194 LIFE IN IRELAND 



thing. One fellow, with Stentorien lungs, was reading 

 Saunders^s News-Letter^ for the benefit of the audience, 

 who club their halfpence each to pay him for the use 

 of his neck leather. Another fellow was singing in a 

 corner — 



' Liberty 's a glorious feast ' ; 



which another chorussed to the tune of — 



'The Bay of Biscay O.' 



Over the mantelpiece, hung a blackboard, which in 

 white letters intimated that Brian had his 



' Garnish down to tay,'' 



so he ordered the usual four gallons of beer, and a jug 

 of whiskey punch for those who sat at the upper end of 

 the room. 



Thus was Brian surrounded by rebels^ rogues, bank- 

 rupts, swabbers, ticklers, weeders, sloemouths, and 

 potatoe stalks. A general silence was proclaimed and 

 observed upon his entrance, and his health was drank 

 with three times three i7i Irish ; to which he bowed 

 thanks, and pledged all around in a glass of Crofton's 

 best raspberry punch. The usual song was given by 

 Darby Pleely, a broken down exciseman, who has 

 been musical doctor to the Sheriff's Society for more than 

 twenty years ; and as some of my readers may not 

 have heard it, I record it for their benefit and in- 

 struction. 



