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"You may, perhaps, think I have been dilatory in forming my decision on this subject; but I waited, in order to ascertain the principle on which the Union was to be proposed, and I was unacquainted with the assurance given to the chancellor, until it was communicated to me in the letters which I received from Lord Cornwallis and yourself in the middle of last week. It may, perhaps, be deemed desirable that I should settle and deliver over the business of the office to my successor; and in this case, I shall with great pleasure stay in Ireland till the approach of the session, and will postpone the private business which I came hither to adjust, until my return."

The following is from a letter from the Marquis of Cornwallis to the Duke of Portland, bearing date December the 5th, 1798, from which it appears that the Romish archbishop was satisfied with the measure, provided only it did not oppose any bar to the future consideration of their claims :

"Lord Castlereagh has seen Dr. Troy, and finds his sentiments perfectly correspondent with those of my Lord Fingall and Lord Kenmare. He expressed himself perfectly satisfied, provided no bar to their future hopes made a part of the measure, and was ready to use his utmost influence in its support. Upon the whole, it appears to me, as far as the dispositions of the Catholics have yet disclosed themselves, that there is every reason to expect from them a preference for the measure. An active support from that body would not perhaps be advantageous to the success of the Union. It would particularly increase the jealousy of the Protestants, and render them less inclined to the question."

And again, on the 2nd of January, 1799, he writes to the same distin

guished individual, being the head of the cabinet, as follows:

"What line of conduct they will ultimately adopt, when decidedly convinced that the measure will be persevered in on a Protestant principle, I am incapable of judging. I shall endeavour to give them the most favourable impressions, without holding out to them hopes of any relaxation on the part of the government, and shall leave no effort untried to prevent an opposition to the Union being made the measure of that party; as I should much fear, should it be made a Catholic principle to resist

the Union, that the favourable sentiments entertained by individuals would give way to the party feeling, and deprive us of our principal strength in the South and West, which could not fail, at least for the present, to prove fatal to the measure.

"I much fear Mr. Saurin's conduct will render it necessary for me to submit, through your Grace, to his Majesty, the indispensable necessity of with drawing from him those professional distinctions, of which his former conduct had rendered him so deserving."

The following is Lord Castlereagh's view of the subject, he being a strenu ous advocate for Emancipation:

"Were the Catholic question to be now carried, the great argument for a Union would be lost, at least, as far as the Catholics are concerned it seems, therefore, more important than ever for government to resist its adoption, on the grounds, that without a Union it must be destructive; with it, that it may be safe. I am of opinion that the measure hereafter to secure its success, must be proposed on a more enlarged principle; but, if the immediate object of govern ment is to resist the Catholic claims, rather than to renew the question of Union, I much doubt the policy of at present holding out to them any decided expectations: it might weaken with the Protestants, and would not strengthen us with the Catholics, whilst they look to carry their question unconnected with Union."

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Thus it is perfectly clear, that up to this period, no promises were held out which would amount to any pledge on the part of government; that the great measure on which they were intent was to be connected, either immediately or remotely, with Emancipation; and that, notwithstanding that clear understanding, the Roman Catholic prelacy and priesthood gave it their full support.

Dr. Troy was the agent through whom the government sounded that body; and the following is an extract from a letter received by him from Doctor Bray, Roman Catholic archbishop of Cashel, and sent by the former to Mr. Marshall, to be submitted to the authorities at the castle :

"If we act in any ostensible capacity in the business of Union, either by a personal signature to an address in favour of it, or otherwise, in my bumble

opinion, instead of serving the cause, we may injure it. As far as I understand the measure, it will be productive of substantial benefits to both countries, and, therefore, it meets my good wishes, and shall have the whole of my little mite of assistance, but with due attention to the necessary cautions and hints so wisely suggested by Lord Castlereagh."

Dr. Dillon, Roman Catholic archbishop of Tuam, thus writes:

"It would also give a handle to the enemies of subordination, who have already endeavoured to counteract any little exertions which I may have employed to bring back the people to a sense of their duty, by styling me an Orange bishop, the tool of government, well paid for my services, &c. These considerations, together with the difficulties in which, by such a precedent, I should probably involve some of our brethren, more immediately exposed to the wrath of our enemies than I am, have left me wavering and uncertain for many days. Supported, however, by your sanction and that of Dr. Reilly, I think I may venture to request of your lordship to sign it for me. My vicar-general and dean have already signed. I have also, since my last, spoken to some Roman Catholic gentlemen on the subject. Mr. Crane, of Boulabay, tells me that he has signed. Mr. Lynch, of Clogher, refuses to sign, without assigning any motive. Thomas Dillon, of Farm Hill, a gentleman of landed property, requests that his name may be added to the list.

"I am actually employed in performing a very painful duty, visiting the parishes which have contracted the greatest weight of guilt during the late rebellion."

