THE FIRST CHAPTER OF A A NOVEL, CONTEMPLATED BY LORD BYRON IN THE SPRING OF 1812; (AFTERWARDS PUBLISHED IN ONE OF MR. DALLAS' NOVELS.) DARRELL TO G. Y. J. 180 **** So much for your present pursuits. I will would be in our senates. The whole present system, now resume the subject of my last. How I wish you with regard to that sex, is a remnant of the chivalrous were upon the spot; your taste for the ridiculous would barbarism of our ancestors; I look upon them as grownbe fully gratified; and if you felt inclined for more serious up children, but, like a foolish marima, am always the amusement, there is no "lack of argument." Within slave of some only one. With a contempt for the race, I this last week our guests have been doubled in number, am ever attached to the individual, in spite of myself. some of them my old acquaintance. Our host you already You know that, though not rude, I am inattentive; any know-absurd as ever, but rather duller, and I should thing but a "beau garçon." I would not hand a woman conceive, troublesome to such of his very good friends as out of her carriage, but I would leap into a river after her. find his house more agreeable than its owner. I confine However I grant you that, as they must walk oftener out myself to observation, and do not find him at all in the of chariots than into the Thames, you gentlemen servitors. way, though Veramore and Asply are of a different Cortejos and Cicisbei, have a better chance of being opinion. The former, in particular, imparts to me many agreeable and useful; you might, very probably, do both, pathetic complaints of the want of opportunities (nothing but as you can't swim, and I can, I recommend you to else being wanting to the success of the said Veramore) invite me to your first water-party. created by the fractious and but ill concealed jealousy of poor Bramblebear, whose Penelope seems to have as many suitors as her namesake, and for aught I can see to the contrary, with as much prospect of carrying their point. In the mean time, I look on and laugh, or rather I should laugh were you present to share in it; sackcloth and sorrow are excellent wear for soliloquy; but for a laugh there should be two, but not many more, except at the first night of a modern tragedy. Bramblebear's Lady Penelope puzzles me. She is very beautiful, but not one of my beauties. You know I admire a different complexion, but the figure is perfect. She is accomplished, if her mother and music-master may be believed; amiable, if a soft voice and a sweet smile could make her so; young, even by the register of her baptism; pious and chaste, and doting on her husband according to Bramblebear's observation; equally loving, not of her husband, though rather less pious, and You are very much mistaken in the design you impute t' other thing, according to Veramore's; and if mine hath to myself; I have none here or elsewhere. I am sick of any discernment, she detests the one, despises the other, old intrigues, and too indolent to engage in new ones. and loves-herself. That she dislikes Bramblebear is Besides, I am, that is, I used to be, apt to find my heart evident; poor soul, I can't blame her; she has found him gone at the very time when you fastidious gentlemen out to be mighty weak and little-tempered, she has also begin to recover yours. I agree with you that the world, discovered that she married too early to know what she as well as yourself, are of a different opinion. I shall liked, and that there are many likeable people who would never be at the trouble to undeceive either; my follies have been less discordant and more creditable partners. have seldom been of my own seeking. "Rebellion came Still, she conducts herself well, and in point of good in my way, and I found it." This may appear as cox- humour, to admiration. A good deal of religion, (not combical a speech as Veramore could make, yet you enthusiasm, for that leads the contrary way,) a prying. partly know its truth. You talk to me too of " my cha- husband who never leaves her, and, as I think, a very racter," and yet it is one which you and fifty others have temperate pulse, will keep her out of scrapes. I am glad been struggling these seven years to obtain for yourselves. of it, first, because, though Bramblebear is bad, I don't I wish you had it, you would make so much better, that is, think Veramore much better; and next, because Bram. worse use of it; relieve me, and gratify an ambition which blebear is ridiculous enough already, and it would be is unworthy of a man of sense. It has always appeared thrown away upon him to make him more so; thirdly, it to me extraordinary that you should value women so would be a pity, because nobody would pity him; and, highly, and yet love them so little. The height of your fourthly, (as Scrub says,) he would then become a melan gratification ceases with its accomplishment; you bow, choly and sentimental harlequin, instead of a merry, fretand you sigh, and you worship,—and abandon. For my ful pantaloon, and I like the pantomime better as it is now part I regard them as a very beautiful, but inferior animal. cast. More in my next. Yours, truly, I