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Flung it in the fire when I saw the rascal's name to it."

There was another description of dissenters from Catholicity with whom O'Connell was on much better terms than with the proselyting parsons. These were the Quakers. He undoubtedly was not only attached to many of the Society of Friends, but he also admired some of their principles. In both Ireland and England he was in habits of familiar intercourse with certain leading members of their sect; and he referred with particular pleasure to the compliment paid him by old Joseph Pease, who was uncle, I think, to the Quaker member for Durham. That good old man had visited him often in London, and one day he said at parting, "Friend O'Connell, I have for many years watched thine actions closely; I have kept mine eye upon thee, and I have never seen thee do aught that was not honest and useful." 66 Truly," said O'Connell," it was a satisfaction to my mind to be appreciated by that good man. It is consoling that an impartial and intelligent observer should do me justice. It makes me amends, if I needed any, for a life of labour, and for the vituperation of my enemies."

CHAPTER IX.

Repeal Agitation-O'Connell's agitating Staff-Hunting-The Value of an Ugly Nose-A Friar's Address upon the Veto of 1813-The Scotch Union-Mary Queen of Scots-Early Professional Success of O'Connell-Castlereagh, Arthur O'Connor, and Cornelius M'Loughlin-Old Catholic HymnsO'Connell on Place-hunting-Repeal Meeting at Cork-Old Mr. Jeffreys of Blarney Castle-Fox-hunting v. Hare-hunting -Poor "Jack of the Roads"-A meritorious Lie-A Lesson in Cow-stealing-An impromptu Speech prepared beforehand -Chief-Baron O'Grady.

IN September, 1840, I made a short tour in the County Cork, for the purpose of stirring up the spirit of Repeal. There were excellent popular meetings in the town of Dunmanway, Skibbereen, and Macroom; and the disposition of the people may be judged of from the fact, that in the lastnamed town there was an attendance of 10,000 of the peasantry, who mustered thus numerously, although remote from all the machinery of metropolitan agitation. This was at the earlier period of the renewed movement, and a gathering of

10,000 was considered a very imposing display. We had not yet arrived at the "monster meetings."

O'Connell's usual travelling companions during the busiest period of the agitation, were Dr. Gray, proprietor of the Freeman's Journal; Richard Barrett, proprietor of the Pilot; Robert Dillon Browne, M. P. for Mayo; Mr. Steele, Mr. Ray (the Secretary of the Association), John O'Connell, and Charles O'Connell, of Ennis. I often formed one of the travelling party until 1843; but in that year so many meetings sprang up, which I was deputed to attend on the part of the Association, that I found it nearly impossible to accompany O'Connell to any of the celebrated "monster" assemblages. For instance, on the very day of the enormous Tara meeting at which 1,200,000 were assembled, I attended a meeting at Clontibret, in the County Monaghan, at which an experienced reporter computed that 300,000 persons were present. Such a gathering would at anyother time have excited a good deal of public notice; but it was quite thrown into the shade by the unprecedented muster which O'Connell addressed on the same day at Tara.

O'Connell gave me a history of his journey from Darrynane to Killarney, on the 3rd of October, 1840. He had risen at six, and hunted across the mountains from Darrynane to Sneem. He detailed

with the greatest minuteness the day's hunt, describing each turn and double of the hare. "The hounds," said he, "were at fault for a few minutes, and a hulking fellow exclaimed: 'The good-fornothing dogs have lost the scent!' You vaga

bond!' cried I, 'have you got no better business than to be abusing my dogs?' I had scarcely said this, when a dog recovered the scent, and was joined by the whole pack in full cry. The fellow looked foolish enough."

He narrated these little incidents with an eagerness and minuteness that evinced the interest he took in his favourite sport.

He was, as usual, full of anecdote. One of his odd stories was about a miss Hussey, to whom her father bequeathed 1507. per annum, in consideration of her having an ugly nose.

"He had made a will," said O'Connell, "disposing of the bulk of his fortune to public charities. When he was upon his death-bed, his housekeeper asked him how much he had left miss Mary? He replied that he had left her 10007., which would do for her very well, if she made off any sort of a good husband. Heaven bless your honour!' cried the housekeeper, and what decent man would ever take her with the nose she has got?'-'Why, that is really very true,' replied the dying father; I never

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thought of her nose;' and he lost no time in adding a codicil, that gave miss Mary an addition of 1507. a year as a set-off against her ugliness.”

He gave a humorous sketch of the mode in which a country friar had, in 1813, announced a meeting on the Veto:

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Now, ma boughali,' said the friar, you haven't got gumption, and should therefore be guided by them that have. This meeting is all about the veto, d'ye see. And now, as none of ye know what the veto is, I'll just make it all as clear as a whistle to yez. The veto, you see, is a Latin word, ma boughali, and none of yez undherstands Latin. But I will let you know all the ins and outs of it, boys, if you'll only just listen to me now. The veto is a thing that-You see, boys, the veto is a thing that that the meeting on Monday is

to be held about.

(Here there were cheers, and cries of 'hear! hear!') The veto is a thing that -in short, boys, it's a thing that has puzzled wiser people than any of yez! In short, boys, as none of yez are able to comprehend the veto, I needn't take up more of your time about it now; but I'll give you this piece of advice, boys: just go to the meeting, and listen to Counsellor O'Connell, and just do whatever he bids yez, boys!"

We talked of the points of resemblance between the political condition of Ireland and that of Scotland.