Dr. Moylan, Roman Catholic bishop of Cork, thus writes to Sir John Cox Hippesley, when sounded by him respecting his sentiments upon the subject:

"I am happy to tell you it is working its way, and daily gaining ground on the public opinion. Several counties, which appeared most averse to it, have now declared for it, and I have no doubt but, with the blessing of God, it will be effected, notwithstanding the violent opposition of Mr. Foster and his party, who will strain every nerve, and move heaven and earth, to prevent it succeeding. They are a very powerful faction. God grant they may not have recourse to the infernal means, so often made use of for political party purposes VOL. XXXN.-NO. CXCI.

of exciting underhand, by their agents, the poor easily-deluded people, to riot and insurrection, in order to embarrass government! The Roman Catholics in general are avowedly for the measure."

The following, which we extract from the same letter, bearing date September 4, 1799, could not surely have been written by a Roman Catholic prelate, if Lord Castlereagh was the monster which many of the Roman Catholic prelates of the present day would represent him ::

"The provision intended to be made for the Roman Catholic clergy of this kingdom, is a measure worthy an enlightened goverment, and we cannot but be thankful for it.

turn.

"Lord Castlereagh sailed last night for England. I wish him, from my heart, a pleasant journey and a safe reI have many obligations to his lordship: he has been uncommonly civil and attentive to me. He is a most amiable nobleman, and well qualified to fill, with credit to himself and advantage to the nation, the high office he is stationed in. I hope he will have the satisfaction of seeing the great measure of Union completed, to the general content of both kingdoms, under his administration."

We must now draw to a close. The volumes before us are highly important; and we look forward with interest to those which are to follow, as they will no doubt be found as elucidatory of the noble lord's foreign policy, when his services were transferred to England, as these are of his domestic policy while he served in Ireland.

He was opposed by a force of talent, as well as by a weight of prejudice, which few ministers, standing almost alone in the House of Commons, or at least very feebly supported, could have sustained. And, young as he was, he never made a false move, or abated a jot of heart or hope, even when his cause seemed most hopeless.

In debate, he was always well informed; and his perfect self-possession, as well as his gentlemanly bearing, secured for him a respectful attention on the part of the house; and though Grattan, and Curran, and Plunket, and Bushe, and Burrowes, and Ponsonby, and Barrington, were his antagonists, he received their assaults, whether of invective, of raillery, or of 2 s

ridicule, with imperturbable good humour, and seemed to possess a charmed life amidst a fire of oratorical artillery, by which any one else must have been extinguished.

Of his public speaking it could not be said, as it might of that of some of his great cotemporaries, "materiem superabat opus." The matter was generally excellent; it was the manner, and the copia verborum, that were defective. He often wanted words

for his ideas as there are those who sometimes want ideas for their words -and there was a cold monotony in his delivery, that greatly interfered with the effect of his elocution. But we have heard one* of the most competent judges we ever knew, and who was a constant listener to the noble lord in the English House of Commons, one, too, who had no prejudice in his favour, aver, that he had sometimes heard him, when in possession of a

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great subject, or under the influence of extraordinary excitement, astonish the house by a burst of eloquence, in the highest degree impressive and commanding; and then, suddenly, as much astonish them, by sinking flabbergasted, like a collapsed balloon, until he became almost an object of ridicule to those to whom he had just been an object of admiration.

But as we must very soon have another opportunity of adverting to the parliamentary and official career of the noble lord, we shall content ourselves for the present with what has been already said, and expressing our thanks to the noble editor for the interesting information which his work has afforded us, repeat our advice, that when he publishes again, he may procure a fuller and more able biographical notice of his noble brother, than that which, in these volumes, he has presented to his readers.

The late John Sydney Taylor.

CHINESE JUGGLERS.

JUGGLERS -THE EMPEROR OF

NECROMANCERS-THE

BASIN OF WATER AND

FISH THE GROWING OF A SHRUB-THE PRODUCTION OF EDIBLES-ANALOGY BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND INDIAN JUGGLERS.

THEastounding performances of Indian jugglers have not only been frequently described by various authors and travellers, but the British public have had a few opportunities afforded them of judging of their abilities in executing some of their extraordinary feats; however, it should be borne in mind that very inferior artistes have, at any period, visited this country, with the exception, possibly, of Ramee Samee, who is in the recollection of many of the present generation, and whose wonderful exploits of catching balls of fire, swallowing swords, and various magi cal deeds, might be attributed to legerde-main or ocular deception. A description of their brethren of the Celestial Empire may not prove uninteresting, as their talents are by no means of a despicable or ordinary standard; and their dexterity, sleight-of-hand, magic, or whatever other denomination their art may properly belong to, or by what designation the same should more correctly be described-assuredly it is the occult science, for hidden it is from us ordinary mortals-is, at all events, equally deserving of attention and record. Some of the performances of the eastern jugglers seem so incredible, even to those who have had the benefit of ocular demonstration, that they must appear to those who have not had that opportunity afforded them, as the tales, or long-bows, of travellers. For our own part we must confess that we should have ranged ourselves among the ranks of unbelievers and sceptics, had we not had opportunity of judging, as eyewitnesses, of the truth of the facts which we are about to describe. For ourselves, we are free to admit that we not only believe (for seeing is believing, even in these matter-of-fact times), all we have seen ourselves, but much more which has been described to us, and we have deliberately come to the

conclusion, that there is no sleight-ofhand, foreign aid of trap-doors, false bottoms, and assistants concealed under tables, or such like accompaniments as are well known to be the attendants upon "The Great Wizard of the North," Robert Handier, or such like gentlemen, but that the skill, science, or art, has been handed down or inherited from their predecessors, and is of a similar nature to that which was possessed by the magicians of ancient Egypt, and of the truth of whose performances we can have no doubt, having the authority of Holy Writ itself.

