534< THE MALEDICTED. 



examining the schemes by which she was to be lifted from the mire of 

 pollution, and placed in the rank of free and enlightened nations. Yet, 

 may I say it, we were not firebrands in the cause of faction ; though 

 anxious to light the flame of liberty on our native altars, we sought not 

 to accomplish it by desecrating the fanes, and trampling on the shrines 

 of others. 



It was in this time of strong excitement that a number of my coun- 

 trymen began to assemble in secret, for the discussion of themes which 

 it was no longer practicable for them to debate upon openly. Societies 

 were formed, and a correspondence entered into, which, for the secrecy 

 with which the former were maintained, and the extent to which the 

 latter was pushed, even in the heart of an agitated country, were per- 

 fectly appalling to the minions of misrule, when they became aware of 

 the precipice, on the brink of which they had been pausing. It is 

 almost needless to say that Clement Kennedy and myself were joined to 

 one of these societies, and equally unnecessary to add, that almost from 

 that moment we became marked men. 



There was a wretched creature but I will not stain my paper with 

 his name nor fling additional reproach upon his memory. This being 

 was entrusted with our secrets ; and candour obliges me to confess, that 

 some of them were of a nature which the prudent amongst us deplored. 

 Such, however, as they were, they were confided to his faithless keep- 

 ing. Month after month rolled heavily along, yet still we seemed to be 

 gaining ground, till at length, as the eastern traveller sees the mimic 

 fountain, we thought we discovered the dawn of restoration gleaming 

 over the desert of tyranny and wrong. 



I had spent an afternoon with my friend, in the society of his mother 

 and her daughters. That nameless creature, too, was there, and in 

 despite of reiterated hints to the contrary, he seemed obstinately deter- 

 mined on the introduction of the civil agitations of the time. On this 

 theme, Kennedy and myself had made it a rule to preserve the most 

 profound silence, whilst in the presence of his only remaining parent. 

 With all her goodness, she had a weak point on these topics. She had 

 already experienced some little difficulties with her husband, and she 

 determined not to encounter a repetition of them in the person of her 

 son. She believed that it was quite possible for men to move in their 

 proper sphere of action without mingling their hands in the settlement 

 of grievances, of the origin of which they were guiltless ; and, what- 

 ever of duplicity may be charged upon the act, we studiously withheld 

 from her the slender share we had in what we deemed our country's 

 destinies. I know the demon now which prompted the wretch to act as 

 he did on that occasion, although at the moment I could scarcely refrain 

 from considering him as deranged. He not only persisted in his at- 

 tempted conversations, but had the fatuity to produce some printed 

 documents which had only been perused in secret. I rose from my chair. 

 " Come, Clement," said I, " our friend" aye, I said friend then " our 

 friend rebukes us wisely ; we have indeed transgressed too far upon the 

 ladies' leisure, and these newspapers will but confirm our ill behaviour." 



"Right, right!" said Clement, "fold them up, Mr. , and we 



will take a turn in the garden till little Marian tells us tea is ready/' 



" Gentlemen, IT is TOO LATE !" said he, with an emphasis absolutely 

 startling. And it was too late ! A herculean personage entered the 

 apartment, and formally arrested ' ' Clement Kennedy and Robert Bland- 



