Ambition discoverable in the Irish Cabin. 167 



told" loses no tittle of its force, or interest, but 

 is listened to by all with delight the tear of 

 sympathy still flows, and the same glow of ad- 

 miration, or indignant flame, still paints on the 

 cheek the feelings of the heart. The applauses 

 of the party excite enthusiasm in the oracle, 

 while their full approbation of the present and 

 former recitals ensures greater exertions on a 

 future occasion. Thus vanity, if not ambition, 

 may be discovered on the earthen floor of an 

 Irish cabin, as well as on the boards of St. Ste- 

 phen's propelling the human heart with ener- 

 gies equally powerful, and expectations equally 

 sanguine, though directed to objects as far inferior 

 in magnitude as ants'-hills to the Andes. The 

 storm will agitate the mountain lake as well as 

 the boundless ocean ! That admiration which 

 the rising generation has witnessed will never 

 be forgotten, while they, in their turn, become 

 emulous of equal celebrity. I can conceive no 

 group more interesting than one composed of 

 ingenuous warm-hearted children of nature, 

 thus giving scope to their genuine feelings. 

 Here the painter might catch, in native purity, 

 the expression of the soul, and present virtue to 

 the world in all her uncontaminated loveliness. 



Spencer, who visited Ireland in the reign of 

 Queen Elizabeth, as Secretary to Lord Gray de 



