1830.] Affairs in General *689 



seven ricks burning in a line, and behind them another row, upon 

 which the flakes of fire continually fell. Men with forks threw off the 

 flakes, whilst others played upon the ricks with the only engine they 

 could find water to work. The contrast between the proverbially peace- 

 able state of a village farm-yard and the scene we witnessed was very 

 striking. Groups of farmers standing in different directions, with loaded 

 guns, to assist their neighbour in protecting his property, had a thought- 

 ful gloom upon their countenances for whose turn was next no one 

 knew. The whole peasantry of the neighbourhood seemed drawn out, 

 and I think willing to aid, as far as they could, in extinguishing the fire. 

 Water was scarce, for there were no " plugs" to supply it, as in London 

 and the burning masses of hay or corn defied any attempt upon them." 



But by much the best evidence given for the last twenty years of there 

 being any brains among the Etonians, is given in a threatening letter to 

 that crabbed little pedant Keate, the head-master, who in default of any 

 other claims to the world's notice, and who certainly as a scholar is 

 utterly obscure, and as a writer has never been heard of, has established 

 a reputation for the use of the birch. 



" Reverend Sir, Unless you lay aside your ' thrashing machine,' you 

 will hear further from " SWIN G." 



" Nov. 21." 



Our wiseacres at this side of the water, who pretended to believe that 

 they had quieted Ireland for ever by giving up the Catholic question, 

 now think that they have nothing to do but give O'Connell a silk gown, 

 and no man in Ireland will breathe a whisper about the Union. If they 

 can believe themselves, the more fools they. Their attempts to get 

 up addresses are nonsense. We are thus told that no fewer than thirty 

 peers, seven baronets, and 260 gentlemen of other ranks in Ireland, 

 have subscribed to the " declaration " against all attempts to agitate 

 the question of the repeal of the Union. They might just as well have 

 been addressed by so many shoeblacks; indeed much better, for the shoe- 

 blacks would probably do something when the " physical-force-days" 

 were come, but the thirty peers and so forth will do nothing but pack 

 up their portmanteaus and be off for Holyhead. The concession of the 

 Catholic question has decided on the fate of Ireland. It declared that 

 the force of the mob was to be the law of the land. The Irish papists 

 know that if Ireland had a parliament, it would now be wholly papist ; 

 and they will have it. The Irish priests, whose king is the Pope, whose 

 country is Rome, and whose oath, ambition, and hope here and here- 

 after, are the aggrandizement of the popish church, know that a popish 

 parliament would overthrow Protestantism in Ireland, and they will 

 move heaven and earth to accomplish that point. The Irish Protestants, 

 irritated by the conduct of the late miserable administration, and thrown 

 on their own resources, must resist feebly, and will at length find emi- 

 gration to America or England, a much pleasanter way of disposing of 

 themselves and their property than having their throats cut, and their 

 houses burned over their heads. Every man will be anxious to with- 

 draw to some quieter spot of the earth ; and thousands are, at this 

 moment, withdrawing to the Canadas and the United States. Then will 

 come the true struggle ; and as for the thirty peers, &c., &c., they will 

 have no more power to turn the popular opinion than such a statesman 

 as his Grace the Duke of Leinster ! 



M.M. New Series. VOL. X. No. 60. 4 *S 



