142 NOTES OF AN 



to look back upon ; and, on the contrary, in proportion to the 

 rapidity and volume of your ideas, and events therewith con- 

 nected, M'ill time in hand appear to pass quickly, and the 

 retrospect to fill an age. This is the true rationale of occu- 

 pation being a cure for ennui. And if, on this principle, we 

 apply the Rule of Three Inverse to rail-road travelling, I believe 

 we shall find the advantage of seeming quickness, that is, less 

 tedium, on the side of the post-road and horses, and still more 

 in favour of the pedestrian ! That between Kingston and 

 Dublin is, however, the very worst piece of rail-road I know 

 of anywhere. Tiiey were changing the granite for wooden 

 sleepers, as more durable, with less jar. There are several 

 stoppings at stations in this short distance, so that they were 

 half an hour performing the five miles; which, after a night's 

 sea-sickness, and the prospect of breakfast at the end of it, is 

 intolerable for a rail-road. 



On alighting at the terminus, you are surrounded by a 

 similar set of ragged boys, with the addition of a posse of the 

 owners or conductors of that most national of all vehicles, — 

 the Irish car. Being strangers to the ways, and manners, and 

 style of appearances here, we avoided the whole set of cars, 

 (though there was a choice most varied in all respects but one,) 

 for the sake of respectability; and fixed upon one of the most 

 promising of the lads who were pressing their services upon 

 us, to carry our baggage and show us the way. Catch an 

 Irishman at fault if you can. Man and boy, they are replete 

 with information, and never confess their ignorance of any 

 thing. Our little avant courier answered with the most 

 vuihesitating assurance our inquiries as to his knowledge of 

 the house we had the direction of; and, briskly trotting on 

 before, made inquiry /or himself o^ every similar urchin he met 

 with on the way. We reached our destination in safety, and 

 were comfortably seated at breakfast in the centre of the Irish 

 metropolis thirty-six hours after we had left our ow^n home in 

 London. 



I am not going to inflict a description of the Irish capital. 

 Our " concern" was not with the great cities and flourishing 

 part of that country. It was the people rather than the places 

 that we wished to see for ourselves. It was the state of the 

 peasantry in the most remote and destitute districts, that we 

 were anxious to witness, if practicable. Our chief interest and 



