordship " u I know, my friend," interrupted the wretch, " what you would say : be assured, the money arising from the sale of your commission is already as securely your wife and children's as if paid into their own hands. You have the word and honour of Lord George B , through me, that it shall be theirs." " Little more passed ; but after the ever to be lamented event of the loss of one of the best of men, and after the regiment had began to get, in some measure, the better of their sorrow for one of their best officers, it excited some indignation amongst the soldiers in general, that you, 136 DUNSANY : my dear master Charles, did not succeed to your honoured fathers company. I alone knew the transaction ; hut I held my peace, and by means of the discarded servant of Pownal, I have since come to the knowledge of the final part of this dis- graceful business. It seems that Lord George B is deeply involved from gambling, and having worn out every resource in his own family, he, to screen himself from public obloquy condescends to borrow large sums from his toad-eater, who, in return, has the un- bounded privilege of using his lordship's name in any manner he may think proper, provided it is the means of raising the sum my lord stands in need of; and his lordship, that he may not be implicated in any of the dirty proceedings of his coad- jutor, never makes the most distant en- quiry into the ways and means by which his profligacy is supported. Pownal, there- AN IRISH STORY. 137 fore, supplied Lord George B with the money arising from my revered master's commission, and in return obtained a snug sinecure, which he sold advantageously a few days after ; and to keep up a fair ap- pearance in the regiment, he gave out, that Lord George B had solicited and obtained a very ample pension for the widow of Captain M c Pherson, knowing the great mind of my beloved mistress to be above complaint, when, as in this case, her in- juries are too deep to be redressed. But Pownal had not sufficiently plundered the helpless family of my dear master ; for in a letter he wrote to my mistress in reply to hers, entreating his interest with Lord George B to procure her the slightest allowance or pension to help her to support her numerous family, her husband having so unaccountably parted with his commission, he excused himself from pressing the busi- ness farther, on the plea that his lamented 138 DUNSANY ! friend had died considerably in debt to Lord George B ; but the unwillingness of his lordship to add to her affliction, also his compassion towards the large family of the late Captain M c Pherson, would induce him to accept the arrears due to that la- mented officer, and wait her convenience for the remainder. And the discarded miscreant who laughed over these horrible atrocities, the bare re- cital of which almost turned me to stone, farther added, that the money so gene- rously bestowed by my master for the benefit of the relatives of the late Lieu- tenant Kelson, whom you, sir, succeeded, was only transferred to the pocket of Pow- nal, who was heard to exult sneeringly at the readiness with which honest Sandy, meaning your noble father, had parted with his money. Words cannot convey an idea of the ago- nies I underwent during Donald's recital. AN IRISH STORY. 139 My father then, my excellent father, had even in his last moments been actuated only by the motive of preserving his family from want. How painful must it have been to him to conceal from my mother this act, by which he hoped to benefit his family ! I threw myself on the ground, and wept tears of the bitterest agony. I called upon the Almighty to avenge me on the workers of such iniquity, and seizing my sword, I rushed forward in pursuit of the infamous Pownal, breathing vengeance; but delirium seized me ere I had gone many steps, and I fell, and was carried back to my lodgings by my poor old faith- ful Donald, who had hastened after me as fast as his agitation permitted. During a long illness, he watched by me with the solicitude of a parent ; at length my reason was restored, and I began slowly to re- cover, and learned that Pownal had fre- quently visited me ; and though I was 140 duns any: totally insensible to all that passed around me, yet he no sooner appeared, than I recounted the frauds that had been prac- tised on my regretted father with such a " method of madness," that he generally withdrew, overwhelmed with confusion, and muttering threats of revenge. As soon as I was pronounced convalescent, the major of the regiment called on me, and after preparing me for something, not of the most agreeable nature, proceeded to acquaint me, that during my illness I had been heard to express myself against my colonel and Captain Pownal, that both were apprized of certain expressions made use of by me against them, which were of a mutinous tendency ; he therefore came, as a friend, to counsel me to exchange into another regiment. I told him in reply, there was nothing I so ardently wished as to re- move from amongst those whocouldso inhu- manly bring against a man the expressions AN IRISH STO&Y. 141 that had fallen from him during the dis- ordered state of his senses whilst under the dominion of a raging fever; and I begged him to hear what I had to say in regard to the wrongs I had suffered ; but he prudently declined making himself a party in the affair, and I found, to my sor- row^ that the afflicted seldom obtain a friend. I strove, however, to stifle my feelings, and in a few weeks got an exchange into this regiment, in which I have been near seven years . My poor mother, without any pension or remuneration whatever, on the income arising from the interest of rather more than two thousand pounds has to provide for five daughters. She resides near London, where she and the eldest of my sisters endeavour to help out their scanty income by works of fancy and draw- ing, and also educating my younger sisters. In short, they virtuously try to forget what they were, and conform themselves to the 142 DUNS any : station the perfidy of a pretended friend has sunk them to. My only brother is placed by a relation of my father at school, though he does not give my mother the most distant hope of doing any thing farther to help him to brave the " pitiless storm ;" but what deeply afflicts me is, the ill state of health of my second sister, and the knowledge of my mother's inability to procure her those necessary comforts her weak state requires. Can you now, my dear Mountstuart, wonder at the depression of spirits I sink un- der, and the dejection that devours me ? for " When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions." I have not in fact one consoling reflection, or the most distant prospect of better days. I endeavoured to cheer up poor M c AN IRISH STORY. 143 Plierson with the hope of things going better with him, also the certainty of pro- motion ; but he only shook his head, and hope, the " medicine of the miserable," seemed to have forsaken hiin ; indeed each day appeared to add to his melancholy. I secretly resolved to serve him ; and as I ardently wished, after an absence of near two years, to visit England, so I determined to do a good action, and follow the bent of my inclinations also. I therefore lay perdue until a cessation of hostilities for some little time would empower me to solicit the indulgence of a short leave of absence, without reproach. On mentioning to M e Pherson my anxious desire to quit the pe- ninsula, could leave be obtained, he strongly objected to it. " Consider, dear Mount- stuart," cried he, "that though at present we are inactive, yet perhaps at the moment of your departure our regiment may be en- gaged in action ; think then, my dear fel- 144 DUNS ANY : low, of the laurels (of which you deserve a full share) you may probably lose the chance of obtaining ; moreover, our commandant, though a most excellent officer, is so morose and severe against us young men in par- ticular, that I really see no prospect of your getting away for ever so short a time. Unconvinced by his arguments, I re- solved to make the trial. I had, without boasting, convinced my commander that cowardice formed no part of my com- position ; so I mustered up resolution to make the application, professing that no- thing, save the most urgent necessity, could induce me to leave the peninsula. He heard me with the greatest calmness. Ah ! thinks I, M c Pherson is wrong ; he is ill at ease himself, and he judges harshly of others. I shall gain my point, and then I will most plentifully quiz his old smoky fears and cautions. After a pause of some length, during AN IRISH STORY. 145 which my heart beat so violently that I feared my emotion must be visible, he began with, " Young man, it has ever been a rule with me since I have com- manded this regiment, to observe the strictest watch over all my officers, the young ones in particular ; for without some portion of severity no good discipline can be effected." I bowed, (for really in my heart I could not commend the severity I, as well as others, had frequently smarted under), and he continued. " Whenever a young of- ficer applies to me for leave of absence, I consider it a duty incumbent on me to en- quire on what pretext he solicits the indul- gence." Finding I was silent, for I had no plausible reasons that I chose to give, he proceeded. " Perhaps the gaiety of the metropolis has powers to draw you thither?" u Oh ! by no means," I replied. VOL. I. H 146 dunsany : u I hope no illness of your immediate ties urge you away ?" " No, thank Heaven !" ' An anxious and laudable desire to visit your native country ?" " I have no thoughts of that at present." " Some fair one perhaps is in the case ?" Here he touched on the right chord, I confessed such to be my motive, and pro- ceeded to paint in the most glowing colours, the pangs of absence from my soul's idol, and gaspingly and on my knees besought him, not to add to the pain I endured by withholding leave of absence, when, in a voice of thunder, he bade me rise, and in the most forcible language denied my request. " Mr. Mountstuart," said he, " I feel the regard of a parent towards you, and am willing to push you on in your pro- fession. Your bravery and general good conduct has not escaped my notice ; but AN IRISH STORY. 147 to attain any conspicuous rank in the army, a most punctual observance of the duties of a soldier must be attended to» Believe me, young man, that love and all Its attendant follies, are fit only for the trash ot a circulating library, and to fill the heads of silly girls and stay-at-hope fops, who have nothing else but such nonsense to pass away the vacant hours in ; I say, young man, that if you hope to distinguish your- self and get forward in the line you have chosen, love of military fame must alone engross your thoughts. Go, — go to your room, study your tactics, and permit no mistress but glory to gain any ascendancy over you, even for a moment." So saying, he opened the door himself, and politely wished me good morning. H 14& DUNSANY t CHAP. IX. I endeavoured to bear up against my disappointment, as it was of no avail to murmur at a decree I was forced to sub- mit to ; and very soon after, in a se- vere action with the enemy, M c Pher- son and myself so far distinguished our- selves, that we were both promoted to companies the same day, to our infinite joy, which was indeed but of short dura- tion, for in the following engagement my poor friend, early in the day, received a shot in the knee, of so dangerous a nature, that it was judged amputation must im- mediately follow. I was cut to the heart at this new misfortune befalling him ; and I was the more unhappy, as my duty in the field of battle did not permit me to spare a moment to him. Just at the close of day, by an exertion AN IRISH STORY. 149 almost supernatural, I had the glory of saving the lieutenant-colonel of the regi- ment to which I belonged from falling into the hands of the enemy, he being previ- ously wounded ; and I had no sooner seen him safely conveyed away, than I flew ;o poor M c Pherson, whom I found much better than I could possibly have hoped, and in tolerable spirits, having been cheered by his surgeon with the hope that there was some probability of saving his leg. Scarce had I expressed my heartfelt joy at this information, when I was sent for by Colonel S'. Ledger, the officer I had saved. His wounds had just been dressed, and he was languishing in great pain . nevertheless, he received me with many ex- pressions of the most grateful sense he had of the services I had rendered him, and professed that his obligations could only end with his life. In reply, I told him, that he greatly over-rated the service I H 3 150 DUNS ANY I had been so happy as to render him, and was taking my leave, when he informed me, that at his request I was appointed to carry over dispatches to England, when certain promotion would immediately fol- low, and he advised me to get every thing in readiness to set off as soon as possible, as no doubt I should receive my instruc- tions in the course of a few hours. Scarce able to contain my exultation at this intelligence, or to express my sense of the obligation properly, I accompanied an aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, and after several hours indefatigable exer- tions I was ready to set off. I promised M c Pherson to see his mother and sisters before rumour could have conveyed to them the melancholy tidings of his being wounded, and I promised to conceal from them the extent of his sufferings. From Colonel S l . Ledger I received a letter, which he en- AN IRISH STORY. 151 treated me personally to deliver to his father, Lord Dunleary, which I promised faithfully to do ; he also forced on me a draft to a considerable amount, which on my refusing he appeared so much hurt, that I was obliged (unwillingly) to accept it. I now speedily re-crossed to England, from whence I had been absent near three years. In that time I had more than once bled in my country's cause ; I had under- gone also incredible hardships from fa- tigue, and numberless privations of the comforts I had formerly been accustomed to ; but then, how rapid had been my pro- motion ! My health was perfectly re- established, my spirits unabated, and, to crown the whole, my purse most abun- dantly supplied. The only alloy to my present happiness was, the doubt whether rav time would permit me paying a flying visit to Oak- lands, to have the delight of once more 152 DUNSANY : beholding my Euphemia, after so cruel a separation. During my passage, I wrote to all the dear inhabitants of that beloved abode, also to Mrs. OBlarney, to whom, and to Dr. Delaval, I gave a long ac- count of the last action, the most severe of any I had yet been engaged in. To Lady Clifford and Euphemia I touched but slightly on this subject, well knowing how painful to both such a recital would be. To Mansel I also wrote, and urged him to meet me in town. I scarce lost a moment after landing before I sat off for London in a chaise and four ; and though my speed outstripped the mail, yet I so far acted up to the characteristic of an Irishman, that I sent all these letters to the post before I proceeded on my journey. When I arrived in town, and had de- livered my dispatches, I drove to Lord Dunleary's, whom [ found at home, and broke to him the ill news of his son bein^ AN IRISH STORY. 