THE WEST, PAST AND PRESENT. 377 



the very devil. If a man aspired to become a duellist, 

 or even joined the hounds without being the proper 

 caste, George Robert would flog him from the field with- 

 out ceremony. He actually for years maintained an 

 armed banditti, imprisoned his own father, took off" 

 persons who were obnoxious — and when he was hanged 

 — and fortunately for society this eventually occurred 

 — it required a grand cavalry and artillery movement 

 from Athlone to effect it. 



Denis Browne was an autocrat of another description ; 

 a useful blundering bear, who did all as religiously in 

 the king*s name as ever Musselman in that of the prophet. 

 He did much good and some mischief — imprisoned 

 and transported as he pleased ; and the peasantry to 

 this day will tell you that he could hang anyone whom 

 he disliked. Yet both these men were favourites with 

 their tenantry, and under them their dependents pros- 

 pered and waxed wealthy. 



Sometimes the memoir of an individual will give a 

 more graphic picture of the age wherein he flourished 

 than a more elaborate detail ; and in the strange eventful 

 histories of these two singular men, the leading 

 characters of their times will be best portrayed. 



No persons were more dissimilar — none were bitterer 

 enemies — none in every point, personal and physical, 

 were more essentially opposite. In one point alone 

 there was a parallel — both were tyrants in disposition, 

 and both would possess power, and no matter at what 

 price. 



George Robert Fitzgerald was middle-sized, and 

 slightly but actively formed ; his features were regular, 

 his address elegant, and his manners formed in the 

 best style of the French school. In vain the 



