240 A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SKAS. 



to assert the ascendency of the Protestant church ; nor does it re- 

 quire much sagacity to admit that nothing else is wanting, or can be 

 made available to ensure that ascendancy. Numbers of bishops and 

 parsons, and churches may, no doubt, make a greater show of Pro- 

 testantism, but can neither help to overawe or conciliate the 

 Catholic MIND, nor keep the Catholic " body" in a state of subjection. 

 Protestant ascendency, to the extent desired by Lord Stanley and the 

 Tories, can only be maintained by bullet and bayonet ; and unless, 

 indeed, the Irish church is to be made literally " militant," and con- 

 verted into an armed corps, it matters not at all, for " constitutional 

 ascendancy," whether there be a numerous band of Protestant eccle- 

 siastics in Ireland, or only just enough to occupy the posts of honour 

 and chief emolument. Therefore, although the Whig bill aimed at 

 great improvements in reducing the ecclesiastical staff of the Irish 

 Protestant church, there is no doubt but that much more could be, 

 and in justice and perhaps prudence ought to be, done towards paci- 

 fying the oppressed and insulted Irish. 



HOMO. 



A VOYAGE IN THE NORTH SEAS. 



CHAPTER I. 



" Ye gentlemen of England, 



Who live at home at ease, 

 Ah ! little do you think upon 

 The danger of the seas." 



DURING the war with France, the students of Edinburgh imbibed 

 and displayed a more than common portion of the pugnacious 

 disposition which the great national quarrel fostered. The Braid 

 Hills and the recesses of Arthur's Seat became the scene of many 

 duels, not a few of which were fatal. The circumstances which we 

 are about to record, arose out of one of these juvenile rencontres ; 

 and there will be many then fellow-students with the present 

 writer and his hero now grave and reverend seignors in law, physic, 

 and divinity who will recognize the adventures of one, that, during 

 our time, bore away the most distinguished honours. 



Frank Arundel, on his taking his degree of M. D., gave, as is usual, 

 a feast to his friends, where a quarrel having arisen between his 

 dearest friend, Harry Hollyoak, and himself, they fought, and 

 Harry was borne, to all appearance, lifeless from the field. Hollyoak, 

 was a lieutenant in His Majesty's navy, had been the companion of 

 Arundel's boyhood, and, to add to the unhappy nature of the affair, 

 was betrothed to Frank's sister, Harriet, who, was the grand toast 

 of the Westmoreland youths. The anguish of Arundel may be 

 imagined under this miserable misfortune. For some time he would 

 not leave the body, and persisted in his intention of giving himself 

 up to the authorities. At last, however, he was prevailed on to 



