prompting that they did commit them is as well proved as any fact that history has ever recorded. The writer of "Ireland and the Irish" has committed the mistake of trying to prove too much. It is true, that with the great majority of his readers, the garbled extracts will never be collated with the books they are taken from -the falsehood goes forth and is believed—the reckless and unsupported assertions are taken for truth-the agitation is continued, and the Rent is raised. Pity he should forget that "Spirits are not finely touched but to fine issues;" that the enormous power he possesses of doing good should only be exercised the other way; and the smouldering prejudices of two great nations kindled to warm an inordinate vanity, and bring pence into the begging-box. "The Irish," says Mr. O'Connell," are lovers of justice, of equal and impartial justice." This, perhaps, is the very last quality their best friends would have discovered, if by impartial justice is meant fair play; and we may be permitted humbly to inquire where it is to be found? At Conciliation Hall, or at Donnybrook fair? to an in-coming tenant, or the crew of a wrecked vessel? Is it exercised towards improving landlords, or conspicuous amongst the candidates for the relief funds? Before I take leave of Mr. O'Connell's book, 1 must notice one piece of unquestionable truth which it contains, embodied in the following happy allusion to the pelican: "No! thy chains as they rankle, thy blood as it runs, Let those who rashly say that the great Agitator's life is one entire falsehood, read this and recant his most inveterate enemy will feel disposed to believe that, as long as the parent-land shall continue to bleed, so long will she retain the affections of her patriot son; but not one moment longer. The despair with which Ireland has been regarded in all ages is curious, though fully accounted for in the perpetual opposition to improvement on the part of the leading men, whether kings, priests, or agitators, for their own selfish ends. Henry VIII.'s council admit that they break down when required to find a remedy for Irish disorders : "Also there is a proverbe of old date, the pryde of Fraunce, the treason of Ingland, the warre of Ireland, shalle never have ende; which proverbe twycheing the warre of Irland, is lyke allwaye to contynue without Godde sett in menne's brestes to fynde some newe remedye, that never was founde before." * And three hundred years after this was written, the "newe remedye" appears as difficult to find as then. Spenser's lament on this subject, taken in connexion with the present deplorable circumstances, and the dark prospects of the future, seems like an awful prophecy : "They say it is the fatal destiny of that land, that no purposes whatsoever which are meant for her good will prosper or take good effect, which, whether it proceed from the very genius of the soyle, or influence of the starres, or that God Almighty hath not yet appointed the time of her reformation, or that He reserveth her in this unquiet state still for some secret scourge, which shall by her come unto Eng * State Papers, vol. i. land, it is hard to be knowne, but yet much to be feared." Note. The news of Mr. O'Connell's death is announced while these sheets are passing through the press, and on this account the writer would have wished to suppress some of the foregoing remarks. It is, however, to be considered, that "the evil that men do lives after them;" the book which has been noticed is still doing its work, and is probably not concluded and, the true character of the political charlatan but yet partially found out. There is little reason to speak well of one whose whole public life was one sordid imposture, and of whomt he best that can besaid is, that he found his countrymen rebels and left them beggars. * "State of Ireland," vol. i. p. 1. CHAPTER II. DRESS- FROISSART'S DESCRIPTION OF THE FOUR KINGSGLIBS- - LADIES' DRESS AND PERSONS ENORMOUS SHIRTS-HENRY THE EIGHTH'S LETTER ON DRESS- RATE IN IRELAND-LAW OF INHERITANCE-KILDARE MR. MOORE notices a curious law on the subject of dress :— "In the reign of Achy, who was the immediate successor of Tighernmas (that is, about 963 years before Christ), a singular law was enacted, regulating the number of colours by which the garments of the different classes of |