forms the office of clerk! Meanwhile, the clergy are, year after year, wearing away the pavement of London and Paris, and living as unspiritual a life as possible. I lately read in an English newspaper, that a clergyman at Boulogne had lost a large sum at play; that an affair had ensued, in which he had shot his antagonist, and had been obliged immediately to quit the place, and return to his living. Even the higher clergy, who must, at least, reside at certain stated periods, in their episcopal and archiepiscopal sees, suffer none of their ill-gotten gains (for what else can money so acquired be called?) to return back again to the poor people, from whom they have wrung it, but save all they can, that they may enrich their families.'-vol. ii. pp. 39, 40.

We shall add to this statement, a list, which the author obtained of thirteen districts, in the county Tipperary, setting forth the comparative amount in each place, of the Protestant and Catholic population.

Catholics.

12,000

11,000

Clonoughty

Cappawhyte...

Killenaule

5,142

2,800

......

7,040

5,000

Feathard

Kilcummin

Mickarty

7,600

2,400

7,000

4,000

4,000

5,700

4,500

Anacarty

Doniskeath

New Erin......

vol. ii. p. 5.

The time is evidently fast approaching, when this monstrous state of things must cease. The subject is one of immense interest, to which we must again and again advert, and which we shall never give up, until some rule of justice be established, in this respect, for miserable Ireland.

Our author gives a most amusing account of a day's hunting among the Galtee mountains of Tipperary, and of the festive scene with which it concluded. As we have a friend at our elbow, who happens to be au fait to all this portion of the prince's history, we have no difficulty in filling up the blanks, left for some of the

names.

'I was on horseback by six o'clock, on my way to breakfast, at Captain Scully's country-house, where the sportsmen were to rendezvous for a harehunt. I found six or seven sturdy squires assembled: they do not think much, but their life is all the more gay and careless. After we had eaten and drank, the most heterogeneous things-coffee, tea, whiskey, wine, eggs, beef-steaks, honey,"mutton-kidneys, cakes, and bread and butter, one after another-the company seated themselves on two large cars, and took the direction of the Galtee mountains; where, at a distance of about eight miles, the hounds and horses were waiting for us. The weather was fine,

and the ride very pleasant, along a ridge of hills, commanding a full view of the fruitful plain, inclosed by mountains, and richly varied by a multitude of gentlemen's seats and ruins, which are scattered over the whole level country. I enjoyed these beauties, as usual, alone; my companions had only dogs and horses in their heads. A spot was pointed out to me where a strange phænomenon took place ten years ago. A bog which lay = at a considerable elevation, forced up, probably, by subterranean springs, I was completely loosened from its bottom, and travelled on in a mass, sixteen feet high, and three or four acres in extent. It moved in a continual zigzag, according to the nature of the objects it encountered; and thus passed over a distance of nine miles, till it reached the nearest river, into which it slowly discharged itself, causing an overflow of the waters. The rate of its progress was about three miles an hour. It laid waste every thing in its course. Houses were levelled to the earth at its touch; trees torn up at once by the roots; the fields completely covered, and the valleys filled with bog. An immense multitude had assembled at the end of its course, without the power of offering the slightest resistance to the progress of this awful and majestic phænomenon.

⚫ On our arrival at the appointed place of meeting, the horses were there, but no dogs. There were, however, a great many gentlemen, and instead of hunting hares, we now all traversed the fields in every direction in search of the stray hounds. The sort of riding on these occasions is a thing of which people in our country can form no idea. Although most of the fields are inclosed by stone hedges from three to six feet high, and either piled loosely together, or regularly cemented, and some of them edged by ditches; or strong walls of earth and stones pointed at the top, from five to seven feet high, with a ditch on one, sometimes on both sides;—all this is not admitted as any pretext whatever for the riders to deviate from a straight line. If I mistake not I have already described to you how wonderfully the horses here leap; the sagacity is also admirable with which they distinguish a loose hedge from a firm one; one recently thrown up, from one hardened by time. The loose ones they spring over at one leap, --" clear them," according to the technical expression; but they take the firm ones more easily, making a sort of halt at the top. All this takes place equally well in a full gallop, or, with the utmost coolness, at a foot pace, or with a very short run. Some gentlemen fell, but were only laughed for a man who does not break his neck on the spot must look for no pity, but on the contrary, ridicule. Others dismounted at very bad places, and their docile steeds leaped without them, and then stood still, grazing while their riders climbed over. I can assure you I very often thought I should be compelled to follow their example; but Captain Scully, who knew the excellent horse on which he had mounted me, and was always by my side, encouraged me to trust with perfect security to the admirable creature; so that at the end of the day I had acquired a very considerable reputation even among "fox-hunters." Certainly it is only in Ireland one sees all that horses are capable of; the English are far behind them in this respect. Wherever a man could get through, my horse found means to do so in one way or other, leaping, crawling or scrambling. Even in swampy places where he sank up to his girths, he laboured through, without the least hurry or agitation, where a more lively and timorous horse, though equally strong, would certainly never have made his way. Such a horse on VOL. III. (1831,) no. iv.