153 wounded. His Lordship was greatly af- fected at the intelligence, though he ex- pressed himself very handsomely to me for the precautionary kindness with which I had made him acquainted with so great an affliction. After presenting the colonel's letter to him, I took my leave, and proceeded to the War Office, where I transacted business until a late hour, when, greatly harrassed, I retired to my hotel for the night. On calling next day at the agent's, I found I was on the point of being gazetted as major ; a circumstance bv no means displeasing to me. I also found a note there from Lord Dunleary, requesting to see me as soon as convenient. I accordingly waited on his lordship, who almost overwhelmed me with thanks for the sendee I had done his son, and re- quested me to name any way in which he eould serve me, that he might in some small degree repay the immense obligation 154 DUNS any : he lay under to me for my generous ex- ertions in saving the life of his beloved son. In reply, I told his lordship, that the trifling service it had been my good for- tune to render Colonel S\ Ledger, had already been so greatly over-rated, that it pained me to again hear it mentioned; and that I considered myself amply recom- pensed by having gained the friendship of his son, who was universally beloved in the regiment both by the officers and men. His lordship appeared greatly pleased with this speech, and insisted that I should make his house my home during my stay in town. To this I assented, and ordered my servant and luggage there the same day. Lord Dunleary was a widower, with two sons, the eldest of whom was wholly engaged in the vortex of fashionable dissi- pation, and had, by his unbounded extrava- AN IRISH STORY. 155 gance, greatly injured his father's fortune ; indeed, but little remained except what was entailed ; so that of necessity the youngest of his lordship's sons was brought up to a profession, being many years younger than his brother. His lordship had lately obtained a sinecure place of great emolument, out of which he made a large annual allowance toColonel S\ Ledger, and also laid by a certain part for the sole benefit of this his favourite son,now become his more immediate care, as the unbounded expenses of his first-born had drawn from him many thousands, that, in equity, should have been the property of his youngest son. His nominal fortune was large, but he kept up a great establish- ment, and also allowed his heir to do the same. Colonel S l . Ledger was at this time not more than six or seven and twenty, and con- sidered one of the finest young men in the 156 DUNS ANY : army. Mr. S 4 Ledger was fourteen years his senior, and the reverse of him in every respect. The second day of my residence in Berkeley-square, I was introduced to this noisy profligate, to whom I took a great dislike on the first sight ; however, as he treated me with civility, so I returned the compliment, and the task of keeping up the mere forms of good breeding was not a very difficult matter, as, from my being a great deal occupied with business, we seldom met but at dinner. The third dav after becoming Lord Dunleary's guest, I seized on the first leisure moments I could command to seek out the mother and sis- ters of my worthy friend M c Pherson. I had some difficulty in finding them out, so obscure was their dwelling, a circumstance that greatly pained me. On introducing myself, and acquainting them in the most guarded manner of his being wounded, one of his sisters fainted, AN IRISH STORY. 157 whkh so far had a happy effect, that it roused the afflicted mother and the other sister from the despair my communication had plunged them into. When they hecame a little tranquillized, I took my leave, with the promise of call- ing on them again in the evening ; and that nothing should intervene to prevent my so doing, I merely took some refresh- ment at a coffee-house in their neighbour- hood, and by that means had it in my power to return there much earlier than if I had dined at Lord Dunleary's. Mrs. M c Pherson possessed elegant man- ners, and appeared more worn by sorrow than by time. Three of her daughters might be termed beautiful, the two others were mere children. She made no concealment of the narrow" ness of their circumstances, and wept bitterly when recounting the sad loss they had met with in the best of husbands and 158 DUNSANY : of fathers. u It is not on my own account, major," cried she, " that I writhe under the iron grasp of poverty ; no, I call Heaven to witness that I could conform to any situation, did I suffer alone ; but when I look on my children, — when I think what my Charles has endured, and that my youngest son is most wretchedly situ- ated — when I see one of my daughters falling a prey to illness, brought on by distress of mind — then it is I find my ac- cumulation of woes more than I can well support." I was much affected at this pathetic speech, and as soon as I could trust my voice, I endeavoured to offer consolation to the unhappy mother. " Consider, my dear madam," I ex- claimed, " the happy prospect there is of your son's leg being saved ; then his recent promotion must doubtless be a source of great happiness to you: — he has, more- AN IRISH STORY. 159 over, had it in his power to make some savings ; and though I came away in such haste as to preclude his writing hy me, yet he commissioned me, my dear madam, to present this envelope to you." I then pre- sented to her a hlank cover, in which I had enclosed a fifty pound note. " Oh ! no ; I cannot take it, my dear sir," cried she, " I cannot, indeed I cannot. My Charles (excellent young man) must have suffered privations that shock me to think of, before he could, on his small pay, have amassed such a sum. No, sir; I cannot consent to receive what he can so ill spare ; I should consider it taking the life of my exemplary son, could I suffer my own distresses to lead me to such an act of injustice. Permit me to return it to you ; I will write to him, and soften my refusal as much as possible, Believe me, Major Mountstuart, I am not ungratefully insensible of the good that is mixed in my 160 DUNSANY : cup of bitters. My son's promotion I heard of with exultation, because I knew he de- served it ; but the situation of my young- est son, at present almost distracts me. If I do not trespass too much on your goodness, I will relate this (to me) addi- tional cause of sorrow." I assured this amiable woman that I felt so great an interest for her, that I much wished to hear if I could, in any way, serve her youngest son. She warmly expressed her thanks, and proceeded to inform me, that " a distant relation of her late husband, a man abound- ing in the good things of this world, and whose first step on the ladder of prosperity was a small venture in merchandise, to enable him to attain which, he was in- debted for the loan of a couple of hundred pounds to the father of her husband. Mr. Hamilton (so was this relation called) had in his youth been remarkably handsome, AN IRISH STORY. 161 which had been his passport to the favour of a rich old widow, who, fearing to lose the prize, had married him a fortnight after the death of her first husband. They led a most unhappy life together, she doating on him to distraction, and the most distant and common-place civilities on his part to any other female causing her to fall into such passions of frantic jealousy, that her life soon paid the forfeit. " His second wife, whom he also married for her fortune, was a mild amiable wo- man, and during her lifetime Mr. Hamil- ton's conduct was respectable. He (Mr. Hamilton) had always kept up a distant intercourse with them ; and, on the death of Captain M c Pherson, had offered to put the youngest boy to school. She was," she continued, ' ; greatly surprised at so generous a proposition, as, (since Mrs. Hamilton's death), he had become a complete miser, having dismissed all his servants, sold his 16*2 DUN SAN Y : town-house, and retired to a residence of his at Hackney, which had once been a very comfortable one, hut she heard he had shut up all the windows, except in one garret, where he now took up his abode. In short, his conduct was despicable ; but situated as she unfortunately was, she was prompted thankfully to accept his offer, not without a hope that the good qualities of her little Alexander might, in time, win the old man's regard. But Mr. Hamilton's was a disposition that nothing could work upon ; he seemed not to have a single drop of the milk of human kindness in his com- position. " My poor boy was put to a tolerable good school, it must be admitted, but he never allowed him one sixpence for pocket money, or gave him a single article of clothing during near eight years ; and it has considerably added to my difficulties, (proceeded Mrs. M c Pherson, after pausing AN IRISH STORY. 163 to wipe a tear), to provide him with what was useful to place him on a footing with the rest of his school-fellows. About two months ago he completed his fifteenth year, and Mr. Hamilton proposed to get him employed as writer to a lawyer, and to bring the stipend he should be allowed to him, and in return he would find him in food and clothes. My son, who has a high spirit, though likewise a noble gene- rous disposition, spurned the mean pro- posal with the contempt it deserved, and declared that the only way of life he ever would engage in, should be the army, that he might follow the example of his father and brother. " The old man, stung to the quick to be foiled in his project, loaded my poor boy with every abusive epithet he could find breath to utter ; railed at the army, and reflected on that honourable profession for the smallness of their pay ; than which 164 duns any: nothing can be more illiberal, as a mind possessed of the smallest particle of feeling, would commiserate the situation of men, whose expenditure is not regulated by the sum they are in the actual receipt of, but rather according to the inconsideration of those in whose earlier years was expressly inculcated a total ignorance of the value of money. " After a long altercation, Mr. Hamilton cast some reflections on me, accusing me of a false sort of pride in aiming at sup- porting my children in a genteel manner, (and to which they have an undoubted right), in preference to putting them all out in the world. My son would not per- mit any thing disrespectful to be said of me, and plainly told him so, which so ex- asperated the old wretch, that he caught up a billet of wood that lay smothering with a few embers in the fire place, and threw it at his head; fortunately, it but AN IRISH STORY. 165 little injured my poor boy, who immediately left him, and came home to me, but the malice of Mr. Hamilton does not slumber. About a week ago, he sent his attorney to me with a notice, that if I did not repay him the expenses he had been at on Alex- ander's account, he should bring an action against me for the same. u I was almost petrified at this informa- tion, and explained to this gentleman, that it was Mr. Hamilton's own offer to place my son at school ; and that if my life de- pended, I could not repay him an expense that was unsought by me, and which, so unhappily situated as I was, I never should have incurred ; I offered to make an affi- davit to this effect. " Happily for me, (as I then thought), this gentleman has a right way of think- ing ; he lamented being employed by Mr. Hamilton in a case of so oppressive a na- ture, and promised to use his endeavours 166 DUNSANY : to bring him to reason. Not hearing any more of the affair for some time, I began to flatter myself that it had blown over ; but a few days ago, I was informed by a letter from Mr. Hamilton, that he had placed the business in the hands of another attorney, a man not to be talked over like that fool, Stafford, and if I did not repay him in the course of a week at farthest, an action would be commenced against me, and in all probability a prison would be my reward for bringing up my children so badly. " This, therefore, my dear sir, agitates and perplexes me continually, as I expect no mercy from so inveterate an enemy, and I have no friend I can apply to for advice how to act ; I, therefore, can no longer strive against my adverse fate, but must endeavour to resign myself to whatever hardships Mr. Hamilton's inveteracy can inflict on me, looking forward with eager AS IRISH STORY. 167 hope for a better world, ' where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest/ " I pitied this amiable woman from my soul, but I really knew not how to advise her to proceed ; however, after taking ray leave, I resolved to dedicate the remainder of the evening in studying how I could possiblv serve her, and extricate her from the fangs of so pitiless and hard-hearted a monster as old Hamilton. On my return to Lord Dunleary's, I found a large party there, which I excused myself from joining, and retired, that I might uninterruptedly think of some method to serve the amiable afflicted mother of my friend. I despaired of bringing so rapacious a wretch to hear reason by the power of rhetoric only, so, after some deliberation, I thought the most likely road to his flinty heart would be by making him a present. 1 really felt averse to buying any thing 168 DUNSANY : very costly for such an unworthy object, for, if my embassy failed, I should regret throwing away a large sum that might be employed to a better purpose. Accordingly, the next morning I sallied out to one of the most fashionable shops, and purchased a large handsome silver-gilt snuff-box, richly embossed ; and recollect- ing Mrs.M c Pherson had mentioned Hack- ney as the place where Mr. Hamilton re- sided, I called a coach, and drove there. I had no great difficulty in finding his house, as he was well known there ; it stood in a green enclosure, that probably once had been denominated by the term, lawn, but bow wholly neglected ; it was over-run with weeds as tali as myself. I bade the coachman draw up to the gate and wait for me whilst I made an effort at the front door to gain admittance ; but it was so strongly barricaded by briars and weeds of all descriptions, that I gave up the at- AN IRISH STORY. 169 tempt, and went to a side-door, and ham- mered at it with a stone I picked up — but in vain ; no one heard. I then went round the house, and rapped at and shook every door and window I met with, but they all seemed closely nailed up. Completely foiled in my mission, I was on the point of retreating, when an upper casement was softly opened, and the old miser appeared at it, his head covered with a velvet cap, that might once have been black, and his whole appearance denoting the most wretched penury. In a fretful, tremulous tone, he demanded my business. I answered, that I came by the desire of a friend of his to enquire after him. He re- plied, if that was all I wanted, I need not give him the trouble to come down stairs — that he did not believe he had a friend in the world ; but I might tell whoever sent me that his health was very indif- ferent — he wished me good morning, VOL. I. I 1 70 DUNSANY : and the cross old fellow was going to shut his window, when, recollecting myself, I called out loudly, that being the bearer of a present which I was to deliver into his own hands, I must request him to come down to receive it. This speech had the desired effect ; for in a moment 1 heard a light tripping step approach the door, which was at length, aftei various bolts and bars had been removed, opened, and a tall, lank spectre presented himself before me. He scarcely had thecivility to invite me in ; but, in defiance of good manners, I almost forced myself into a little hall, where (un- invited also) I took my seat. He eyed me attentively all the time ; but, I suppose, not perceiving any thing very hostile in my appearance, his visage began to lose in some degree its severe aspect. a And pray, sir," he began, " may I crave the honour of your name, also that of the person who so kindly interests him- AN IRISH STORY. 