think them as much out of place at our tables as they DARRELL PARLIAMENTARY SPEECHES. DEBATE ON THE FRAME-WORK BILL, IN THE HOUSE (hurried over with a view to exportation. It was called, in the cant of the trade, by the name of "Spider work.' The rejected workmen, in the blindness of their igno rance, instead of rejoicing at these improvements in arts LORD BYRON rose, and (for the first time) ad-so beneficial to mankind, conceived themselves to be dressed their lordships, as follows: THE order of the day for the second reading of this bill being read, sacrificed to improvements in mechanism. In the foolishMY LORDS-The subject now submitted to your lord-ness of their hearts they imagined, that the maintenance ships for the first time, though new to the House, is by and well-doing of the industrious poor were objects of no means new to the country. I believe it had occupied greater consequence than the enrichment of a few indithe serious thoughts of all descriptions of persons, long viduals by any improvement, in the implements of trade, before its introduction to the notice of that legislature, which threw the workmen out of employment, and renwhose interference alone could be of real service. As a dered the labourer unworthy of his hire. And it must be person in some degree connected with the suffering confessed that although the adoption of the enlarged macounty, though a stranger not only to this House in gene-chinery, in that state of our commerce which the country ral, but to almost every individual whose attention I pre-once boasted, might have been beneficial to the master sume to solicit, I must claim some portion of your lord- without being detrimental to the servant; yet, in the preships' indulgence whilst I offer a few observations on a sent situation of our manufactures, rotting in warehouses, question in which I confess myself deeply interested. without a prospect of exportation, with the demand for To enter into any detail of the riots would be super-work and workmen equally diminished; frames of this fluous: the House is already aware that every outrage description tend materially to aggravate the distress and short of actual bloodshed has been perpetrated, and that discontent of the disappointed sufferers. But the real the proprietors of the frames obnoxious to the rioters, and cause of these distresses and consequent disturbances all persons supposed to be connected with them, have lies deeper. When we are told that these men are been liable to insult and violence. During the short time leagued together not only for the destruction of their own I recently passed in Nottinghamshire, not twelve hours comfort, but of their very means of subsistence, can we elapsed without some fresh act of violence; and on the forget that it is the bitter policy, the destructive warfare of day I left the county, I was informed that forty frames had the last eighteen years, which has destroyed their com been broken the preceding evening, as usual, without fort, your comfort, all men's comfort? That policy which, resistance and without detection. originating with "great statesmen now no more," has Such was then the state of that county, and such I survived the dead to become a curse on the living, unto have reason to believe it to be at this moment. But whilst the third and fourth generation! These men never these outrages must be admitted to exist to an alarming destroyed their looms till they were become useless, extent, it cannot be denied that they have arisen from worse than useless; till they were become actual impedicircumstances of the most unparalleled distress. The ments to their exertions in obtaining their daily bread. perseverance of these miserable men in their proceed-Can you, then, wonder that in times like these, when ings, tends to prove that nothing but absolute want could bankruptcy, convicted fraud, and imputed felony are found have driven a large, and once honest and industrious, in a station not far beneath that of your lordships, the body of the people, into the commission of excesses so lowest, though once most useful portion of the people, hazardous to themselves, their families, and the commu- should forget their duty in their distresses, and become nity. At the time to which I allude, the town and county only less guilty than one of their representatives? But were burdened with large detachments of the military; while the exalted offender can find means to baffle the the police was in motion, the magistrates assembled; yet law, new capital punishments must be devised, new all the movements, civil and military, had led to—nothing. snares of death must be spread for the wretched mechaNot a single instance had occurred of the apprehension nic, who is famished into guilt. These men were willing of any real delinquent actually taken in the fact, against to dig, but the spade was in other hands: they were not whom there existed legal evidence sufficient for convic- ashamed to beg, but there was none to relieve them: their tion. But the police, however useless, were by no means own means of subsistence were cut off, all other employidle: several notorious delinquents had