1S8 Extreme good Humor of the People, 



could prevent our coming in contact with ob- 

 jects we wished to avoid, or of splashing and 

 injuring the clothes, if not the persons, of many 

 composing the multitude. Although moving at 

 a foot'space, and with the greatest precaution on 

 our part, their dress, by being repeatedly forced 

 against the wheels, became dirtied : this incon- 

 venience instead of producing ill humour, had 

 the contrary effect of a laugh, and the sufferers 

 laughed with the laughers. The same inconve- 

 nience must frequently have happened on mar- 

 ket days, but we did not allow " their being 

 used to it'* to detract from our estimation of 

 the extremely good humour with which they 

 had endured the annoyance our passing pro- 

 duced. 



The numerous instances, which in the last few 

 days have occurred, afford ground for a dispas- 

 sionate and fair appreciation of the character 

 of the Irish; and have produced convictions 

 on my mind, that a week ago I could on few 

 authorities have credited. These have had their 

 influence as antidotes against the illiberal na- 

 tional prejudices, which, without examination, 

 we are too apt to admit. General calumnies 

 are always unjust. We hear of individual 

 wrongs, of collective violence ; but the operat- 

 ing cause or causes of either are kept in the 



