in the Neighbourhood of Mullingar. 183 



fall under their displeasure are punished. 

 This association originated in the neighbour- 

 hood of Mullingar, in consequence of the priests 

 raising their fees for confessions, masses, &c. 

 Whatever at the commencement might be the 

 ostensible cause for complaint, it soon became 

 the means of gratifying private malice. Those 

 who complied hazarded the resentment of the 

 carders, and much cruelty has in various in- 

 stances been inflicted. The assigned cause fot 

 these outrages demonstrates the declining in- 

 fluence of the priests ; who, I really believe, 

 have weight only as they conform to the ge- 

 neral predominant feeling of the people, and 

 that their voice becomes very unimportant when 

 they oppose such disposition. 



Adieu : we start to-morrow for Lord Farn- 

 ham's ; and the Bishop sets out at the same 

 time on a visit of confirmation to the southern 

 part of his diocese. 



J. C. Cj 