been detected; ments preoccupied, and their excesses, however to be men, liable to conviction, on the clearest evidence, of the deplored and condemned, can hardly be subject of sur capital crime of poverty; men who had been nefariously prise. guilty of lawfully begetting several cluldren, whom, thanks It has been stated that the persons in the temporary to the times! they were unable to maintain. Considera-possession of frames connive at their destruction; if this ble injury has been done to the proprietors of the improved be proved upon inquiry, it were necessary that such mate frames. These machines were to them an advantage, rial accessaries to the crime should be principals in the inasmuch as they superseded the necessity of employing punishment. But I did hope, that any measure proposed a number of workmen, who were left in consequence to by his majesty's government, for your lordships' decision, starve. By the adoption of one species of frame in par- would have had conciliation for its basis; or, if that were ticular, one man performed the work of many, and the hopeless, that some previous inquiry, some deliberation superfluous labourers were thrown out of employment. would have been deemed requisite; not that we should Yet it is to be observed, that the work thus executed was have been called at once without examination, and withinferior in quality; not marketable at home, and merely lout cause, to pass sentences by wholesale, and sign death warrants blindfold. But admitting that these men had no their employments, would have rendered unnecessary the cause of complaint; that the grievances of them and tender mercies of the bayonet and the gibbet. But their employers were alike groundless; that they deserved doubtless our friends have too many foreign claims to the worst; what inefficiency, what imbecility has been admit a prospect of domestic relief; though never di evinced in the method chosen to reduce them! Why such objects demand it. I have traversed the seat of were the military called out to be made a mockery of, if war in the Peninsula, I have been in some of the most they were to be called out at all? As far as the differ-oppressed provinces of Turkey, but never under the most ence of seasons would permit, they have merely parodied despotic of infidel governments did I behold such squalid the summer campaign of Major Sturgeon; and, indeed, wretchedness as I have seen since my return in the very the whole proceedings, civil and military, seemed on the heart of a Christian country. And what are your reme model of those of the Mayor and Corporation of Gar- dies? After months of inaction, and months of action ratt. Such marchings and countermarchings! from worse than inactivity, at length comes forth the grand Nottingham to Bullwell, from Bullwell to Banford, from specific, the never-failing nostrum of all state physicians, Banford to Mansfield! and when at length the detach from the days of Draco to the present time. After feelments arrived at their desunations, in all "the pride, ing the pulse and shaking the head over the patient, preDomp, and circumstance of glorious war," they came just scribing the usual course of warm water and bleeding, the in time to witness the mischief which had been done, and warm water of your maukish police, and the lancets of ascertain the escape of the perpetrators, to collect the your military, these convulsions must terminate in death, spolia opima" in the fragments of broken frames, and the sure consummation of the prescriptions of all politireturn to their quarters amidst the derision of old women, cal Sangrados. Seting aside the palpable injustice, and and the hootings of children. Now, though in a free the certain inefficiency of the bill, are there not capital country, it were to be wished that our military should punishments sufficient in your statutes? Is there not never be too formidable, at least to ourselves, I cannot see blood enough upon your penal code, that more must be the policy of placing them in situations where they can poured forth to ascend to Heaven and testify against you? only be made ridiculous. As the sword is the worst How will you carry the bill into effect? Can you com argument that can be used, so should it be the last. In mit a whole county to their own prison? Will you erect this instance it has been the first; but providentially as a gibbet in every field, and hang up men like scarecrows? yet only in the scabbard. The present measure will, or will you proceed (as you must, to bring this measure indeed, pluck it from the sheath; yet had proper feet-into effect) by decimation? place the county under marings been held in the earlier stages of these riots-had tial law? depopulate and lay waste all around you? anc the grievances of these men and their masters (for they restore Sherwood Forest as an acceptable gift to the also had their grievances) been fairly weighed and justly crown, in its former condition of a royal chase and an examined, I do think that means might have been devised asylum for outlaws? Are these the remedies for a starvto restore these workmen to their avocations, and tran- ing and desperate