LIFE IN IRELAND 153 



of a piece of architecture; it has not unaptly been 

 stiled by Pat, in his eccentric way, ' a large turnip, or 

 top of a haystack,' and the courts appropriated to hear 

 the causes of justice in, are so narrow and confined, 

 that a stranger would think they were cells of confine- 

 ment for all the lawyers and liars in dear Dublin. In 

 truth, it has always reminded me of my Lord Mans- 

 field's handsome farm-yard, near London, which 

 opens by gothic entrances into a dozen hogsties, and 

 verily the w^ell designated swinish multitude are always 

 found in abundance, in and near those pavilions of 

 public reprobation. 



A cause had just come on, before my Lord Dawer- 

 wiT, of som.e notoriety if not of great interest. Sir 

 Shawn and his friend were accommodated with seats 

 within the bar, and listened with gentlemenly atten- 

 tion to all the blackguard arguments and assertions of 

 the black tribe. 



A gentleman was arraigned, for that he shot his 

 friend, for love, in a duel. The fact was admitted, and 

 the prisoner pleaded in extenuation of the offence, that 

 he could not help hitting his antagonist, by reason they 

 fought at a short arms length. The plea was good, and 

 a verdict given, 'culpable suicide by compulsion,' to 

 the satisfaction of an indifferent court. 



'It reminds me,' observed Brian, 'of a trial in my 

 own sweet country, where the jury, under the judge's 

 direction, brought a woman in guilty of 7nanslaughter 

 for stealing a pair of breeches ' ; they were all determined 

 to save her from a halter, and it was just as well to do 

 it in this manner as any other more common way.' 



At this moment a man was barr'd, who did not 



