THE HYACINTH. 201 



St. Giles' and the other districts, are composed of 

 brick-layers' labourers; and it is a fact, llial when 

 one of the number forsakes his false religion, he 

 cannot mount a scaffolding but at the eminent 

 peril of his life ; for his comrades threaten to hurl 

 him headlong if he comes among them. Thus he 

 is driven from his daily labour; and is, moreover, 

 followed through the streets with yells and execra- 

 tions, accompanied, generally, with some actual 

 violence. I speak from personal observation — I 

 testify what I have seen from day to day ; and I 

 cannot but ask, is the Protestanism of our favoured 

 land fallen so low, that we cannot provide means 

 of employment to those who, for Christ's sake and 

 the gospel's, relinquish the daily pittance that was 

 wont to furnish them with a meal of potatoes? 

 When our adored Redeemer spoke the words of 

 life to thousands of perishing souls, how sweetly 

 did he express the tender feeling of their bodily 

 infirmities wherewith he was touched — " I have 

 compassion on the multitude ; ... if I send theoi 

 away fasting, they will faint by the way." 



Well, Doghery hungers no more, neither thirsts 

 any more ; he has joined the glorious host of 

 martyrs, and his blood has truly been a seed in 

 our Irish church, emboldening many to come out 

 openly from the shambles of Great Babylon into 

 the pastures of Christ's fold. Oh ! when shall 

 arrive that predicted day of divine retribution, that 