populace? Will the famished wretch quillity to the county. At present the county suffers from who has braved your bayonets, be appalled by your gib the double infliction of an idle military, and a starving bets? When death is a relief, and the only relief it population. In what state of apathy have we been appears that you will afford him, will he be dragooned plunged so long, that now for the first time the House has into tranquillity? Will that which could not be effected been officially apprized of these disturbances! All this by your grenadiers be accomplished by your executionhas been transacting within 130 miles of London, and yet ers? If you proceed by the forms of law, where is your we, good easy men, have deemed full surely our great- evidence? Those who have refused to impeach their ness was a-ripening," and have sat down to enjoy our accomplices, when transportation only was the punishforeign triumphs in the midst of domestic calamity. But ment, will hardly be tempted to witness against them all the cities you have taken, all the armies which have when death is the penalty. With all due deference to retreated before your leaders, are but paltry subjects of the noble lords opposite, I think a little investigation, some self-congratulation, if your land divides against itself, and previous inquiry, would induce even them to change their your dragoons and your executioners must be let loose purpose. That most favourite state measure, so marvel. against your fellow-citizens.-You call these men a mob, lously efficacious in many and recent instances, temporizpesperate, dangerous, and ignorant; and seem to thinking, would not be without its advantages in this. When that the only way to quiet the "Bellua multorum capitum" a proposal is made to emancipate or relieve, you hesitate is to lop off a few of its superfluous heads. But even a you deliberate for years, you temporize and tamper witn inob may be better reduced to reason by a mixture of the minds of men; but a death-bill must be passed off conciliation and firmness, than by additional irritation and hand, without a thought of the consequences. Sure I am, redoubled penalties. Are we aware of our obligations from what I have heard, and from what I have seen, that to a mob? It is the mob that labour in your fields, and to pass the Bill under all the existing circumstances, serve in your houses, that man your navy, and recruit without inquiry, without deliberation, would only be to add your army, that have enabled you to defy all the world, injustice to irritation, and barbarity to neglect. The and can also defy you when neglect and calamity have framers of such a Bill must be content to inherit the driven them to despair. You may call the people a mob; but do not forget, that a mob too often speaks the sentiments of the people. And here I must remark, with what alacrity you are accustomed to fly to the succour of meagre with famme, sullen with despair, careless of a your distressed allies, leaving the distressed of your own life which your lordships are perhaps about to value at country to the care of Providence, or-the parish. When something less than the price of a stocking-frame-sup. the Portuguese suffered under the retreat of the French, pose this man surrounded by the children for whom he is every arm was stretched out, every hand was opened, unable to procure bread at the hazard of his existence. from the rich man's largess to the widow's mite, all was about to be torn for ever from a family which he lately bestowed to enable them to rebuild their villages and supported in peaceful industry, and which it is not his replenish their granaries. And at this moment, when fault that he can no longer so support-suppose this man thousands of misguided but most unfortunate fellow- and there are ten thousand such from whom you may Countrymen are struggling with the extremes of hardships select your victims, dragged into court, to be tried for this and hunger, as your charity began abroad, it should end new offence, by this new law; still, there are two things at home. A much less sum, a tithe of the bounty be wanting to convict and condemn him; and these are, in stowed on Portugal, even if those men (which I cannot my opinion,-twelve Butchers for a Jury, and a Jefferies adma without inqury) could not have been restored to for a Judge! honours of that Athenian lawgiver whose edicts were said to be written not in ink, but in blood. But suppose it past; suppose one of these men, as I have seen then, DEBATE ON THE EARL OF DONOUGH MORE'S MOTION army; the Catholic soldier cannot absent himself from FOR A COMMITTEE ON THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CLAIMS, APRIL 21, 1812. MY LORDS-The question before the House has been so frequently, fully, and ably discussed, and never perhaps more ably than on this night, that it would be difficult to addice new arguments for or against it. But with each discussion difficuries have been removed, objections have been canvassed and refuted, and some of the former opponents of Catholic Emancipation have at length conended to the expediency of relieving the petitioners. In conceding