MANNERS AND CUSTOMS, nt 



is a great point for good venifon. Nor do I think that garden 

 vegetables have the flavour found in thcfe of England, certain- 

 ly owing to the climate ; green peas I found every where 

 perfectly infipid, and lettuce, &c. not good. Claret is the 

 common wine of all tables, and fo tnnch inferior to what is 

 drank in England, that it does not appear to be the fame wine, 

 but their port is incomparable, fo much better than the Eng- 

 lifh, as to prove, if proof was wanting, the abominable adul- 

 terations it muft undergo with us. Drinking and duelling are 

 two charges which have long been alledged againft the gen- 

 tlemen of Ireland, but the change of manners which has taken 

 place in that kingdom is not generally known in England. 

 Drunkennefs ought no longer to be a reproach, for at every 

 table I was at in Ireland I faw perfect freedom reign, every 

 perfon drank juft as little as they pleafed, nor have- 1 ever been 

 aflced to drink a (Ingle glafs more than I had an inclination for ; 

 I may go farther, and affert that hard drinking is very rare- 

 among people of fortune ; yet it is certain that they fit much 

 longer at table than in England. I was much furprized at 

 firft going over to find no fummons to coffee, the company often 

 fitting till eight, nine, or ten o'clock before they went 

 to the ladies. If a gentleman likes tea or coffee, he retires 

 without faying any thing, a ftranger of rank may propofc it to 

 the matter of the houfe, who from cuftom contrary to lhat of 

 England, will rot ftir till he receives fuch a hint, as they think 

 it would imply a defire to fave their wine. If the gentlemen 

 were generally defirous of tea I take it for granted they would 

 have it, but their flighting is one inconvenience to fuch; 

 as defire it, not knowing when it is provided, converiation mav 

 carry them beyond the time, and then if they do trifle over 

 the coffee it will certainly be cold. There is a want of atten- 

 tion in this, which the ladies fhould remedy, if they will not 

 break the old curtom and fend to the gentlemen, which is what 

 they ought to do, they certainly ihould have a falver frelli. 

 I muft however remark, that at the politeft tables, which arc 

 thofe of people who have refided much out o Ireland, this 

 point is conducted exactly as it is in England. 



Duelling was once carried to an excefs, which was a real re- 

 proach and fcandai to the kingdom ; it of courfe proceeded 

 from exceflive drinking ; as the caufe has difappeared, the effecl 

 has nearly followed : not, however, entirely, for it is yet far 

 more common among people of fadvion than in England. Of 

 all practices a man who felt for the honour of bis country, 

 would wifo fooneft to banifrt this, for there is not one favour- 

 able conclufion to be drawn from it : as to courage nobody can 

 queftion that of a polite and enlightened nation, entitled to 

 a {hare of the reputation of the age ; but it implies uncivi- 

 lized manners, an ignorance of thole forms which govern po- 

 Mte focieties, or elfe a brutal drur.kennefs ; the latter is no 

 longer the caufe of the pretence. As to the former, they 

 would place the national character fo backward, would lake 



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