171 self about me ? with females I have no acquaintance, they cause nothing but fuss and trouble." I replied, that I could not agree with hiin in that respect, as I regarded all wo- man-kind, both out of filial love to a most excellent mother, and the most enthusiastic adoration of a young lady that I hoped one day to call mine. He shrugged up his shoulders, and I proceeded : — " I am com- missioned, sir, by Captain Charles M c Pher- son, a brother officer of mine, and my par- ticular friend " " Ah ! ah ! " inter- rupted he, i( friend ! 1 say, pray, young gentleman, of what is modern friendship comprised ? there's no such thing, believe me, as friendship. Look at me, I am an in- stance, a living proof there's no such thing. " Ar'n't I left to die in a lone house ; not a soul ever coming near me, but the boy who twice a week brings me half-a- pint of porter and a small loaf of bread ? i 2 172 DUNSANY : Hav'n't all those M c Phersons behaved with cruel ingratitude to me, after I had hand- somely supported that cub, Sandy, at school for near eight years ? and what's the end of my charity ? why, when he could have earned fourteen shillings a week, and thereby have helped me to live a little more comfortably, he has the impudence truly to fly in my face, and tell me, he chooses the same profession as that of his father and elder brother ! And when I remon- strated against pride, to tell me he would not allow of any reflections on any part of his family ! My life was hardly safe with such a passionate young puppy ; but, how- ever, I have done with him ; I wash my hands of the whole toat of them ; but you were charged with a present to me, I think you said, sir, from Charles M c Pherson ." I replied in the affirmative, and pre- sented to him the snuff-box., which he ex- amined in a most scrutinizing manner. \ AN IRISH STORY. 173 i( Gold, no doubt, sir/' cried he. I replied, I supposed so (being willing to make the present appear in as advantageous a light as possible) ; u Captain M c Pherson must be in a very money-getting line," said he, * to be able to give away gold snuff-boxes at this rate ; it would have been more be- coming in him to have taken the burthen of Sandy off my hands, if he can squander so." I replied, that so far from being pros- perous, poor M c Pherson was in much the same situation in respect to pecuniary matters as the rest of his family, but that his noble spirit often prompted him to do what he could ill afford ; that, having heard from his mother of Mr. Hamilton's generous patronage of his brother, he had always borne the obligation in his mind, and when circumstances permitted (which was not until promoted to a company) he had purchased the box in question, as some small return to Mr. Hamilton for his kind- i3 174 dunsany: ness. " But I had rather have had the money, shy cried the old scoundrel, " the money, sir, would be serviceable, it would be getting back a part of my own." « Why then, perdition seize you !" I exclaimed (for I was exasperated to frenzy) ; " name your price, wretch, and I will purchase the box from you." " I cannot fix a price on it," he replied, " for not knowing its value, I may be a con- siderable loser." " Name any sum," cried I (for I found it impossible to keep terms with him), " name any sum, and be it what it may, I will pay you." So saying, I took out of my pocket book a good parcel of bank notes, and stood awaiting his determination. " Come," said I, " what is your demand for the box ? will eight, ten, or fifteen pounds content you?" He eyed my notes most lovingly, and at length said, he thought the box AN IRISH STORY. 175 well worth twenty pounds. I accordingly took out the fifty pound note that the amiable mother of M c Pherson had re- turned me, and holding it to his view, " here, despicable miser !" I cried, " this shall be yours on one condition : give me an assurance under your own hand that you will release Mrs. M c Pherson from all future trouble on the subject you lately have so infamously perplexed her about. Yes, vilest of wretches ! you have added to the sorrows of one of the best of women, by the most iniquitous persecutions. Come, come, find a pen and ink, doubt- less yon are worth one, and write what I shall dictate." He seemed fright- ened at my vehemence, and creeping up stairs, soon returned with pen, ink and paper. I instantly drew up a form, releasing Mrs. M c Pherson from all fu- ture trouble from him, in respect to any expense he had been at on her son, 176 DUN8ANY: Alexander's account ; professing likewise that he was placed at school at his sole expense, and also at his own request ; also expressing his sorrow for his conduct to- wards her, and the blow he aimed at her son Alexander. After reading over the paper and sign- ing it, I threw the fifty pound note in his face, strenuously admonishing him to repent of his sins, and to set about settling his temporal affairs ; I then-left him heartily sick of the conference, On my return to Lord Dunleary's I found a card from Mansel ; almost wild with joy at the thoughts of seeing him, I immediately went to his hotel in search of him, but he not being there, I took a coach and pro- ceeded to Chelsea, where I gladdened the sorrow-strickened heart of Mrs. M c Pher- son, by presenting her the acquittal from the old miser. Some of her daughters were very lively, and they diverted them- AN IRISH STORY. 177 selves at the ludicrous description I gave of the old sordid wretch. During: mv visit, the youngest son (whom I had uot yet seen) entered the room ; he was the picture of my friend M c Pherson, without his mild expression of countenance; yet this boy had a gracefulness of person and address that I hardly ever saw equalled. On his mother s detailing to him, and greatlv over-rating the service I had ren- dered her, he joined his thanks to hers in a manner that convinced me old Hamilton must be dead to all feeling not to glory in amply providing for so promising a youth. I sounded him about the army, and found his predilection so strong for that profession, that I made the resolution to ask Lord Dunleary's interest in his favour. I soon after took my leave, and again went in quest of Mansel, whom I met at the door of the hotel, going in search of me. Nothing could exceed our joy at 178 DUNS ANY : meeting, after so long a separation ; he presented. me with letters from Dr. Delaval and Lady Clifford, likewise one from Mrs. Blarney ; but of Euphemia he said no- thing. At length, whilst my emotion nearly choaked my utterance, I demanded if she had forgot me, or was she become in- different to my fate. He laughed as I said this, and replied, that there was no accounting for female caprice, and that, doubtless Miss Clifford was as likely to be a little changeable as any other of her sex ; they were one and all variable creatures. Not perceiving he was diverting him- self at my expense, I started up, protest- ing I would not survive her scorn. u Name to me," I exclaimed, "the wretch who has usurped me in her affections, that I may instantly sacrifice him to my ven-. geance. O Euphemia ! you have de- stroyed me." I uttered a thousand other AN IRISH STORY. 179 extravagancies, pacing the room, regard- less of Mansel' s entreaties that I would he pacified ; at last he seized me by the collar, and dragging me to a seat, forcibly held me till he a little brought me to order, by telling me he was the bearer of a long letter to me from Euphemia, which he had only withheld to try me, and that in saying his cousin might be changeable he had only spoken the truth, for no one could ever recognize the stripling that left Oak- lands three years back, in the fine, tall, well-set fellow he now had the honour of addressing. He then gave me Euphemia's letter, and left me to peruse it uninterruptedly. It was indeed a letter dictated by genuine affection ; — she pourtrayed with the ut- most delicacy her fears for my safety, and her exultation at my promotion ; — slightly touched on her grandfather's being a little displeased with her at present, and referred 180 DUNS ANY : me to Mansel for an explanation of the cause ; — mentioned her molher in terms of the most enthusiastic regard and filial af- fection., and urged my return with Mansel, whose affairs would compel his sojourn in town to be very short ; — she concluded by mentioning, that Mrs. Blaney was with them, and had been their guest for some time. Dr. Delaval and Lady Clifford's letters were replete with kindness ; in fact, such as I had ever been in the habit of re- ceiving from them. Mrs. Shady O'Biarney's letter was the last I opened, and I have great pleasure in laying it before my readers, hoping it will as highly divert them as it did Mansel and myself. It began as usual : — " Dear Boy, " What a plaguy thing is the gout, or I should have come up to town to welcome AN IRISH STORY. 181 you back once more — but then comes a twinge — Och ! it makes me wish the gout to the devil, or to his own beautiful first cousin, old Buonaparte. " Now you are after being a great man, my dear boy. Ah ! your fond mother and I always predicted you would do well ; ' there,' says she, ' only look at the picture of his ancestor, Judge Maloney, and see if Dunsany ar'n't the express image of him; and when he shall be seated on the bench, people will cry, sure it's the old Judge Maloney come to life again, onlv all those thafremembered him must have been dead these hundred years.' u So vour brother Lucius is like to be a peer : the dormant title of Loftus re- vived in him ! Charles is a colonel, and has married in India a lady with a princely fortune ; she is a nabob, I hear, or the daughter of one, no matter. Clanwilliam is i major; and t'other, faith! I forgot 182 dunsany : what he is, what with my gout and your turning out wrong headed, and other vexa- tions ; for — -Oh ! what d'ye think ? Lady O'Calligan has got a lover. No wonder in that, say you ; but when I tell you she is about to be married — my heart aches to write such dismal news; what a match you have lost (dunce as you are) by your own stupid wilfulness ! What a pair you would have been, and I should have died happv, and have visited you at Castle Blarney, for I should have bequeathed it to you in my life time. So this lord marquis, (French too), all powdered and scented, and dressed in the most elegant taste, singled her ladyship out at a masquerade to dance with him, and fell desperately in love with her, and next day offered to marry her directly — but no, Lady O'Cal- ligan is a prude, and will have a little courtship ; so she began lamenting Sir Ulic, and wishing he was alive again, that AN IRISH STORY. 183 she might not be followed by lovers ; though, for my life, I don't believe but what she shammed it a little there, as Sir Ulic was old enough to be her grandfather, and drank so much whiskey, no one could go near him for fear of being poisoned ; she fairly hated him ; and the day he died she had a snug rubber in her own apart- ment. " Well then, after some little time, not hearing any thing more of the marquis, thinks she, he has taken me at my word, and understands that I don't mean to be married again. Well, an Irishman would have known better; so then she sent to enquire after his health, and the marquis returned word that he had been ill of a brain fever, and had been going to shoot himself a great many times. Then he comes in a sedan to visit her ladyship, and fell on his knees, and begged her to pity him, but said never a word about marry- 184 DUNSANY : ing. So then she began to think she had gone a little too far ; and though I was packed up, and ready to set out for Cheshire, yet, to oblige her, I put off my journey that I might talk to the marquis ; and she desired me to let him know, that she had set her mind on a long courtship. At hearing this he fell into a great passion, and in good English (for I told him I had forgot my French) swore roundly that he would not be a foot-ball to any woman, more particularly an old one ; though he soon after begged my pardon, and said it was a return of the brain fever, and be- sought me, with tears in his eyes, not to tell Lady O'Calligan what he had said ; so then I brought him to terms, and he agreed to court her a fortnight or so, and then he carried her a present of a beauti- ful little French dog, dressed all over in a silk net ; and she never has the pretty beast out of her sight, he eats out of her AN IRISH STORY. 185 plate and laps her tea, she fairly doats on the reptile. u So I daily expect to hear of the wed- ding when they set out direct for Ireland, where she means to sell all her estates, and her parks and castles, and take all the money to France, to repair a grand chateau of the marquis, which fell to ruin during the Revolution, and then he is going to claim some vast property that he is heir to, and he says his wealth is beyond that of a prince. Indeed, so it may easily be, if he reckons after the just heirs to the crown, though perhaps he means some of Buonaparte's new-fangled trumpery. " She is very much in love with the marquis, a great deal more so than ever she was with you, I can tell you ; so now don't be after hanging your ears, and thinking of challenging the marquis, for it's now of no signification whatever, as they will be married directly, and a fine 186 dunsany: couple they will be, only that he is a great deal younger than Lady O f Calligan ; and as for 1 andsome, no great matter for that. To say the truth, I never could abide Frenchmen — the most odious fellows in the world ; there are no men to compare with Irish or English, it's all one, not but I have seen some Scots that have had their share of merit ; but they are so cau- tious, and talk so deliberately, and appear so much upon the reserve, and so guarded, that one longs to help out their words with a shilelah. Oh ! give me my own dear countrymen. " Erin go brah, for ever ! Do my dear boy, contrive to come to us ; your friend Mans el can tell you how we all long to see you, and no one more than your loving cousin, Shady OBlarney." AN IRISH STORY. 187 Mansel and I parted reluctantly at rather a late hour, our conversation being prin- cipally about Euphemia, who, having re- ferred me to Mansel for an explanation of the cause of her grandfather's displeasure, I lost no time in begging him to acquaint me with the whole affair. He replied, that at the last Cheshire races, where Euphemia shone the meteor of attraction, she captivated the hearts of the Earl of B and Sir Henry G , and both became worshippers at the shrine of her beauty ; but that she repulsed both her lovers with the most mortifying coldness, thereby incurring the displeasure of Dr. Delaval, not untinctured with resentment, that from the moment Mansel found her affections engaged, he had (most gene- rously) resigned all his pretensions, and had so tutored himself, that he now re- garded her in no light beyond that of a be- loved sister. — He congratulated me very 188 DUNSANY : sincerely on possessing the affections of his cousin, and hoped my conduct through life would prove me worthy of so great a blessing. I embraced him as he concluded, and vehemently declared that nothing could ever cause any alteration in my sen- timents in regard to Euphemia, who would ever continue the object of my tenderest affection. CHAP. X. On my near approach to Lord Dun- leary's, I espied a great crowd near the house, and about the door several of his lordship's servants in seeming deep con- ference. I became alarmed ; and on en- tering the hall, I enquired the cause of the commotion I witnessed, and heard, with heartfelt sorrow, that Mr. S l Ledger had just been brought home dead, and that his lordship having gone out with an intention AN IRISH STORY. 