thus much, however, a new objection is started; it is not the time, say they, or it is an improper time, or there is time enough yet. In some degree I concur with those who say it is not the time exactly; that time is passed; better had it been for the country, that the Catholics possessed at this moment their proportion of our privileges, that their nobles held their due weight in our councils, than that we should be assembled to discuss their claims. It had indeed been better "Non tempore tali the service of the Protestant clergyman, and, unless he is quartered in Ireland, or in Spain, where can he find eligi ble opportunities of attending his own? The permission of Catholic chaplains to the Irish militia regiments was conceded as a special favour, and not till after years of remonstrance, although an act, passed in 1793, established it as a right. But are the Catholics properly protected in Ireland? Can the church purchase a rood of land whereon to erect a chapel? No; all the places of worship are built on leases of trust or sufferance from the laity, easily broken and often betrayed. The moment any irregular wish, any casual caprice of the benevolent landlord meets with opposition, the doors are barred against the congregation. This has happened continually, but in no instanca more glaringly, than at the town of Newtown Barry in the county of Wexford. The Catholics, enjoying nc regular chapel, as a temporary expedient, hired two barns. which, being thrown into one, served for public worship. At this time there was quartered opposite to the spot an officer, whose mind appears to have been deeply imbued with those prejudices which the Protestant petitions, now on the table, prove to have been fortunately eradicated from the more rational portion of the people; and when the Catholics were assembled on the Sabbath as usual, in peace and good-will towards men, for the worship of their God and yours, they found the chapel door closed, and were told that if they did not immediately retire, (and they were told this by a yeoman officer and a magistrate,) the riot act should be read, and the assembly dispersed at the point of the bayonet! This was complained of to the middle-man of government, the secretary at the Castle in 1806, and the answer was, (in lieu of redress,) that Cogere concilium cum muros obsidet hostis." The enemy is without, and distress within. It is too late to cavil on doctrinal points, when we must unite in defence of things more important than the mere ceremonies of religion. It is indeed singular, that we are called together to deliberate, not on the God we adore, for in that we are agreed; not about the king we obey, for to him we are loyal; but how far a difference in the ceremonials of worsip, how far believing not too little, but too much, (the worst that can be imputed to the Catholics,) how far too much devotion to their God, may incapacitate our fettow-subjects from effectually serving their king. Much has been said, within and without doors, of he would cause a letter to be written to the colonel, to Church and State, and although those venerable words have been too often prostituted to the most despicable of party purposes, we cannot hear them too often; all, I presume, are the advocates of Church and State, the Church of Christ, and the State of Great Britain; but not a state of exclusion and despotism; not an intolerant church; not a church militant, which renders itself liable to the very objection urged against the Romish communion, and in a greater degree, for the Catholic merely withholds its spiritual benediction, (and even that is doubtful,) but our church, or rather our churchmen, not only refuse to the Catholic their spiritual grace, but all temporal blessings whatsoever. It was an observation of the great Lord Peterborough, made within these walls, or within the wails where the Lords then assembled, that he was for a "parliamentary king and a parliamentary constitution, but not a parliamentary God, and a parliamentary religion." The interval of a century has not weakened the force of the remark. It is indeed time that we should leave off these petty cavils on frivolous points, these Lilliputian sophistries, whether our "eggs are best broken at the broad or narrow end." prevent, if possible, the recurrence of similar disturb ances. Upon this fact, no very great stress need be laid; but it tends to prove that while the Catholic church has not power to purchase land for its chapels to stand upon, the laws for its protection are of no avail. In the mean time, the Catholics are at the mercy of every "pelting petty officer," who may choose to play his "fantastic tricks before high heaven," to insult his God, and injure his fellow-creatures. Every schoolboy, any footboy (such have held commissions in our service,) any footboy who can exchange his shoulderknot for an epaulet, may perform all this and more against the Catholic, by virtue of that very authority delegated to him by his sovereign, for the express purpose of defending his fellow-subjects to the last drop of his blood, without discrimination or distinction between Catholic and Protestant. Have