ANECDOTE OF THE IRISH REBELLION. 251 



of friends, amongst whom she never appears to take 

 the lead, though, by the subjects she introduces, and 

 her address in drawing forth the talents of others, she 

 mostly contrives to give a useful turn to the conversa- 

 tion, and direct it to that which is at once agi'eeable 

 and valuable. You can scarcely imagine the cheer- 

 fulness and harmony that prevail in these little par- 

 ties ; but last night our spirits were greatly damped 

 by a gentleman who was in Ireland during the rebel- 

 lion, the horrors of which, so disgraceful to both sides, 

 he detailed with a minuteness that brought many 

 shocking scenes before us. Amongst other anecdotes, 

 he told a story so extraordinary, that Mr. Palmer, who 

 is a most rigid exacter of the truth in relating a narra- 

 tion, required his authority. Upon this, he referred 

 to his pocket-book, and found that he had taken it 

 from page 168 of Gordon's History of the Rebellion. 

 I give it you as he read it from his notes. 



" The recovery of Charles Davis of Enniscorthy, a 

 glazier, was remarkable. After having remained 

 four days concealed in the sink of a privy, during 

 which time he had no other sustenance than the raw 

 body of a cock, which had, by accident, alighted on 

 the seat, he fled from this loathsome abode ; but was 

 taken at some distance from the town, brought to 

 Vinegar Hill, shot through the body and one of his 

 arms, violently struck in several parts of the head with 



