540 ikfngs of tbe 1Rofc, IRffle, anb <3un 



without any labour : the boatmen in Killarney having 

 coolly and objurgatively affirmed an object in the 

 distance to be a ' rale Irish eagle,' while Russel's com- 

 panion in travel denied it. 'In that case/ replied his 

 friend, * we'll soon know if it's an Irish eagle, it will 

 pounce on the company and ask sixpence for showing 

 itself The clergy are brought in for some chaff, and he 

 mentions how Kinglake in his drawling tones remarked 

 that he ' thought the clergy could be indicted under the 

 common law against fortune-telling.' ' As far as my 

 experience goes,' remarks a guest, ' it is rather mis- 

 fortune-telling.' Somehow the talk passes on to the 

 humbug of servants' registers, the keeping of which, 

 he protests, is the easiest profession in the world, and 

 requiring the most limited of capital for it only needs a 

 pen, a sheet of paper, and a bottle of ink. The name of 

 Charles Maclaren makes him tell how, at a large party 

 the grave and respectable appearance of that gentleman 

 suggested that he should be asked to say grace. In 

 deep agitation he rose, and in confusion he began, 

 and made one or two bewildered efforts to say it. At 

 last, looking round the company in abject despair and 

 anguish, the unfortunate victim to respectability ex- 

 claimed, ' Ladies and gentlemen, my memory has clean 

 gone to the deevil.' ' Why, your hair is getting grey,' 

 says Russel to a friend. ' Yes, but there's plenty of it, 

 at least,' looking at the editor's head, a Sahara of bald- 

 ness. ' Oh, yes,' added he, ' you see mine preferred 

 death to dishonour.' 



. . . Those very proper and pious persons who met him 

 first with the notion that he was 'that dreadful Mr. 