at ;

R R

one.

a field of battle would be beyond all price: but only very early and perfect training, joined to the excellence of the breed, can produce such an Experience shows that a peculiar bent of education, continued through centuries, ends in rendering the superinduced qualities natural even in animals. I saw pointers in England, which, without any training, stood still and pointed as decidedly the first time they were taken out shooting, as if they had been ever so carefully trained..

*

"At length we found the dogs: the men who had the care of them having got completely drunk. Our hunt did not end till the approach of twilight. It was become excessively cold, and the flickering fire, with the table spread before it, shone most agreeably upon us on our arrival at Captain Scully's house. A genuine sportsman's and bachelor's feast followed. There was no attempt at show or elegance. Glasses, dishes, and all the furniture of the table, were of every variety of form and date: one man drank his wine out of a liqueur glass, another out of a champagne glass, the more thirsty out of tumblers. One with his great-grandfather's knife and fork, his neighbour with a new green handled one which the servant had just bought at Cashel fair. There were as many dogs as guests in the room: every man waited on himself; and the meats and potables were pushed on the table in abundance by an old woman and a heavy-fisted groom. The fare was by no means to be despised, nor the wine either, nor the potheen clandestinely distilled in the mountains, which I here tasted for the first time genuine and unadulterated. For sweetening a pudding, two large lumps of sugar were handed about, and we rubbed them together as the savages do sticks for kindling a fire. That the drinking was on a vast and unlimited scale you may safely presume: but though many at last could not speak very articulately, yet no one attempted any thing indecorous or illbred; and the few who were much excited, enhanced the merriment by "bon mot" or droll story.

many a

6

I am indebted for the great cordiality, I might say enthusiasm, with which I am received here, to my visit to the "Man of the People," with whom the curious believe me to be in God-knows-what connection. I am greeted with hurrahs in every village I ride through; and in Cashel, the market-place, in which my inn stands, is daily filled with people, who congregate at an early hour, and cheer me every time I go out. Many press forward and ask leave to shake my hand, (a no very gentle operation), and are quite happy when they have accomplished this.

'We rose from table very late. I was packed into my host's car, with another gentleman, and set off for Cashel through an icy fog. Every individual ran out to my assistance. One would draw a pair of furred gloves on my hands; another lent me a cloak; a third tied a handkerchief round my neck; every man insisted on doing me some little service: and with many a "God bless his Highness!" I was at length suffered to depart. The gentleman with me, Mr. O'Ryan, was the most original, and the most drunk of any. Equally bent on doing me some kindness, he invariably made the matter worse than he found it. He unfastened my cloak, in trying to fasten it; tore off my handkerchief, instead of tying it; and fell upon me, in his efforts to make room. This poetical humour displayed itself as characteristically when we reached the Rock of Cashel. It was dreadfully cold, and the cloudless firmament twinkled and glitttered

as if bestrewn with diamonds. Between the road and the rock, however, a thick mist lay along the earth, and covered the whole surrounding country, as with a veil, though it did not rise higher than to the foot of the ruin. Its base was invisible, and it appeared as if it stood built on a cloud in the blue æther, and in the midst of the stars. I had been admiring this striking night-scene, some time, when my neighbour, whom I thought asleep, suddenly cried aloud, "Ah, there is my glorious rock! look, how grand! and, above all, the sacred place where all my ancestors repose, and where I too shall lie in peace!" After a pause, he tried, in a fit of great ecstasy, to stand up, which, but for me, would probably have ended in his falling from the carriage. As soon as he was firm on his legs, he took off his hat reverently, and with a sort of devotion, at once affecting and burlesque, called out, with tears in his eyes, "God bless Almighty God, and glory to him!" Notwithstanding the nonsense, I was touched by the feeling which broke through it, and in this, at least, I sympathized with my whole soul.'— vol. ii. pp. 57-64.