the Irish Catholics the full benefit of trial by jury? They have not; they never can have until they are permitted to share the privilege of serving as sheriff's and undersheriffs. Of this a striking example occurred at the last Enniskillen assizes. A yeoman was arraigned The opponents of the Catholics may be divided into for the murder of a Catholic named Macvournagh: three two classes; those who assert that the Catholics have too respectable uncontradicted witnesses deposed that they. much already, and those who allege that the lower orders, saw the prisoner load, take aim, fire at, and kill the said at least, have nothing more to require. We are told by Macvournagh. This was properly commented on by the former, that the Catholics never will be contented: the judge; but, to the astonishment of the bar, and by the latter, that they are already too happy. The last paradox is sufficiently refuted by the present, as by all past petitions: it might as well be said, that the negroes did not desire to be emancipated-but this is an unfortunate comparison, for you have already delivered them out of the house of bondage without any petition on their part, Are the very laws passed in their favour observed? but many from their taskmasters to a contrary effect; They are rendered nugatory in trivial as in serious cases and for myself, when I consider this, I pity the Catholic By a late act, Catholic chaplains are permitted in jails, peasantry for not having the good fortune to be born black. but in Fermanagh county the grand jury lately persisted But the Catholics are contented, or at least ought to be, in presenting a suspended clergyman for the office thereas we are told: I shall therefore proceed to touch on a by evading the statute, notwithstanding the most pressing few of those circumstances which so marvellously contri-remonstrances of a most respectable magistrate, named bute to their exceeding contentment. They are not Fletcher, to the contrary. Such is law, such is justice, allowed the free exercise of their religion in the fegular for the happy, free, contented Catholic! indignation of the court, the Protestant jury acquitted the accused. So glaring was the partiality, that Mr. Justice Osborne felt it his duty to hind over the acquitted, but not absolved assassin, in large recognizances, thus for a time taking away his license to kill Catholics. It has been asked in another place, why do not the rich Catholics endow foundations for the education of the priesthood? Why do you not permit them to do so? Why are all such bequests subject to the interference, the vexatious, arbitrary, peculating interference of the Orange commissioners for charitable donations? nearest of kindred from a charity charter school. In this manner are proselytes obtained, and mingled with the offspring of such Protestants as may avail themselves of the institution. And how are they taught? A catechism is put into their hands consisting of, I believe. forty-five pages, in which are three questions relative to the Protestant religion; one of these queries is," Where was the Protestant religion before Luther?" Answer "In the Gospel." The remaining forty-four pages and a half regard the damnable idolatry of Papists! As to Maynooth college, in no instance, except at the time of its foundation, when a noble Lord (Camden,) at the head of the Irish administration, did appear to interest himself in its advancement; and during the government of a noble Duke (Bedford,) who, like his ancestors, Allow me to ask our spiritual pastors and masters, is has ever been the friend of freedom and mankind, and this training up a child in the way which he should go? who has not so far adopted the selfish policy of the day Is this the religion of the gospel before the time of Luas to exclude the Catholics from the number of his fellow-ther? that religion which preaches "Peace on earth, creatures; with these exceptions, in no instance has that and glory to God?" Is it bringing up infants to be men institution been properly encouraged. There was indeed or devils? Better would it be to send them any where a time when the Catholic clergy were conciliated, while the Union was pending, that Union which could not be carried without them, while their assistance was requisite in procuring addresses from the Catholic counties; then they were cajoled and caressed, feared and flattered, and given to understand that the Union would do every thing" but, the moment it was passed, they were driven back with contempt into their former obscurity. than teach them such doctrines; better send them to those islands in the South Seas, where they might more humanely learn to become cannibals; it would be less disgusting that they were brought up to devour the dead, than persecute the living. Schools do you call them? call them rather dunghills, where the viper of intolerance deposits her young, that, when their teeth are cut and their poison is mature, they may issue forth, filthy and In the contempt pursued towards Maynooth college, venomous, to sting the Catholic. But are these the docevery thing is done to irritate and perplex-every thing trines of the Church