434 Popular Affrays less frequent. 



land, and begging is practised with consummate 

 address and dexterity. 



Our landlord was an obliging intelligent man, 

 and did nqt think that due attention to his busi- 

 ness, and civil treatment of his guests, degraded 

 his consequence. From him we learned that 

 apprehensions were entertained of a battle. The 

 feuds between parish and parish, or barony and 

 barony, were formerly carried to so great a 

 height as to endanger the public peace in all 

 popular assemblies. Our landlord reported that 

 he had frequently seen lives Jost in these dis- 

 graceful broils ; but fpr the credit of the coun- 

 try they were at present less frequent, and that a 

 general fight had lately seldom happened. Our 

 room commanded a view of the market-place. 

 The disposition to tumult was evident : several 

 commencements of affrays were prudently re- 

 conciled by the good women rushing in between 

 the combatants. For upwards of an hour the 

 flame of discord threatened to burst forth among 

 several parties, when fortunately the falling of 

 a heavy shower dispersed the crowd, and was 

 the means of restoring peace and tranquillity. 

 It would be a happy circumstance if the Irish 

 could be prevailed on to discontinue the fashion 

 of the shillala : the weight and size of these 

 sticks, with which all are armedj make it ^ 