189 of attending in the house of peers, the ser- vants were stationed there to apprize his lordship of it, should those friends who had set out to seek him, and to break the mournful tidings, fail to meet with him. On a further enquiry I found, that Mr. S*" Ledger, in company with other first-rate bucks, had attended a famous pugilistic match a few miles from town. On the success of one of the fighters a large sum had been betted by him ; that a dispute (generally the consequence of such meet- ings, and equally disgraceful from the prince to the peasant to witness) having arisen, Mr. S l Ledger challenged a famous bruiser, and after great skill and prowess had been exhibited on both sides, the heir to a peerage received a blow under the ear (evidently intended for the face), of a potent tendency : — he never spoke afterwards ; he was instantly carried home, where every 1 90 DUNS ANY : possible medical assistance was procured, but to no effect. The distress of Lord Dunleary was at first poignant in the extreme, but the at- tentions of a numerous circle of commise- rating friends, and his partial regard for his other son, (justly his pride), blunted the edge of his sorrows, and insensibly re- conciled him to the decree of Providence. During the time Mr. S\ Ledger lay un- buried, I never left Lord Dunleary ; I wrote all his letters, and transacted every affair for him that could help to lighten his cares ; it was therefore out of my power to see or pay any attention to the M c Pher- son family, to whom I requested Mansel to go with my apologies, as that kind friend came every day to see me. Lord Dunleary often pressed me to name some way in which he could serve me ; he had already made me a present of a couple AN IRISH STORY. 191 of the most beautiful coloured bays that could possibly be seen ; indeed, he so greatly over-rated my trifling* services, that I frequently felt pained. At last, when one day he had been more than usually urgent with me to name a way in which he might in some degree, repay, the obligations (he was pleased to say) I had heaped upon him, I mentioned the M c Pherson family to his lordship, recounting the wrongs they had suffered, and the ardent wish of young Alexander to go into the army. His lordship expressed great indignation at my recital of the base usage this unfor- tunate family had met with, and readily promised to use his interest towards ob- taining a commission for the youth, for whom I was so much interested. I could not be sufficiently thankful to his lordship for this proof of his generosity, and lost no time in the introduction of young M c Pherson to his patron, who was 192 dunsany: so well pleased with the youth, that he professed it to be his intention (that he might not encroach on the slender income of his mother) to take on himself the expense of fitting him out with every thing requisite for the profession he was about to enter upon. I was ready to worship the benevolent peer for such an instance of the goodness of his heart, and on my mentioning that I had obtained leave to be absent from town for about ten days, previous to my return to the peninsula, his lordship requested young M c Pherson to pass that time with him, who declared it was his intention to accompany us to the seat of war, that he might at once have the pleasure of seeing his son, and likewise of personally recom- mending young Alexander to the com- manding officer of whatever regiment he should be appointed to. So flattering a mark of his patron's esteem was justly VN IRISH STORY. 193 appreciated by the grateful youth and his whole family. When I was ready to leave town, I was somewhat surprised at the reluctance of Mansel to go likewise. London was not new to him ; we had together viewed every novel sight the season afforded ; he pro- fessed his affairs called him into Cheshire ; yet, when I was ready to go, he would in- vent the most trifling excuse to delay our setting out. However, as my time was limited to so short a space that I could not afford to lose an hour, and moreover provoked at what I considered such undecided con- duct, I sat out without him in a chaise and four, leaving to his option to follow or not, as best suited his inclination. How my heart palpitated as I drew near the loved abode of my Euphemia! I let down all the glasses that I might look in every direction for her, should she be VOL. I. k 194 dunsany : rambling in any part of the pleasure- grounds. At length, espying a female figure at a vast distance, love whispered in my ear it must be my adored, so burst- ing open the chaise door, I leaped out with such velocity, that I could scarce move for some moments, therefore, by my impetuosity, losing more time than if I had quietly remained in the carriage and suffered it to convey me to the place of my destination. With all possible speed I made for the spot to which I had seen the sylph-like form of my Euphemia glide. After about half an hour's search, I again saw her before me ; 1 flew after her, exclaiming, " we meet once more, my angel !" when the lady suddenly turning at so abrupt an address, discovered, instead of the object of my adoration, the frigid form of a Miss Waller, an antiquated damsel of that neighbourhood. I was confoundedly AN IRISH STORY. 195 ashamed of my blunder, and stammered out my apologies awkwardly enough, pro- fessing that the lady I mistook her for was one of the loveliest in the creation, but that now convinced of my mistake I begged her pardon ; then bowing, I left her, she scarcely deigning to notice me farther than by a stiff inclination of the head, having doubtless forgotten me, and perhaps not highly delighted at my apology, which I afterwards reflected was not ex- actly calculated to raise the smile of grati- fied vanity on a face that never could have boasted a single charm. I now soon reached the manor house by a short cut I was well accustomed to ; here all was in the greatest confusion ; — the carriage I came in having driven up to the grand entrance, and on the door of it being opened and the step let down, it was dis- covered no one was in it: the consternation of the drivers could not be expressed; I k2 196 dunsany : recollected that they pushed forward the last few miles with more than usual speed, and as at the time I jumped out we were going over a newly-mended road, my exit was wholly unperceived by them, and the door of the chaise having swung to again, it gave to the whole affair such a mysterious appearance, that night alone was wanting to persuade them that I had vanished in flames, or had rapidly ascended to the moon in an air balloon, or any other improbability fitted for some of our modern romance wonder dealers. Within doors all was uproar ; Dr. Delaval was sending his servants in all directions in search of me, as he appre- hended, that being fatigued with so long a journey, I might have got into a sleep, and consequently fallen out of the chaise, for on inspecting the doors, he discovered that one of them was merely pushed close and not fastened. He was also consoling AN IRISH STORY. 197 my worthy godmother, who was vo- ciferously exclaiming against the drivers, whom she accused of robbing and killing me. Lady Clifford had withdrawn with Eu- phemia to screen the agitation of the latter from the observation of her grand- father ; in short, nothing could surpass the confusion the whole family was put to by my mad freak. When I entered the hall, Dr. Delaval welcomed and embraced me with tears in his eyes. The servants all crowded round me, but the cane of Mrs. Shady soon dis- persed them, as I perceived, with sorrow, that the gout had compelled her to use one. " Stand off, I tell you !" cried she ; u begone, caitiffs ! and let me have a sight of my own boy, though, faith, I hardly think it's his own dear self again." I sprang towards her, and affectionately embracing her, assured this kind relative k3 198 dunsany: that it was literally the self-same cub she had brought from Ireland ; and that it pained me to observe how mnch she suffered with that dreadful malady, the gout. I then enquired for Lady Clifford and her daughter, and without waiting for an answer, I flew to the dressing room of the former, where the reception I met with convinced me that I alone possessed the affections of Euphemia; and that her amiable parent regarded me as if already her son. When more composed, we joined the party below, whom Miss Waller (being returned from her walk) was diverting with an account of my pursuit of her. Finding who I was, she good humouredly shook hands with me, confessing she had quite forgot me, and that my abrupt ad- dress and agitated manner led her to fear I was a maniac. This speech caused a AN IRISH STORY. 199 hearty laugh at my expense, and de- manded an apology from me for so greatly terrifying this lovely nymph. But if they found me altered in person, how much so was my Euphemia! She w T as grown considerably taller ; that slight girlishness of figure had given place to a most graceful commanding appearance ; she had lost much of that Hebe cast of countenance, but she had been a gainer by it, her face and features being rather longer ; she w r as also paler ; in short, she had much of the Madona style of beauty, so interesting in the still lovely Lady Clifford. Dr. Delaval enquired of me what had detained Mansel in town, on which subject I really had nothing satisfactory to say, (farther), than that I expected, when he found me really gone, he would speedily follow. Nor was I out in my conjectures ; as 200 DUNS ANY : on the evening of the third day after my arrival at Oaklands, he drove up the ap- proach to the house in one of the most ele- gant curricles that could possibly be seen. On entering, we all congratulated him on the taste he had displayed in his choice of a carriage ; on which he, in the hand- somest manner, presented it to me, having by a stratagem got me to point out what sort of a curricle I should best like were I about to order one ; and as he had offered to keep the horses for me which were the gift of Lord Dunleary, this generous friend had sent down the carriage to the last stage leading to Oaklands to await the arrival of my servant, who, with a groom of Lord Dunleary, I had sent forward with directions to proceed leisurely with the horses. When alone with Mans el, I told him, I did not care to accept his present ; for that I merely considered it as a bribe not to betray the real cause of his detention AN IRISH STORY. 201 in town, which I strongly suspected re- lated to some fair lady. He coloured, and endeavoured to laugh off my suspicions ; but on my pressing the subject pretty home, he confessed he was deeply smitten with the eldest sister of my friend M c Pherson. " That I have loved Euphemia, (he continued), the pain with which I relinquished all pretensions to her (on her acquainting me that her aifections were irrevocably set on a mad, blundering, Irish fellow) must have evinced my devo- tion to an object that I loved with a ten- derness bordering on enthusiasm. How- ever, though at the period of my making so great a sacrifice, I thought it an utter im- possibility to love twice, yet I am a proof of the fallacy of the assertion. Yes, Mount- stuart, I love Clara M c Pherson as passion- ately as ever I did my cousin ; but I am not without some obstacles in my second choice, though not of the same nature that pre- 202 DUNSANY : vented my success in another quarter, for I really believe Clara has as much regard for me as our short acquaintance will permit. " Her person, family, and education, place her in a situation to become the wife of any man, be his rank or fortune ever so splendid ; but I am not sufficiently inde- pendent — I — In short I have not courage to confute the arguments of Dr. Delaval against marrying a pennyless wife." " How then ?" eagerly demanded I. — " Surely, you have not been base enough to trifle with the affections of Miss M c Pherson ? If you have, I this moment cancel our former friendship, and for the sake of her brother I shall insist on satis- faction." " Pshaw ! nonsense," replied Mansel, u you know me incapable of an action of any sort that bears the slightest tendency to any thing dishonourable-^but do help AN IRISH STORY. 203 me to some advice how to proceed with my late guardian, who, I regret to own, is but too much attached to the pomps and vanities of this wicked world." " Why then," said I, " if you will em- power me to acquaint him- — that is, if you really mean to marry " " Really mean to marry," echoed he, " I should be the most wretched of human beings without Clara, whom I love as sin- cerely as you possibly can Euphemia ; but, at the same time, I must confess I dread the storm that will burst pn my devoted head on the first intimation of the affair. Do you think Mrs. Blaney would break it ? — but that would not do either ; she, perhaps, would only laugh at my embar- rassment.'' I answered, that he deserved to be laughed at, as I considered his pre- sent dilemma perfectly ridiculous ; that he was now twenty-five, an age beyond which the utmost stretch of parental power could 204 dunsany : not trust a guardian with authority ; that Jje had a clear two thousand a year, and was not absolutely a fool, but he must pardon me if I confessed, that in the pre- sent instance he acted very like one, and — He interrupted me with a long detail of delicate distress, as he feared (having re- linquished the hand of Euphemia) Dr. Delaval might take umbrage at his, so soon transferring his affections ; after some farther conversation I agreed to break the matter to his late guardian, whom I in- stantly went to seek, and finding him alone in the library, with some little hesitation (I confess) acquainted him with Mansel's affection for Miss M c Pherson, and laid a great stress on her beauty and accomplish- ments, in which indeed I only adhered to truth. He heard me with great patience, and replied, " that he had the happiness of Mansel as much at heart, as if he was his AN IRISH STORY. 205 own son ; that he once had hoped to have had a much nearer relationship to him than he now had, but from some unac- countable caprice in a female (otherwise nearly faultless), his expectations had been in that respect disappointed. Still it did not follow that he should (on that account) be less solicitous for Mansel's welfare ; and that however beautiful the young lady might be who was the present object of his choice, yet he should set his face against a union that had nothing farther to recommend it, save the beauty of one party, and the fancied regard of the other, and no doubt a few weeks absence would cure Mansel of an attachment so romantic ; and farther he begged me to convey his undisguised sentiments to my friend, as it would save him from being importuned on a subject, that, in point of prudence, he must negative, and Mansel would be spared the mortification of trying in vain to alter 206 DUNSANY*. his opinion ; his authority in point of law had now ceased, but he trusted much to Mans el's sense of propriety not to act in direct opposition to his wishes. Good heaven ! thought I, as I withdrew to seek my friend, how differently do we think at an advanced period of life, even on the same subject, to what we do in our vouthful career ! Can this possibly be the same man, who would have made anv sacrifice for the sake of the beautiful Miss Dormer ! Can this be the man who, in despair, withdrew from the world to the most gloomy retire- ment, to mourn his ill-requited love, and who, twenty years afterwards, had still so far a recollection of the tender passion, as to pardon his daughter for a step which, though in direct opposition to his wishes, had for its extenuation all-powerful love. But now how stern and morose he is become ; how little allowance he makes AN IRISH STORY. 