The author thinks it necessary to apologize to the fair friend to whom his letters are addressed, for the kind of life which he led with the gentlemen of Tipperary. It was, however, genuine,' and therefore, irresistable in its attractions for him. The scene varies, when he once more arrives in Dublin, and partakes of the hospitality of its representative court. Among the public edifices of that city, he mentions, in terms of particular praise, the principal Catholic chapel, in which, though many objections might be made on the score of good taste to the structure as a whole, some of the details are exquisitely beautiful.

'Above, on the centre of the altar, stands a magnificent temple of splendid gems and gold, in which the real pyx is kept, and near it two no less magnificent golden candlesticks. On each side of the altar stands a tripod, supported by angels with folded wings; on the tablet at the top are placed the host and the wine. The details are executed in the best possible taste, and a grand simplicity reigns through the whole. From the roof hangs a massive silver chain, supporting an antique lamp of the same metal, which is kept perpetually burning. It is certainly one of the most beautiful institutions of the Catholic religion, that some churches stand open day and night to all who long for communion with Heaven. In Italy I scarcely ever went to rest without visiting one of these; and giving myself up to the wonderful effect produced in the stillness of night, by the red fantastic light thrown on the vaulted roof by the few scattered lamps, I never failed to find some solitary figure, kneeling in supplicating reverence before one of the altars, busied only with his God and himself, and utterly unmindful of all that passed around. In one of these churches stood the gigantic statue of St. Christopher, leaning against the middle pillar, and touching the roof with his head. On his shoulders was his heavy burthen, the miraculous child; and in his hand, as a staff, the fullgrown trunk of a tree, with fresh green boughs, which were renewed every month. The light of a lamp suspended above, surrounded the infant Christ with a glory, and threw some rays, as if in benediction, upon the pious giant.

When I compare the Catholic service as it is performed here, with that of the English Protestant Church, I must unquestionably prefer the former.

It may, perhaps, contain some superfluous ceremonies, some which even border on the burlesque, such as the tossing about of the censers, the continual shifting of dresses, &c.; but still this form of worship has a sort of antique grandeur which imposes and satisfies. The music was excellent; the singers very good, and, which amazingly enhanced the effect, invisible. Some Protestants call this a taint of sensuality; but I cannot discover why the scream of an unmusical Lutheran congregation, which rends one's ears, should be more pious than good music executed by people who have been well taught*. Even with a view to the contents of the sermon, the comparison was greatly to the advantage of the Catholic Church. While the Protestant congregation at Tuam was entertained with miracles, swine, and evil spirits, the discourse here was purely moral and practical. The eloquent preacher had taken Envy as his subject, and said among other excellent remarks, "If you would know whether you are entirely free from this crime, so afflicting to humanity, so degrading to the individual who cherishes it-examine yourselves thoroughly, whether you never experienced an unquiet and dissatisfied feeling at the constant and growing prosperity of another; whether you never felt a slight satisfaction at the tidings that some mischance had happened to a fortunate neighbour? This is a serious inquiry, and few will make it earnestly without advantage."

'The way in which every one reads silently his prayer-book, while the sublime music elevates the soul, and withdraws it from the earthly and trivial, appears to me far preferable to the loud responses and prayers of the Anglican church. During this interval of silent veneration, little heed is given to the ceremonies, the change of raiment, or the incensing the priests. But even allowing for these slight blemishes, the Catholic church strikes the mind, as a whole, as something congruous and harmonious with itself, and venerable from its antiquity, and its consistency; the English Protestant church, on the contrary, as something patchwork, incongruous and unconnected.'-vol. ii. pp. 86-89.

The author remained some time in Dublin, with the society of which he appears to have been much pleased. Thence he returned to England, and passed over to France, and his letters conclude with some remarks on the modern manners and sciences of the latter country. In closing the volumes of this writer, we feel as if we were bidding adieu to a friend of some standing in our esteem. He expresses himself, on all occasions, with so much fearlessness, and sincerity, and benevolence, that we become attached to him from the moment we begin to know his character. We have seldom met with an author better calculated, in every respect, for a tourist, than this German prince. Nothing comes amiss to his hand. He reasons with the wise, disputes with the politician, laughs with the gay, and plays at antics with the wild. Persons of all these, and many other shades, he encountered in abundance in Ireland, of which his work furnishes, perhaps, the best whole-length portrait that ever was drawn.

*Much has lately been done towards improving, I might say humanizing, the music in the churches in Prussia; and the influence of this improvement on the congregations has been universally found to be very beneficial.-EDITOR.'