of England, or of churchmen? is done to efface the slightest impression of gratitude No; the most enlightened churchmen are of a different from the Catholic mind; the very hay made upon the opinion. What says Paley? "I perceive no reason lawn, the fat and tallow of the beef and mutton allowed, why men of different religious persuasions, should not must be paid for and accounted upon oath. It is true, sit upon the same bench, deliberate in the same council, this economy in miniature cannot be sufficiently com- or fight in the same ranks, as well as men of various mended, particularly at a time when only the insect religious opinions, upon any controverted topic of natural defaulters of the Treasury, your Hunts and your Chin-history, philosophy, or ethics." It may be answered that nerys, when only these "gilded bugs" can escape the Paley was not strictly orthodox; I know nothing of his microscopic eye of ministers. But when you come for orthodoxy, but who will deny that he was an ornament ward session after session, as your paltry pittance is to the church, to human nature, to Christianity? wrung from you with wrangling and reluctance, to boast of your liberality, well might the Catholic exclain, in the words of Prior, "To John I owe some obligation, But John unluckily thinks fit So John and I are more than quit." I shall not dwell upon the grievance of tithes, sc severely felt by the peasantry, but it may be proper to observe that there is an addition to the burden, a percentage to the gatherer, whose interest it thus becomes to rate them as highly as possible, and we know that in many large livings in Ireland, the only resident Protestants are the tithe-proctor and his family. Some persons have compared the Catholics to the Among many causes of irritation, too numerous for beggar in Gil Blas. Who made them beggars? Who recapitulation, there is one in the militia not to be passed are enriched with the spoils of their ancestors? And over, I mean the existence of Orange lodges amongst the cannot you relieve the beggar when your fathers have privates; can the officers deny this? And if such lodges made him such? If you are disposed to relieve him at do exist, do they, can they tend to promote harmony all, cannot you do it without flinging your farthings in his amongst the men, who are thus individually separated face? As a contrast, however, to this beggarly bene-in society, although mingled in the ranks? And is this volence, let us look at the Protestant Charter Schools; general system of persecution to be permitted, or is it to to them you have lately granted 41,000l.: thus are they be believed that with such a system the Catholics can or supported, and how are they recruited? Montesquieu ought to be contented? If they are, they belie human observes, on the English constitution, that the model may nature; they are then, indeed, unworthy to be any thing ne found in Tacitus, where the historian describes the but the slaves you have made them. The facts stated policy of the Germans, and adds, "this beautiful system are from most respectable authority, or I should not have was taken from the woods;" so in speaking of the charter dared in this place, or any place, to hazard this avowal. schools, it may be observed, that this beautiful system If exaggerated, there are plenty, as willing as I believe was taken from the gipsies. These schools are recruit-them to be unable, to disprove them. Should it be ed in the same manner as the Janizaries at the time of objected that I never was in Ireland, I beg leave to their enrolment under Amurath, and the gipsies of the observe, that it is as easy to know something of Ireland present day, with stolen children, with children decoyed without having been there, as it appears with some to and kidnapped from their Catholic connexions by their have been born, bred, and cherished there, and yet remain rich and powerful Protestant neighbours: this is noto-ignorant of its best interests. rious, and one instance may suffice to show in what But there are, who assert that the Catholics have manner. The sister of a Mr. Carthy (a Catholic gen-already been too much indulged: see (cry they) what tleman of very considerable property) died, leaving two has been done; we have given them one entire college, girls, who were immediately marked out as proselytes, we allow them food and raiment, the full enjoyment of and conveyed to the charter school of Coolgreny. Their the elements, and leave to fight for us as long as they uncle, on being apprized of the fact, which took place have limbs and lives to offer; and yet they are never to during his absence, applied for the restitution of his be satisfied! Generous and just declaimers! To this, nieces, offering to settle an independence on these rela- and to this only, amount the whole of your arguments tions; his request was refused, and not till after five when stript of their sophistry. These personages remind years' struggle, and the interference of very high autho-me of the story of a certain drummer, who being called ity, could this Catholic gentleman obtain back his upon in the course of duty to administer punishment to |