207 for the follies of youth. Ah ! Euphemia, I can never have the courage to ask you of your grandfather until I am a general. When I acquainted Mans el of the ill success of my mission, he confessed he had not entertained any very sanguine hopes from the negotiation, but said he believed the best way would be for him to attack the doctor by letter, and as he really was obliged to be absent for some time (being about to grant some new leases to several of his tenants), he should take that opportunity to plead his cause. CHAP. XI. I had now been five days at Oaklands, and as the time of my departure drew nigh, I became restless and unhappy. To Lady Clifford I had opened the state of 208 dunsany : my heart respecting my unalterable affec- tion for her lovely daughter ; that charm- ing lady assured me of her concurrence in any plan that could ensure happiness to her Euphemia and myself, but advised me not to let my regard for her daugher be- come too apparent, as Dr. Delaval had set his mind on her making a very great alli- ance ; but for her part, she had rather see her Euphemia happy than great ; and whenever the time arrived that I could, with prudence, domesticate, in short, when tired with the clang of war, I should not only have her consent, but she would also exert all her influence with her father in my favour, who would no doubt in time be brought round. I kissed the hands of the most amiable of women as she concluded this consola- tory speech, and promptly declared, that whether living or dead, I should always reflect with delight on her goodness to me. AN IRISH STORY. 209 She smiled on my incorrigible nation- ality, as Euphemia would frequently term my blunders, and at parting presented me with a brooch set round with brilliants, and the hair of my beloved Euphemia en- closed. Mrs. Shady, on my taking leave of her, forced me to accept a draft for one hun- dred pounds, also one for fifty, which my father had remitted to her for my use ; she also told me that she hoped to prevail on my parents to join her at Bath early in the following year, the waters having been recommended to her as likely to be of the greatest efficacy in her complaint. I longed to see my father and mother after an absence of eleven years, and I promised my worthy godmother, if in my power, to meet them at Bath. I pass over the pain- ful adieus that took place on my quitting Oaklands, my eyes bore testimony to my not being dead to the finer feelings, and I 210 DUNSANY : pulled my hat over my face, tliat my weak- ness should not be observable to my ser- vant who rode inside the carriage with me. I never took so miserable a journey ; I was sadly out of spirits at leaving Eu- phemia ; I dreaded lest the importunities of Dr. Delaval should at length prevail on her to accept some one of the numerous advantageous oifers she had but to appear in public to obtain. At length I reached town, and drove to Lord Dunleary's, who received me with the greatest friendship ; I found young M c Pherson there, for whom his lordship had conceived a great regard, and had most generously taken on himself the whole expense of his equipment for the army. Next day, I called on Mrs. M c Pherson, and delivered to Clara a packet from Mansel, which he had en- trusted to my care. Mrs. M c Pherson, after her daughter had left the room, made AN IRISH STORY. 211 no secret with me in regard to Mansel's proposals to Clara, and on my speaking of him in the terms he deserved, she shed 1ears of thankfulness at the prospect of settling one of her children so advan- tageously. She also expressed her gratitude to me for my introduction of her son to Lord Dunleary, that benevolent nobleman having condescended (she said) to visit her, and offer his interest in favour of her youngest son, whom his lordship was pleased to term a youth of great promise. And farther, his lordship observing the ili state of health her second daughter (Lydia) was in, had most compassionately offered for their use a small villa at Twickenham, where he had occasionally resided, but from the circumstance of his now going abroad (for what period was uncertain), it was at their service as long as they pleased ; a man who 212 dunsany: took care of the garden, and his wife were the only resident domestics, and no doubt they would be very retired and comfortable there, " At any rate," continued this amiable woman, " by living rent free, I shall be able to afford many little indulgences to the poor invalid which hitherto it has been utterly out of my power to procure." But the excellent Lord Dunleary did not do good by halves ; on the family's removal to Twickenham (whither I accompanied them), we found stores of every thing that could possibly be wanted, most amply provided ; the residence was beautifully picturesque, elegantly fitted up, and the gardens and pleasure grounds delightful beyond mea- sure ; they all again thanked me for the friendship I had shewn them, and with tears bade me farewell. I could not, unmoved, witness the grati- tude of this amiable, injured family, whom, with a thousand good wishes, I took leave AN IRISH STORY. 213 of, loaded with letters and messages to Charles M c Pherson, whom I promised to see the moment I arrived at head-quarters, and whom (I told them) I should doubt- less find perfectly recovered of his wounds. CHAP. XII. Lord Dunleary, young M c Pherson, and myself, left town in his lordship's travelling carriage, and soon arrived at the port from whence we were to embark to join the army in the peninsula. Nothing could equal the spirits of our young companion ; he was delighted with every thing he saw, and when embarked, never was a mo- ment in the same place, enquiring into every thing, and then flying off before his question could possibly be answered. His noble patron was much diverted at the animation of his protegee, who indeed 214 DUNSANY : was just at the age to be charmed with the novelty a change of scene afforded, But his extreme gaite de cceur had the effect of making me quite dejected ; it brought back to my recollection the time I left Ireland, when, like young M c Pherson, / had not a care ; my cheer- fulness and vivacity was unbounded; like him, I felt a transient regret at leaving home, but it was quickly obliterated by the gay prospects opening before me ; for I fan- cied that in England every good was concen- tred; nor was I disappointed in that respect, as, independent of my inclination for the army being resisted by my friends, my time passed very happily until that period when the attentions of Mansel to Eu- phemia, caused me to regret the necessity of engaging in some profession that would inevitably place me at a distance from that beloved idol of my heart. When chained by the ill-judged choice of my mother and AN IRISH STORY. 215 Mrs. Shady to the dry study of the law, I felt the greatest chagrin, and it was not lessened by the ridiculous perseverance of the latter in respect to Lady O'Calligan. The steps I took to free myself from a thraldom that was intolerable, had un- doubtedly been crowned with success, in- deed beyond what my most sanguine hopes could have led me to expect ; but on the other hand, what dreadful carnage had I witnessed ! how many brave fellows had I seen levelled with the dust, who only a few hours before had shone conspicuous in mirth and conviviality ! How soon might a similar fate be mine ! W/ ould Euphemia then long regret me ? or might she not, as well as Mansel, choose another love ? Distraction was in the thought, and I began to persuade myself there was not a more miserable wretch on the face of creation than myself. So lost was I in these painful ruminations, that I 216 dunsany: did not perceive for some time a young lady who had taken her seat near me on the deck, though, like myself, she seemed insensible to our near contiguity, as she was deeply enveloped in a book. I sat some time observing her ; she was young, and her person, though far from handsome, had nothing in it absolutely displeasing. What most particularly engaged my at- tention was, the gaudiness of her dress, for such a combination of soiled finery I had seldom witnessed. At length, shutting her book with some vehemence, she exclaimed, " Divine Rousseau ! I am perfectly of your opinion ;" then starting at observing me so near, she continued, " I have for some time, sir, been enjoying a rich mental repast ; this book is my delight, it is the solace to my hcart-riving sorrows ; it is, in fact, the shrine at which I do homage." I bowed ; and taking the offered book from her hand, AN IRISH STORY. 217 found it to be a volume of Eloisa. " You, doubtless, sir, said she, u agree with me in allowing that the inimitable author has drawn a most fascinating character of his heroine." I replied, that however beautiful the person of Eloisa was depictured, she wanted, in my opinion, the principal charm to constitute female loveliness, which was, Virtue. " Virtue !" reiterated she, " good Hea- vens ! and can you, sir, seriously assert that Eloisa is not drawn a pattern of fe- male excellence ?" I replied, that I had merely run over the work in question, and, altogether con- demning it, I had in disgust thrown it aside, and from that time had never thought any more about it ; and then, to change the subject, I enquired the place of her destination, which, with a sigh, she in- VOL. I. L 218 DUNSANY : formed me was the head-quarters of the army. I therefore naturally enough supposed she was the wife of some officer, and made her an offer of any services in my power ; and finding she had left England in such haste as to be ill-provided with sea stores, after mentioning the subject to Lord Dun- leary, I obtained his concurrence and in- vited her to partake of the ample supply of provisions his lordship had ordered to be sent on board. Before we descended to the cabin, a black boy appeared, and accosting the lady by the appellation of missee, begged her to wrap herself in a pelisse trimmed with fur, Avhich he now presented her with. Per- ceiving I stared at her denomination of miss, she, with the frankness suited to an Eloisa, proceeded to inform me, that she had left her paternal home in pursuit of her lover, who was an officer in the Ger- AN IRISH STORY. 219 man Legion ; that her sable attendant was servant to a friend of her father on a visit at the house at the moment of her flight ; that having a very exalted opinion of the fidelity of blacks, she had prevailed on him to steal off with her. " Poor Mungo," added she, deeply sighing, " he felt for the miseries of the hapless Ophelia Constantia." I could scarce keep my countenance when blacky archly mut- tered, " Missee called Mis see Molly at home." " But are you, my dear madam," an- swered I, as soon as I could compose my relaxed muscles, " are you aware of the distress the step you have now taken will plunge your family into ? and the but too probable imputation;" (however unjust) a that may be thrown on your character, when it is discovered who is the com- panion of your flight ?" " As to the distress of my father," re- l2 220 DUNSANY : joined Miss Manby" (for such she in- formed me was her name), " it will be but of short duration, he is so much engaged in county business, and is at present busily employed in writing against land inci- sures, so that he has not time to bestow much attention on me. My grandmother, for I have no mother, is nearly mad on religious subjects, and has long expected me to take this step, which she never would dissuade me from, being thoroughly attached to the doctrine of predestination ; she was also well acquainted with my en- thusiastic adoration of Captain Lindergren; the censures of the world I utterly dis- regard, and have always acted in defiance of its opinions." So, so, thought 1, a very promising wife this German is likely to have ; a well brought up young lady; what with the neglect of the father, and the folly of the old devotee grandmother, poor Captain AN IRISH STORY. 221 Lindergren bids fair to have a hopeful bargain. Finding she expected some reply from me, though I really was at a loss what to say, "but have you" (at length I said) ' u con- sidered what will be your situation when you arrive at head-quarters, should he whom you seek be absent, or engaged in active duty ? Are you acquainted with any of the ladies of the Legion who may have followed their husbands to the seat of war ?" " I really have never thought of any of these matters," she replied, u nor am I acquainted with any of his brother officers, or their wives ; no, sir, I am guided by ex- alted love alone to follow the fortunes of my beloved, and I care little on any sub- ject wherein he is not concerned." Lord Dunleary now joining us, the con- versation became general, and adding his entreaties to mine, we prevailed on this l3 222 DUNSANY : romantic creature to partake of some re- freshment^ which indeed she much wanted, not having (by her own confession) tasted food for the last twenty-four hours. On mentioning her name to Lord Dun- leary, his lordship recollected having fre- quently met her father in company, whom he represented as a gentleman of good for- tune ; and his lordship expressed his re- gret that a young lady of Miss Manby's expectations, should be led away by ro- mances and novels, so far to forget what was due to her situation in life, as to act in so imprudent, not to say indelicate, a manner. " For the girl herself" (continued his lord- ship) " I have very little pity, but knowing her father, I will, out of respect to him, have so far an eye upon her, as to endeavour to get her married to this German on our landing, if he is willing to have her." Miss Manby was violently attached to AN IRISH STORY. 223 foreigners ; she had been, since her ac- quaintance with Captain Lindergren, stu- dying the German language, which she insisted was the most beautiful in the world, and she was quite offended at my term barbarous, when she was speaking in ]) raise of it. She also wished to draw me into perpe- tual argument, but chiefly on subjects that I was ill informed upon ; and my whole soul was so engrossed by my Euphemia, that I felt but little inclination to enter the lists with her. Amongst the pernicious principles this young lady had imbibed, was, a right to act in every respect according to her own free will and pleasure, unbiassed either by the opinion of the world or parental authority, the latter of which indeed she wholly sat at nought ; but love, omnipotent love, was the theme she most delighted in. On this subject I could have dwelt for 224 diwsany : ever, had my fair companion been more agreeable to me, but she wanted feminine softness, and her person was on too large a scale to be pleasing, at least in my eyes. In short, I believe it was her want of deli- cacy that offended and disgusted me, and I was heartily glad when we landed, as I then looked forward to a speedy consign- ment of our troublesome companion to her German lover. Lord Dunleary gave his arm to Miss Manby, and took charge of her to the apartments provided for his lordship by Colonel S l Ledger, whom we had the hap- piness of finding nearly recovered from his wounds. After congratulating both father and son on their joyful meeting, I went to see M e Pherson, whom I found still weak, though able to move without crutches. He was transported with joy at seeing me ; and when I fetched and introduced his brother, after breaking it to him AN IRISH STORY. 