We are not prepared to say that there is no legér-de-main or deception at any time or period practised by eastern jugglers, as there may have been in such exhibitions as those which have been witnessed in England, and already referred to, since these took place upon the stages of our public theatres, where, necessarily, every facility existed to practise deception; but what we now allude to, took place in our own domicile, and under circumstances which totally precluded the possibility of any assistance being derived from trap-doors, or collusion with confederates of any kind; and being fully convinced of this fact, we were the more astonished at the wonders which we did behold, and we were rather inclined to doubt the evidences of our own senses, and rubbed our organs of vision to ascertain if we were not dreaming; and we will not swear that we did not bite each of our little fingers in our anxiety to ascertain the truth that we were wide awake, and in the full possession of all our faculties.

Having received marks of attention and hospitality from various friends, it was incumbent to return such civilities, and it became a subject of no little solicitude how we might best, at

the same time, cater for their amusement. This latter, it must be confessed, at the period we allude to, was a matter of no small difficulty in a new colony like Hong-Kong, composed of raw materials, and unlicked into shape. At length, after frequent consultations with our compredore (who is a head servant or butler), as to the practicability of inducing a celebrated juggler of Canton, for the sake of "the filthy lucre of gain," to transport himself to Hong-Kong, and exhibit his various acquirements to us "red-bristled barbarians," the aforesaid compredore one day announced to us with much official importance, that the celebrated individual of the juggler species had arrived in the island. He was sent forthwith in quest of the said necromancer, and returned, after a lapse of some hours, with the intelligence that he had succeeded in finding the rara avis, and had secured his services for a valuable consideration, to display his cabalistic skill, and, for the first time, to perform for the gratification and amusement of an audience composed of liege subjects of Her Britannic Majesty. Invitations in due course were issued, and accepted with alacrity— recreation of any kind being at that period, in that lugubrious colony, rare and a large assemblage, consisting for the most part of lords of the creation, arrived on the evening in question.

The room in which the performance took place was denuded of every article of furniture, with the exception of chairs, which were arranged close to the walls, for the convenience of the spectators, thus leaving the floor unmatted, and a clear and wide arena for the performer. At the hour named, the great attraction of the evening was introduced by the compredore; he appeared to be a man of about five-andthirty years of age, sallow complexion (for even amongst the tawney-skinned inhabitants of the Celestial Empire there are various degrees of yellowness), his eyes were exceedingly small, with an expression of shrewd observation and cunning depicted therein, and he appeared to take in the whole company assembled at one glance; there was an expression of finesse about the mouth, and the toût ensemble of his countenance evinced a character of intelligence, shrewdness, and determi

nation, rarely combined; but he observed the imperturbable gravity so characteristic of the Chinese nation. In height he was about five feet seven inches, not an athletically formed man, but of a wiry, spare make; he was attired in the ordinary dress of the middle ranks of Chinese, which consists of the loose jacket and trowsers, with white calico stockings, and black silken shoes, embroidered with blue, and white felt soles two inches thick; he had no covering on his head, and was followed by his coolee or servant, bearing an unpainted teak-wood box of about three feet by two feet in size, who placed it in the room and retired. The juggler, magician, necromancer, or conjuror (for we care not by which of these denominations to designate the individual), advanced into the centre of the room, accompanied by the compredore, and delivered a Chinese oration, which was rendered into Anglo-Chinese by the compredore acting as interpreter on the occasion, which was to the following effect, namely:" That he had never before exhibited the mysteries of his art to any but natives of China, and mandarins of the highest rank; but that as the compredore was his particular friend, and had promised him faithfully that the mandarin of Canton should not be made cognisant of his having exhibited the acts of his peculiar vocation before any but the favoured sons of the Celestial Empire, he would display such wonders as would undoubt edly convince us that he was no common professor of the occult science; for as Taou-Kwang was the greatest emperor in the whole world, all other potentates being his inferiors, so was he (the speaker) the chief and head of all the professors of his art, all others his compeers being as inferior to him as the aforesaid potentates were to TaouKwang." This oration was delivered with an amazing show of pomposity, which was received by us for exactly as much as it was worth, still keeping our resolution, previously formed,, of watching him most narrowly and closely.

The compredore having retired, the emperor of all the jugglers, magicians, necromancers, and conjurors was left solus; he commenced operations by placing his box in the centre of the room; he then stripped off his

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