of his family, in the gloomy desert, among barbarous nations, in the sound of the cataract's roar; he often is where she was, he never comes where she is.

In giving an account of my visit to the gaol, I forgot to relate an anecdote which my conductor told me. Two of his best chaps, as he termed them, were tried and condemned at the last assizes for stealing pigs and horses: one of them was a tight cock, and died game; the other was dunghill, to make use of the elegant language of my tender-hearted companion. As no executioner could be found, the latter was pardoned on condition of hanging the other. When the two friends met on the fatal morning, they saluted each other with unceremonious greeting. "You ha brought your pigs to a fine market," said the hangman, probably without meaning to be witty. "I think you ha' brought your ain to a better,” replied the other; "but you were always gude at driving a bargain; tak care that the devil isn't too hard for

you at last wait till I'm cauld, however," continued he, "and then you shall ha' my shoes, for I see your ain are nane of the best: gude troth, it's plain ye ha-na been long in office, by your being so ill shod.”

CHAPTER XV.

Excursion to C▬▬▬ Rockcurry-Visit to the mother of a deceased friend at C-.

AFTER breakfast I prepared for an excursion to C, a town about fourteen miles distant, where the mother of an old acquaintance resided. There is

no coach that goes this road, and as the weather continued fair, I resolved upon a more primitive mode of travelling, namely, walking. The worthy compounder of medicine objected strongly to such an exertion : "it would give me a fever to a certainty," he said, " and be the death of me; and, besides, what would the people say? they would be talking.” "That they would," said I," whether I go or stay, whether I walk or roll in a chariot. There are many diseases peculiar to Ireland, brother doctor, but I dare say you never found a locked jaw in the number." He wanted me very much to take his horse, but that was impossible he was not only a pharmacopolist but accoucheur; or, to make use of the concise and glittering inscription of a sign-post, Surgeon, Apothecary, and Man-midwife. A Man-midwife in the country, without his horse, is as useless as a fiddler without a fiddle, or a general without his army: he might as well want his forceps, or his instrument bag, or any other appendage to his profession. I therefore declined the offer of this friendly son of Galen with many thanks; and having taken leave of him, proceeded on my pilgrimage, with a change of linen in my pocket, and, as a pilgrim should do, with a staff in my hand.

A little distance from Monaghan the road winds through a beautiful glen, watered by a silver brook, whose gurgling noise inspires pleasing sensations, and shadowed by rows of lofty trees, whose thick branches exclude the fervent rays of the sun. I seated myself on a large stone, and, for want of something better to do, contemplated my visage in the mirror that floated before me: I ran no risk of sharing the fate of Nar

cissus what with the sunbeams by day, and potations. of whiskey by night, my countenance was as inflamed as an alderman's at a city feast. An old beggar-woman who passed was kinder to me, however, than my looking-glass. "Ah! bless your fair face," said she, "will you give an old woman something ?" There was no resisting so judicious an appeal: I gave her some trifle, and, as it was time for me to prosecute my journey, we parted, mutually satisfied with each other. The road was excellent, particularly for foot passengers: it was hard and dry like a rock, formed in some parts of small pebbles of variegated colours, and in others of a deep red colour. My spirits were raised by the fineness of the day and the luxuriance of the landscape, which, now swelling into eminences, and again deepening into valleys, winding round hills or following the meandering stream, ever changing but ever beautiful, surrounded and accompanied me. I sung, I composed, I recited; and, only that I wanted a voice, would, like honest Christian relieved from his load, have sung as I went on my way. No wonder, therefore, that the mile-stones flew unnoticed by me, and that I was filled with astonishment on looking down on the village of Rockcurry, from the hill over it, to find I had walked upwards of eight Irish miles.

This is a poor little place, containing about a dozen indifferent houses: drinking must be highly prized here; for, out of the dozen, five or six were public ones. I went into one, which, from its appearance, I judged the best, and called for half a pint of wine and some water. I was shown into a room, with the size of which I had no reason to be dissatisfied; there

was no ceiling, and, as it extended to the top of the house, the watling was bare: a couple of beds were in one corner, covered with rugs in place of quilts; the floor was earthen, neither so hard nor so dry as the road I just had quitted; the furniture was of a piece with the apartment, and seemed all in disorder : there had been a dance there the night before, the maid told me, as an excuse for the littered state of the room. “A dance here, my good girl," said I; "what kind of Cyclopses were they to choose this Polyphemus's den, when they had the green fields about them, where they might have tripped it, like so many fairies, by the light of the moon ?” "Their country people were no sky-hops," she rather sulkily said; "they had enough of green fields in day-time, and therefore danced in the house, like civil christians, with good candle-light." I sat down at a large deal table, which bore evident marks of the orgies of these county of Monaghan Bacchanals. I slowly poured out a glass of the wine, and, expecting to find it half whiskey, was most agreeably disappointed: I never would wish to drink better wine, and rarely have I in a coffee-house drunk any so good.

The distance from Rockcurry to C is five miles. It was now near three o'clock; and as I knew the lady, to whose house I was going, would wait dinner for me, it was necessary to be expeditious: the wine likewise quickened my appetite. I walked at a good round pace; nobody, I am sure, could have suspected I came to make observations on the country. The shady trees of D's grove waved in gloomy grandeur on my left hand; the house and demesne of F, in gay and smiling beauty, rose to

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my right. I looked neither on one side nor the other -I looked straight forward to the flesh-pots of C— When I was a little distance from the town, a voice from behind halloed to me, "How far to Cmade no answer; it was repeated: " I say, Mr. how far to C?"" Had you not better," I replied, up your eyes and look at it, and save yourself the trouble of asking questions ?” "Native of the place, Sir, I pursume?" said my self-elected companion, who now walked by my side. "Of what consequence, my good friend, is it to you," said I, "whether I am a native here or not ?" "Ask pardon, sir; am a stranger in these here parts, and want to make out the best inn; always like to sleep warm at nights." "You seem to like to travel warm," I replied; "a great coat, in such weather, must be rather annoying to walk in." "Wager, wager, sir; two of my friends left Monaghan in a chaise same time I did; demned rumbling machine, and spavined horses; betted rump and dozen would be in C and order dinner before they came up; win my wager easily, are not yet in sight." "I dare say they are not," said I; " but you did not bet to carry weights, I suppose? you might as well have thrown your bundle into your friend's chaise." This seemed a little to abate his effrontery, and he continued for some moments silent, though he still walked alongside of me.

Under his great coat he wore a light green one, with black waistcoat and small clothes, and white cotton stockings, which bore evident marks of the dust of the road; he had a bundle tied up in a handkerchief, which he carried on a stick over his shoulders: I set him down in my mind for a dancing-master, puppet