225 that he was arrived (his mother's letters having acquainted him of Alexander's good fortune, and that he would soon see him), he hurst into tears, and wept like a child ; then wringing my hand, " To you, my in- valuable friend," he cried, " my obligations can know no end. Dear, generous Mount- stuart, how can I ever repay one-hundreth part of your benevolent kindness to my mother ? " I told him I would not hear a word on that subject ; and breaking from him, I sought Lord Dunleary and Colonel S t# Ledger, the latter of whom was laughing at his lordship's account of Miss Manby, and jestingly assured me, that I could, in point of honour, do no less than offer my hand to the fair lady, as he slightly knew Captain Lindergren, and if he was not married, he protected a very beautiful young woman. I shrugged up my shoulders at this un- 226 DUNSATsY : welcome piece of information, and enquired of Lord Dunleary what was to be done. " Oh ! by all means go look a priest and get married as quick as possible," re- plied his lordship ; " though," continued he more seriously, " I advise you, my dear Mountstuart, to call on Captain Linder- gren, and prepare him to receive the pre- cious freight we have brought him." I assented, and after some trouble I found him. After introducing myself, 1, with some hesitation (occasioned by the know- ledge of what my own feelings would be, should so unpromising a bargain be forced on me) acquainted him with the cause of my visit, and urged him to pro- cure an asylum more proper for an un- protected female, than her present re- sidence could be under the roof of men only. Captain Lindergren seemed petrified with astonishment at my communication ; AN IRISH STORY. 227 at length he found words to express his surprise. " Do I hear you right, sir," exclaimed he (I howed) ; " good God ! " he pro- ceeded, (( Miss Manby ! as I hope for sal- vation, major, I am no more the cause of that lady's leaving her native country than you are." " There may possibly be some mistake in this," replied I; "Captain Adol- phus Lindergren is the name of the gentle- man I seek." " That can be no other than myself," cried he, " nor do I deny having seen — in- deed I frequently danced with Miss Manby during a stay I made of some months in that part of the country where her fa- ther resides ; I also generally was her mart for learned disputations, for which I was very ill qualified, as I spoke and under- stood the English language very im- perfectly. I will admit, that, to get free from her persecutions on this head, I have 228 DUNSANY : once or twice given her reason to believe that I was deeply in love with her (though from a learned wife, Heaven ever keep me !), but that a dread of offending her withheld me from more openly declaring the passion with which her personal and men- tal charms had inspired me ; and I also gave her reason ito think that I had resolved to die a martyr to my unhappy love, nor would I understand the encouraging hints I received from the lady not to sink into absolute despair ; I was resolved, and had made up my mind to be miserable as long as I was detained in her neighbour- hood. When once I had taken my departure, I assure you, major, that the recollection of Miss Manby no more crossed my mind than that of my grandmother. It is now five or six months since I left England ; and how she can possibly suppose her following me can be by any means agree- AN IRISH STORY. 229 ble, even were I at liberty to marry (which I am bound by every tie of honour not to do), she is the last woman in the universe I would select as a wife." I laughed heartily at this fine felknv's consternation (for he was a remarkably handsome young man), and after a time he lost a portion of his vexation, and joined me with a tolerable degree of drollery. After taking my leave, I demanded an audience of the lady, and briefly stated, that I had called on Captain Lindergren, and recounted the heads of what had passed between us, softening part, but not giving her the least reason to suppose he meant to see her, or give the most distant en- couragement to her romantic folly. She burst into an agony of tears and invective against her perjured lover, as she persisted in stating Captain Lindergren to be, and on her knees besought me to con- duct her to him, that she might ease her 230 dunsany : bursting heart by reproaching his perfidy, and then die at his feet. On my refusing to interfere farther in the business, she started up, exclaiming, " I am convinced how it is ; but surely, whilst my heart is breaking at the cruelty of my Adolphus, it is not a time; No, sir, I see your mo- tives, and may perhaps at some distant period be wrought upon to hear you ; but now — oh ! leave me, Major Mountstuart, leave me to the distraction of ill-requited love. Was it for this I quitted my in- dulgent parent ? (the first time she had mentioned him with the smallest particle of regard.) O Adolphus ! beloved whilst life shall last, you know not the heart you have rejected ; like the base Indian, you have thrown a pearl away ;" then ad- dressing me, " Is it the resentment of my friends he dreads, that he thus abjures his Melpomene" (she had evidently forgotten her former assumed names) ; " believe me, AN IRISH STORY. 231 major, he need apprehend nothing from them." My patience, which had long been at the last ebb, was now completely exhausted; I was harrassed in body and mind, and I needed rest and refreshment. " Madam," said I, " the plain reason given me by Captain Lindergren is, that he never was your lover ; and since he left your neighbourhood, he is become enslaved by a most captivating young woman, and he professes that nothing but death can separate them. Your whole conduct has been imprudent in the highest degree, and I would advise you to write to your friends to again receive you, which, if they are willing to do, your best way will be to re- turn to them by the first opportunity that is eligible. I then bowed, and left her almost fatigued to death, and provoked to madness to have witnessed such egregious folly. 232 DUNSANY : CHAP. XIII. Early the next morning I sought M c Pherson, whom I found in excellent spirits, and preparing to call on Lord Dunleary to thank his lordship for his almost unprece- dented kindness to his whole family. He told me that he had applied for leave of absence, as he was still totally unfit for duty, and his surgeou thought nothing would so greatly contribute to a perfect recovery, as his returning to the society of his friends. I expressed my sorrow at losing him so immediately after my return, though I admitted the selfishness of my request ; he then suddenly turned the conversation, and enquired how I had left my Cheshire friends, and if they did not all look sad at my return to the peninsula. I sighed, and assured him that, let their regret be ever so poignant at the separa- AN IRISH STORY. 233 tion, it could not keep pace with mine, for that life was to me a mere blank when separated from my Euphemia. He sighed in concert with me, and replied, that he could now very readily enter into my feel- ings, for he likewise was over head and ears in love. " And how," interrupted I, " can such a wonderful metamorphose have taken place ?" " My tales of love were wont to weary you ; I thought you joy'd not in a love discourse — " to which he answered, u if you will patiently hear me, I will a tale un- fold." I begged him to proceed, and he nar- rated as follows : — " It was in the very next engagement with the enemy, after you had sat off with dispatches, that poor Murray fell ; I had a great regard for him ; indeed he was a pleasant, good-tempered companion ; moreover, he was my country- 234 ditnsany : man. I never, however, visited him, but I was always surprized at the bad taste he evinced in the woman he had selected for a wife ; for though Mrs. Murray was handsome, she was extremely illiterate, arid seemed to possess a coarse vulgar mind ; he always appeared very fond of her, but his regard was not untinctured with jealousy, and she delighted in irri- tating his unfortunate malady, rather than to soothe it. Her expenses in dress knew no bounds ; and on his once remonstrating before me with her on such a continuation of extravagance, she an- swered, that she did not leave her native country to become a soldier's drudge, and that she would spend as much as she pleased ; and if he would not give her money enough, she should send her bills to him to settle. A great deal more passed; and being concerned to witness their altercation, I, by degrees, became less inti- AN IRISH STORY. 235 mate there, and latterly, Murray and I, as if by a tacit agreement, never met but by chance. " When word was brought me that poor Murray was left amongst the slain in the field of action, I was induced to visit his afflicted widow from the impulse of our former friendly footing, which was at- tended with great personal inconvenience, from the painful state of my wound ; how- ever, supported by my servant and a sol- dier, I at last reached the lodgings of the unhappy Mrs. Murray, naturally supposing, that in grief and distraction for his loss all trifling disputes were forgotten, but I was totally mistaken in supposing this hardened woman could feel. " I found her perfectly tranquil, and busied in packing up every thing she could collect ; in the meanwhile, poor Murray's servant entered, and with tears bewailed his master to me, and turning to the vile 236 DUNS ANY : woman, he bid ber be cautious as to what she took, for that one was arrived who would make her answer for every valuable article that was removed. a I really thought the poor fellow's dis- tress had bereaved him of reason ; I there- fore, after offering my condolences to the lady, of which she took very little notice, ordered my men to support me home again, where I had not long arrived, when Mur- ray's servant burst into my room, franticly exclaiming, that his master was not dead, his mistress had found him. " I could not comprehend how this could be, after the indifference with which Mrs. Murray had received the account of his death, and was more than ever of opinion that this faithful servant suffered under some illusion of fancy. I called for wine, and forcing him to swallow some, bade him sit down, and when more composed, besought him to inform me by what means his lady (who AN IRISH STORY. 237 seemed so busy packing up) had found his master. " c Lord bless you, captain !' replied he, ' you didn't think that creature was ever my master's lawful wife. No, no, my real lady is an angel of goodness ; sweet soul, how tenderly she loved him, and what a noble fortune she brought him, all squan- dered on that vile hussey, Biddy Clark, who had the assurance to pretend she was his wife. (ii I have lived, Sir, fourteen years, with Captain Murray. He was one of the handsomest gentlemen the sun ever shone on, at the time he ran off with his lady, which is about eight years ago, when my master's regiment was quartered at Liver- pool. Sbe was the daughter of one of the richest merchants belonging to that place ; the old gentleman soon forgave them, and gave my master many thousands for his wife's fortune ; nothing could 238 dunsany : equal their happiness ; but my dear master had been wildish, and had kept Bid Clark before he was acquainted with the lady he married ; she was one of Gosport, her father was a tailor there, but he suddenly got enriched, no one knows how, and then they sat up for gentry. Heaven help their sots heads ! However, madam Bid came to Liverpool to look for her former keeper, and by her wiles drew my master from his happy home, and almost broke my dear lady's heart. Many's the hour she has sat drowned in tears, and he out on some party of pleasure or other with this wicked woman. At last, my master was villain enough to go off to Ireland with Madam Biddy, and pass her for his wife, and swore, if I ever hinted to any living soul that she was not so, he would discharge me from his service, which he knew would be, of all others, the most severe punishment he could inflict, as I was greatly AN IRISH STORY. 239 attached to him ; for he had no other fault save this one, and bad enough it was to be sure, though the chief blame rested on that worthless Biddy Clark. " ' But after gaining his regiment again (now in other quarters), he found his brother officers looking but coldly on him for deserting his beautiful lawful lady ; so not liking their treatment, he exchanged into this regiment, and suffered madam to take his name. But of late he has had cause of great discontent about one of the drummers whom she calls her cousin, and every penny she could scrape, she has given to this fellow, though lately that was not much, as my master had nearly spent all his fortune, as well as that of my dear lady. " ' So when the news came that he was killed in battle, madam set about rumaging every thing she could lay hands on, even my lady's picture (which my master kept 240 DUNSANY : locked up in his writing desk, for he had not the face to look upon it) did not escape her claw, at least she made a prey of the gold and diamonds, and then threw the picture, all crumpled and torn, on the floor ; but I had neither time nor patience to attend farther to her; for word was brought me, that my real lady was arrived, and on hearing the sad tidings that her still beloved husband was amongst the killed, she had run distracted to the spot where the action had taken place, and with a false courage, inspired by horror and despair, sought her husband amongst the dead and dying. I should have told you, sir, that twice I had attempted to find mv master, and each time had turned back from that dreadful speetacle, — a field of action, strewed with the bodies of those whom only a few hours before were the pride of our army, and the terror of the enemy. AN IRISH STORY. 241 " " But when I heard how far my dear lady had outdone me in courage, I sat oft for the spot, and came up with her just as she had recognized my master, and at- tempted to raise the body ; and on my assisting her, I perceived with joy there was still life in it. I knew my lady again the moment I beheld her ; also her sister, Lady Cecil, who, with his honour, Sir George, and several of their servants, had followed my lady the moment they missed her. His honour, Sir George, compelled the ladies to retire with some of the servants to take care of them ; and the others and myself, under his honour's direction, con- veyed the body of my master to his lodgings, where, on assistance being procured, the surgeons were of opinion that he very pos- sibly might recover. " ' The moment I heard the blessed news, as I was not permitted to enter my dear masters room for fear I should disturb him VOL. I. M 242 dunsany : by expressing my joy, I thought I would just take a peep how the mock madam went on, and give her a taste of the hard language she had often dealt out to me. Your presence, sir, kept me from having my say with her, a good for nothing ; and vet I was so afraid that if I let her know my master lived I might give her the chance of wheedling herself into his good graces again, that your honour will, I trust, for- give my playing the counterfeit and be- wailing my master, though the tears I shed were those of joy and gladness, and I only gave your honour time to get home when I followed to acquaint you with these particulars.' " I thanked, and dismissed this faithful fellow, as my late exertions rendered quiet needful, and early the following morning I got myself conveyed to the apartments of Sir George Cecil, personally to enquire after poor Murray. AN IRISH STORY. 