LIFE IN IRELAND 253 



but she did not care much for reHgion, and, I am 

 sorry to say it, was apt at times to turn it into ridicule : 

 at the heart's core I believe she was a good Christian, 

 and her right to be reckoned one rested on her good 

 actions, and poverty was far from her dwelling — 

 smiling content hovered around, and peace and honest 

 competency blessed all her dependants. The truth is, 

 that nature had furnished Lady Demiquaver with 

 some very strong passions, and had not given her any 

 guarantee against putting them in practice. 



Twilight had nearly closed upon the scene, when all 

 the devils in dear Dublin seemed to have been let loose 

 outside of the garden — 'twas 



AN IRISH BULL BAIT, 



and Brian Boru flew, like a hawk from a perch, to join 

 the jovial crew. Sir Sha\vn was rather more polite, 

 and consigned his charge to Lady Demiquaver, who 

 gladly took her in tow. 



It would not amuse my readers to tell of an Irish 

 bull bait, therefore I '11 tell the story in pure spite. 



Such a hallabaloo you never did see ; the animal was 

 pinned by the nose to the stump of an Irish tree, 

 and tossed the dogs in the air as easily as you could 

 potatoe peelings. 



All the blackguards and sporting gentlemen in 

 Dublin were engaged ; and such a hue and cry was 

 set up as the Devil himself could not set doivn. Brian 

 mingled in the fray, and backed the Galway gods in 

 the shape of dogs, with vehemence. Even the 

 Baronet enjoyed the sport ; and when the bull broke 

 loose, he was one of the first to set up a View Halloo, 