243 " As I caused myself to be announced as his particular friend, I was invited to the apartment of Sir George and Lady Cecil, the latter of whom, with a female domestic, was recovering from a fainting fit — one of the loveliest young women I ever beheld ! On my apologizing for intruding at such a time, also stating that my weak state of health, from my late severe wound, pre- vented my moving without assistance, but that solicitude to enquire personally after my poor friend had caused me to exert myself to the utmost, Sir George came to me, and wringing my hand, expressed great commiseration for my situation, and having seated me, proceeded to tell me that they had hopes (though he admitted very slender ones) of poor Murray's re- covery ; and Lady Cecil (to whom I was introduced) having supported the sor^ rowing wife into another room, Sir George and I entered into a long conversation, m 2 244 duns any: during which lie informed me, that Cap- tain Murray having passed a tranquil night, his medical attendants thought the arrival of his wife might be imparted to him without being attended by any bad conse- quences ; but contrary to expectation, at the bare mention of her name he had been seized with delirium, and though she per- sonally attended him, he did not know her, but constantly addressed her by the name of the vile woman who had caused their separation. c Such an instance of apo- stacy/ continued Sir George, ' I never before witnessed ; his wife's distress is very poignant, but he is wholly unworthy of her. My prayer is, that he may die under his present infatuation, and then, the shock once over, his amiable wife may probably, in a second choice, meet with that happiness she so unfortunately missed in her marriage with him.' As Sir George Cecil hoped, so the event turned out ; poor AN IRISH STORY. 245 Murray died a few days after, reprobating his blameless wife, and accusing her of driving the wretch, Clark, from him. On hi 5 demise, Sir George persuaded his sister- in-law, accompanied by Lady Cecil, to re- move to an apartment contiguous to mine, whilst the necessary preparations were made to carry the body of Captain Mur- ray to Scotland for interment. * c As soon as propriety admitted, I called on the family, and was most cordially wel- comed by Sir George and his amiable lady ; and as soon as the remains of her husband had been placed in the family vault, the lovely mourner, whose grief was tempered with pious resignation, made one in our social parties. I can with truth affirm, that this period was the happiest of my life ; and when I parted from this amiable groupe on their return to England, I felt as if left in a desert. " But my love is utterly hopeless ; for m 3 246 DUNSANY : Mrs. Murray is, by the death of a relation, in possession of so large a fortune, that it would be little short of insanity were I to suppose she would bestow a thought on me under my present circumstances ; at the same time, I shall never seriously think of any other woman." I endea- voured to rally M c Pherson (when he had concluded) ont of the poor opinion he en- tertained of himself, and told him, I came purposely to recommend a wife to him, and I was therefore much chagrined at finding his affections engaged. I then gave him the outlines of Miss Manby's adventures, from my first seeing her, down to the present period. He was greatly amused at my account of this heroine of romance, and though he positively declined the honour of becoming her husband, yet he professed his willing- ness to do all in his power towards pro- curing her a legal protector, and laugh- AN IRISH STORY. 247 ingly proposed the introduction to her of a brother officer of ours, whose real name was Montford, but he was more generally known by that of Flash, his foppery and vanity being seldom surpassed by the most strenuous followers of puppyism ; he got frequent and most severe reproofs from our commanding officer (whom I have before mentioned, and who having long since passed the age when youth and a fine person are not unfrequently the passports to general favour with the fair, even though accompanied by a slight tincture of the follies of the age) who more than once threatened to represent his conduct to the commander in chief as unsoldierlike, having once stolen on the hapless youth rather unexpectedly, and surprized him before a glass, studying all kinds of graceful, love- inspiring attitudes, whilst he was singing Braham's celebrated " Beautiful Maid !" However, though the follies of Mont- 248 DUNSANY : ford caused him to be pretty generally laughed at, and in some measure despised, yet his genuine good humour was such, that after running him ever so hard, he was seldom known to retort on his an- tagonist with rudeness or asperity. In my idea, it was an utter impossibility not to feel a degree of esteem for a creature, who injured no one, and would put up with con- tinual jests with the utmost forbearance. It has frequently been observed, that those who are most in the habit of playing off tricks on others, can the least support the tables being turned on themselves. I cannot now omit mentioning a case in point. A brother officer, named Lascelles, was famous for this sort of behaviour, and seldom lost an opportunity of treating poor Flash with contempt and derision ; indeed far beyond what he deserved. Previous to a particular day, when we were to en- AN IRISH STORY. 249 Tertain at our mess dinner some very dis- tinguished personages, Montford, who had a numerous brood of brothers and sisters, rather foolishly (for I am of opinion that all family affairs are best kept close, ex- cept to those interested in these details) mentioned that he had that day received a letter from his father, containing a very severe lecture on his profligacy, and re- peated applications for money, " whereas," continued he, " I only wanted the old close- fisted curmudgeon to give me thirty pounds." u And has the old scoundrel refused you jo pitiful a sum ?" sneeringly enquired Lascelles. " God forbid !" replied Montford with a yarmth of feeling I thought him incapable >f possessing, " God forbid that I should hink so meanly of my father, as to per- uit any man to stigmatize him with the mdeserved appellation you have bestowed »n him ; therefore, Mr. Lascelles, I insist 250 dunsany : on your apologizing to me for so great an outrage." " Whew !" whistled Lascelles, u you're come to that, are you my boy ; bravo ! my fine fellow, that's my little hero ; but recollect yourself, Master Flash, who was it gave old dad the first hit ? answer me that; you, if I mistake not, complained of his shabbiness in lecturing you for asking for thirty pounds." Flash looked silly, and the affair dropped, but Lascelles seemed to delight from that time in tormenting him to a degree bor- dering on malice. At our above-mentioned dinner, we per- ceived the money, wrenched from his fa- ther, had been laid out by Flash to render his appearance particularly smart; his regimentals were new, and a superb gold watch chain might have been unobserved, had he not been so particularly anxious to know how time went, that he was per- petually looking at his watch ; he was in AN IRISH STORY. 251 unusual spirits, from being greatly pleased with his own sweet person, at which he took many a sly glance from a mirror that he repeatedly strutted before. Lascelles appeared on wonderful good terms with him, and complimented him on his ju- dicious disposal of the cash his father so unwillingly granted him ; they sat next each other at dinner, and Lascelles, calling his servant to bring him some particular sort of sauce, the fellow (no doubt pre- viously tutored), by an awkward stumble, overturned the whole entirely over poor Flash, Avho, quite overcome with vexation, rose and retired from table. Lascelles enjoyed his ferocious jest wholly to himself, most of us expressing our disapprobation at such unprecedented ill-natured treatment of a good-tempered inoffensive young man, particularly after he had imparted the difficulty with which he had obtained his last remittance from his father. 252 DUNSANY : But however Lascelles endeavoured to gloss over the pretended accident, Mont- ford saw clearly enough that the contents of the sauce tureen were wilfully poured over his new coat. It was not in human nature to resist the desire of being revenged whenever opportunity offered ; and when, as if by accident, some days afterwards, Montford contrived in passing the bottle to break it and deluge Lascelles with the contents, his fury became almost unap- peasable, and he swore never to forgive the reprisal (he had, however, so deservedly met with) ; and naturally of a fierce, savage temper, he pursued poor Flash with such rancorous inveteracy, that the unhappy victim of his wrath became, from his malicious persecutions, almost weary of life. Happily at last for him, Lascelles exchanged into another corps, and left him to regain that peace of mind he had long been a stranger to. It was this young officer that M c Pher- AN IRISH STORY. 253 son pointed out to me as a husband for Miss Manby, provided we could prevail on him to fall desperately in love with the lady ; and M c Pherson undertook to pre- pare him for the pleasing surprise of a young lady of great beauty and accomplish- ments having fallen deeply in love with him ; and in addition to the total loss of peace of mind, her hard-hearted, pitiless guardian, had kept her locked up in her apartment ever since. " We must get some one to personate this monster of cruelty," continued M c Pherson, laughing, (i for without difficulties to overcome, Flash will not deem his conquest of any importance, consequently will not follow up the chace with spirit." On my return home, I sought Lord Dunleary, and mentioned our plan to him. " Well, well," said his lordship, " so we can be happily rid of our romantic lady no matter how soon ; but first, is Flash, as 254 DUNSANY : you call him, a man of honour, that is, he will not" (I trust) " ill-treat this heroine, should he discover that we persuaded them to fall in love with each other by a stra- tagem." I replied, that I knew Montford to be a real good-tempered fellow, but that he had a great share of personal vanity ; it therefore would not require any very great pains to lead him to suppose that a young lady was deeply smitten with him, and that if a few obstacles were thrown in the way, he would instantly be on the alert to rescue her from her arbitrary guardian. a And a blessed riddance!" cried Lord Dunleary. <( You may, if you please, make me out immediately in the form of a morose guardian, and in that character I will throw every impediment in their way that I judge likely to expedite getting the girl respectably married before her character is wholly lost. Allons, therefore, to act our separate parts." AN IRISH STORY. 255 I accordingly sent a respectful message to Miss Manby, requesting to be permitted to wait on her. I was soon admitted ; she appeared still in grief, and in speaking of the baseness of her Adolphus, she wrung her hands, and in short acted up to the most extravagant romance. When this violence began to subside, I began to state the nature of my embassy. I told her that broken vows between lovers were nothing new, for," added I, c At lovers' perjuries 'tis said Jove laughs.' I then proceeded in fine romantic lan- guage to assure her she had made a con- quest far superior to Captain Lindergren, and I hoped she would lend a favourable ear to the addresses of the person in question. She became somewhat pacified at this, but enquired, if I had these sentiments of regard for her, how could I have acted with 256 DUNSANY : impartiality in my interview with her once beloved German. Once beloved, thought I, so, the wind is veering about already ; however, I did not let her remain a moment in her error, but assured her, that my heart had long been most inviolably engaged, otherwise (added I bowing) I must have been blind to the most brilliant charms not to have wor- shipped at the resplendent shrine before me. I then entered on a long detail of the doubts, fears, and misery, Montford had endured after seeing her land, fearing she might already be a wife, and I obtained her consent to receive a visit from him that same evening. I then suggested to her the propriety (as she was under Lord Dunleary's roof at present) of his lordship's sanctioning their interview with his presence ; though seem- ing to recollect myself as soon as I had uttered this, I exclaimed, " But that will AN IRISH STORY. 257 be impossible ; his lordship has such a decided aversion to all love affairs, he con- siders them all nonsense, and he has not scrupled to say, that if he hears of any more of the like folly " Indignation flushed her face as she in- terrupted me, by bitterly inveighing against such a barbarous abase of power, pro- fessing it to be her determined resolution to act in open defiance of his lordship, whom she termed, an usurper of power, though only the night before she had thankfully accepted his offer of guardian- ship, until one legally authorized rendered his protection unnecessary. As I found I coukl with difficulty keep my countenance, I now took my leave, and in the course of the day called on Flash, whom I found duly prepared by M c Pher- son to fall in love. I affected to know but little of the fair one who, he was assured, took such an 258 dunsany : interest in him ; but the little I chose to impart was sufficient to determine him to release her from the tyranny of her guardian, and we managed so well, that in the course of a fortnight after my inter- view with Captain Lindergren,MissManby became the wife of Lieutenant Montford. Lord Dunleary gave the lady away, and undertook to communicate the whole affair to her father, and to place her conduct in the most favourable point of view ; and his lordship most generously offered to procure a company for young Montford on the first vacancy, provided Mr. Manby would make a suitable provi- sion for his daughter. The old gentleman, in reply to his lord- ship's letter, professed that his obligations and gratitude to Lord Dunleary could never be repaid; that he was thankful beyond mea- sure at his lordship's procuring a respectable match for his daughter, whose late repre- AN IRISH STORY. 259 hensible conduct had made it impossible for her to appear again in her former neighbourhood, had she not become a wife ; and moreover Mr. Manby remitted three thousand pounds to the bridegroom, as an earnest of what farther he should do for him, provided he treated his wife well. Montford, who really was flattered by her professions of regard, and whose cir- cumstances became tolerably affluent by her means (for Lord Dunleary made them some valuable presents also), seemed dis- posed to make an excellent husband, and the eccentric pair bid fair for as large a portion of happiness as in general falls to the lot of us poor mortals. CHAP. XIV. The time now arrived when M c Pherson bade me adieu, and returned to England, 260 DUNSANY : after an absence of many years. I was exceedingly affected at parting with him, and felt myself quite a blank in society without him. He had not been long gone, when I re- ceived a packet from England. The first letter I opened was from Mansel, and ran as follows : — " My ever dear Mountstuart will be happy to learn, that all his friend's per- plexities are at an end. Yes, my dear Dunsany, Dr. Delaval has at length list- ened to reason, and my cause being advo- cated by the amiable Lady Clifford, I have been made happy by a consent I almost feared was not attainable. I am on the point of setting off for Twickenham, from whence I shall not return until I have commenced a Benedict. "The enclosed, from my beautiful cousin, will no doubt speak more to the purpose than volumes from me. Rest satisfied, AN IRISH STORY. *2(> 1 Mountstnart, of the enthusiastic regard oi that lovely girl ; hers is a heart worth the conquest ; look to it, my friend, that you ever hold sacred the happiness of our dear Euphemia. Dr. Delaval's acquiescence was so unexpected, that it acted like a thunderbolt on me ; for I had so harrassed myself by the unexpected difficulties he threw in my way, that I had become quite ill. I actually wept when the angelic form of Lady Clifford spoke comfort to me, by bearing the pleasing tidings of having, at last, prevailed on her father to consent to my marrving Miss M c Pherson ; nor did I feel ashamed of my sensibility ; for however the gay and thoughtless may ridicule such feelings, yet to you, and those possessed of a right way of thinking, I shall doubtless stand excused. " I hope you have mentioned to Capt. M c Pherson my attachment to his lovely sister. I have been so very unpleasantly 262 DUNSANY : situated, that it was impossible the com- munication could have come from me, for I had resolved (whatever misery I should draw upon myself) not to act in defiance of Dr. Delaval, to whom my obligations are incalculable. u Mrs. Blaney talks of going soon to Bath, where she is in expectation of meeting your parents, also your uncle, Sir Lucius Mont- gomery, who is just returned from India with a large fortune, and, every one admits, most honourably acquired. " Your brother Charles has married an Asiatic with immense wealth ; they also are at Bath, where I hope to persuade my Clara to go also on our marriage. How ardently shall I look forward for your personal felicitations on the happiness of my dear Dunsany's most faithful friend (and cousin), G. Mansel " AN IRISH STORY. 263 After devouring the contents of my Eu- phemia's letter, I had leisure to reflect on Mansel's ; I was made very happy, and sin- cerely rejoiced that he had overcome all his difficulties, for I never could reconcile to my way of thinking the hateful axiom, " That there is something not displeasing to us in the misfortunes of our friends ;" on the con- trary, I was feelingly alive to the distresses of others, and always rejoiced in the happi- ness and prosperity of my fellow-creatures. After answering these letters, I was again doomed to the painful task of bidding adieu to some highly-valued friends, Lord Dun- leary and his son being on the point of embarking for England. We parted with much reluctance ; and they both made me faithfully promise to make their home mine whenever I visited England. How ar- dently did I long for that period ; not that my attachment to a military life had at all diminished, but I was in love, and I feared 264 DUNSANY : hopelessly so, from the opposition I ex- pected to meet from Dr. Delaval. In short, I knew not how much I loved Euphemia until my last visit to Oaklands. It is true, of her regard I had the strongest assurances, and of her constancy (hereto- fore) the most convincing proofs ; but would her affection for me be subject to no diminution, should years roll on before we might meet again ? Or might not the superior loveliness of her person draw some offer so splendid, that a female heart could not, perhaps, resist the exultation it might bestow ? And might not Lady Clif- ford, however partial to me, wish to see hex lovely daughter shine in a sphere of life she was so well qualified to grace ? Misery was in the thought, and I en- deavoured, but in vain, to drive such distracting ideas from me. I became rest- less and unhappy, and I saw no speedy termination to my present uneasiness ; for AN IRISH STORY. 265 I had so lately been in England, that I could not possibly form any pretext for soliciting leave of absence, and I dreaded lest the undeserved stigma of being anxious to avoid danger should be thrown upon me if I expressed an impatience to leave the peninsula. At length a letter arrived from M c Pher- son which a little diverted my thoughts from dwelling too much on subjects that were painful to me. I transcribe it ver- batim. " You will be happy to hear, my in- valuable friend, of my safe arrival in England. As the vessel approached the whitened cliffs of Albion, how my heart swelled ! and as I stepped on shore, had I been alone, how readily would I have kissed the earth of that country which con- tains the greater part of all my nearest, and dearest ties. I reached London as soon as possible, and after a short time allotted to VOL. I. N 266 DUNSA^Y : recover my fatigue a little (for I am still weak), I sat out for Twickenham. With what heartfelt joy did I again embrace my mother and sisters ! I leave you to suppose our delight at meeting ; our only alloy was the absence of poor Alexander — but so happily as he is situated — placed in the most glorious profession in the world, and gifted in a superior degree with talent and courage that will doubtless lead him in time to a distinguished rank in the pro- fession he has chosen. Forgive me, Mountstuart, this tribute of praise to my brother, and let me proceed to state, that the day after my arrival I called at Sir George Cecil's, where I had the extatic delight of again beholding the fascinating sister of Lady Cecil, more interesting and beautiful than ever. i( Sir George being in the country, Lady Cecil told me she saw no company in his ab- sence, ' though,' added she, smiling, c I take AN IRISH STORY. 267 off the interdiction in regard to you, Cap- tain M c Pherson. and invite you to spend the day, en famille, with Emily and myself.' And what a delightful day did I pass with these charming women ; it was literally 4 The feast of reason.' u On Mrs. Murray's leaving the room to fetch me some drawings she had com- pleted since her return, having taken the sketches from some of mine, Lady Cecil asked me if I did not perceive a great im- provement in the looks of her sister since our first acquaintance. I replied, that when I first saw her lovely sister, I thought it impossible she could be more beautiful ; but I now beheld her perfectly angelic. She laughed, and reproved my figurative language, as she termed it. ' No wonder,' cried her ladyship, ( now n 2 268 duns any: that my sister is happily released from the continual sorrow her indiscreet marriage entailed upon her, she is quite an altered being. " \ Captain Murray ran off with her when she was too young to form any judgment of his principles, which must always have been vitiated. My indulgent father was soon prevailed upon to forgive and receive them, and made them annually a large allowance. ' " When it was the will of Heaven to call to itself our beloved and only parent, lie divided his property equally between my sister and myself ; and as he had the highest possible opinion of Captain Murray, the fortune of his wife was placed in his hands without any restriction whatever. But this was the downfall of their happi- ness ; Murray, from being in possession of so large a fortune, plunged into every sort of dissipation, unchecked by the fear of AN IRISH STORY. 269 offending the inestimable parent and only protector of his unfortunate wife. And Murray's fatal prepossession for that vile Clark ended in his total desertion of his blameless wife, whose fortune was un- feelingly squandered by him in the most profligate manner. " ' At the time my sister was so cruelly deserted by her worthless husband, and left almost in beggary, I, being under age, was, by the will of my father, placed in the family of one of my guardians; of course I could not assist her; but an aunt of my father, who was looking out for a companion, made her an offer of re siding with her in that capacity, at an old dilapidated mansion-house which she possessed near Durham. " Here my unfortunate sister remained four years, during which my marriage with Sir George took place ; and know- ing my uneasiness at her unpleasant n 3 270 DUNSANV : situation, he joined me in entreating her to reside with us ; but our old relation being a great invalid, Emily withstood what she termed our tempting offer, de- clining it on the principle of not deserting an unhappy being, loaded with years and infirmities, and whose bad temper in- creased daily, so much so, that no do- mestic would remain with her, save one old couple, grown grey in her service, and on a par with two coach horses that once a year dragged an old caravan, com- plimented with the name of chariot, to the next market town, to settle the last year's frugal expenditure, and to contract fresh debts for the ensuing one for such necessaries as were absolutely needful to support existence. " 6 At last this poor, penurious wretch died, and, contrary to Emily's expectation, she was left sole heiress to her immense wealth, with the exception of a legacy of AN IRISH STORY. 271 ten thousand pounds to me. But the joy I felt at my sister's emancipation from slavery, and her accession of fortune, re- ceived a great check when I found her resolved to seek her prodigal, and share her hard-earned wealth with him. It was in vain to remonstrate or alter a deter mination, which, like all her actions, had its foundation in rectitude and virtue. Sir George and I therefore resolved to accompany her to the peninsula. You know the rest : her grief, though vio- lent, was not lasting ; indeed I should con- sider it the most wilful folly, not to say wickedness, to mourn a man who had acted so base a part as ' The entrance of Mrs. Murray put a stop to our con- versation ; I returned to Twickenham more than ever in love, where I found Mansel, who was absent on my first arri- val; he is indeed all that you have de- picted — sensible, amiable, handsome ; in 272 DUNSANY : shorty I consider the lot of Clara as par- ticularly fortunate, and I trust their prospect of felicity will be permanent. " He spoke of you in the highest terms ; — but O Mountstuart, can words do jus- tice to you, when my poor mother, with streaming eyes, thanked me for the draft for fifty pounds — you understand me — thanks to you I know T are prohibited ; on my heart the obligation is for ever engraven ; but for you, dearest of friends, would Lord Dun- leary have so generously stepped forward to serve our afflicted family in the manner he has done ? — My feelings overpower me, and I can only (dearest Mountstuart) bid you affectionately adieu.*' I was much vexed that M c Pherson had become acquainted with my pious fraud of the fifty pounds, because I knew his grateful disposition would cause him so greatly to over-rate my wish to serve his amiable pa- rent. AN IRISH STORY. 273 In reply to his letter I told him, that if I ever heard a word more on the subject of fancied obligations on his part, I should consider it a want of friendship, because he well knew the pain it gave me to re- ceive thanks which my very small services to his family did not merit ; and I jestingly added, that when any unexpected good for- tune befel him, I offered myself to share it freely with him. A short time after, I had the following letter from Mrs. Shady O'Blarney. Bath. " DEAR BOY, " We arrived here three days ago, — that is, Dr. Delaval and myself, for Lady Clifford and Euphemia were detained by the races, which they had promised to attend long enough ago. Your father and mother arrived yesterday ; also your brother Lucius and Lady Juliet — she is 274 dunsany : very pretty — they have five children, beau- tiful as the sun at noon-day, all boys; though faith, I believe I am out there in saying so, but they are one sort or t'other, no matter which. Your brother is much grown (understand me, in breadth), and a fine commanding air; he is very like you. Your father and mother don't look a day older than when you last saw them. She (your mother) is rather angry with you for not being a judge, which she had set her mind upon. Your father is very well pleased you are what you are, and hence arise some warm debates, though no ac- tual anger between them. " I told them directly of Lady OCal- ligan's regard for you, and your father only laughed, but your mother cried, ' faugh ! the old beldam ! I think it no laughing matter, when you so wilfully stood in your own light. I have no pa- tience.' Lady Juliet dances divinely — she AN IRISH STORY. 275 is much admired. Your brother expects, through the interest of the Earl of Bonny - brack, the father of Lady Juliet, to get the long dormant title of Loftus revived in him, though they will have but little to keep it up — more's the pity. " To-day your uncle, Sir Lucius, is ex- pected, and along with him Charles and his Oriental bargain. By the bye, I un- derstand she is almost a black ; well, every one to his mind. "Mansel is about to get married directly to a most beautiful girl — he has fortune sufficient to make amends for her having none. Dr. Delaval was a long time com- ing round, and Mansel (mark you) would not run counter to his wishes. At last, when his face became half an ell long, and the colour of a Bath cheese, Lady Clifford interposed, and all was settled to his mind. They aie to reside in North Wales, where the chief part of his estates are situated, 276 bunsany : " Your mother dresses like a girl, and, faith, looks like one too ; she danced all last evening, and your father quizzing and telling her age, which almost killed her with laughing. " Since I began this, the Indians are arrived. Och ! get along with you, all you young men, and give me your own sweet uncle for my money ; 'tis many years since we met, but the gain has been on his side — so noble, so majestic, j so portly — Charles is a very fine young man — but his wife ! ! ! Heaven defend me ! lifted by blacks from one room to t' other, — such fanning and scented waters thrown all about — she don't speak ten words in a day — all bedecked with diamonds too — her fortune ten times more than ever Charles dreamt of — he has behaved very handsome to Lucius (Lord Loftus that is to be) — given him a couple of thousand pounds a child, and she (the Indian) has AN IRISH STORY. 277 presented Lady Juliet with strings of pearl, and several diamonds of immense value. " Your uncle has asked after you more than once, but I fancy Montgomery stands the best chance of his wealth. Clanwilliam is about to marry a younger sister of Lady Juliet — report says, as pretty as her sister, and as wild as the winds. He is with his regiment in Ireland, where they met with each other. Sir Lucius has given him ten thousand pounds to set them off, and a promise that he shall be a colonel the first vacancy. " Oh ! I knew I had something to say that sat heavy at heart — Lady O'Calligan's French marquis proves nothing at all but a rogue. The vagabond, after they reached France, got all her money and jewels, and decamped, and she almost begged her way back to Ireland, and there she is going to set up a seminary to educate young ladies of fashion in the polite arts, and to instruct 278 DUNSANY : them in prudery and all that; and no person can be better calculated than one who has suffered so much affliction from love ; no doubt she will meet with every possible encouragement from all sensible and ju- dicious parents and guardians ; she is of such high rank too, for she styles herself Marquesa, that was Lady O'Calligan ; so you see two titles in one person ; and I have offered her part of Castle Blarney for nothing. My heart is rent at her distresses to be so taken in by that rascally French baboon. u Dr. Delaval has this moment rapped at the door of the room where I am writing, to say, he has just received a letter from Lady Clifford, who, with Euphemia, is on the road to this place. Mansel and his bride will join our party ; and then, whom more shall we want ? why, you'll say Clan- william and Lady Sophia ; yes, truly, Mr. Modesty, and we want you also. AN IRISH STORY. 279 " c Oh ! that the wars were all over.' I say nothing for others — your mother writes by next post, and your father, you know, never writes but when he can't help it. Let every one stick to their own concerns ; therefore, on my own account, I conclude, remaining your loving cousin, Shady O'Blarney." END OF VOL. I. BOOKS PRINTED FOR SHERWOOD * Co. THE TRUE STATE OF THE BRITISH NATION, a* to Trade, Commerce, &c. clearly pourtrayed, and new, eligible, and extraordinary Plans proposed, whereby the whole of the National Debt may be speedily liquidated without additional Burden on the Community— The Removal of Taxes, &c. &c. Price As. By I. H. REDDELL, Esq. Member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, Sec. &c &c. The ITINERANT; or, MEMOIRS of an ACTOR. By S. W. 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