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ceive my stedfaft principle. I generally gave fome loyal and well pointed toafts and fentiments which I had purposely fa bricated for the occafion; but they were either over-ruled or paffed over in filence. I remember once giving the King's health, when a man fitting oppofite to me faid, "By my "fowl, Meafter James, you are a fhorp and kammickle "jockey. He he he! I'll tell you what, Sir, there is not

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a man here but would drink your health with pleasure, "aye, by my fowkins! or the health of any man that de"farves it. May be the King desarves it too, but the divle "a ha' p'orth of good we know of the man. Chrift bless us” When the parochial lifts of perfons qualified to serves in the militia appeared, there was no bounds, to their expreffions of indignation. Some of them declared, they would rather die at their doors, than be enslaved after fuch ̈à tame manner: others, that they should certainly take up arms, if they were forced fo to do; but that they would use them against their oppreffors. Just about this time I obferved an unusual number of remarkably strong and healthy-looking beggars about the country; and knew not to what to impute the circumstance, the times being uncommonly plentiful and likely fo to continue. But I was not long in the darksofor, one day, in Harristown, going up ftreet, I obferved your neighbour, JOHN TIERNEY, in very jocular difcourfe with a beggar, who seemed to bear his humour with a veny Kill grace. "Mafter James" fays honeft Tierney, "I believe "those fellows are hired to fetus together by the ears "Why fo Jack?" "Sir, the country round about is fo "pestered with the reports of those puckered's, about the "designs of great people upon those men whose names are "fet down for the militia, that you can hardly believe how "we are all terrified; and we are afraid to speak our fears: "But I almoft begin to imagine, that fome of thofe reports

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are not true; for, this old thief has fo over-done the "matter with his lies, that, for my part, I cannot help fee"through his roguish defign. Now, fir, I only alked him "would he carry a budget full of lies for me? and, what

might be his demand for fpreading them in Walterstown, "Nurney, and Kil-doom? As for Kildare, it is too full of "them already!” Then, adreffing himself to the itinerant mischief-maker, It is a pity, my good fellow, that you are "not provided with ftrong lodgings, or better employment

than difturbing people that are too much difturbed already ' by your fort?". From this time I began to discover more clearly the truth and justice of Tierney's obfervations.

You may remember the friendly and very cordial intimacy which at this time fubfifted between Mr. ODLUM * and me. The like intimacy had then long fubfifted between my friend and Mr. CUMMINS +. Many were the political difputes between these two gentlemen, at which I was prefent. ¡Cummins's fentiments were favourable to what he would have us call a parliamentary reform, but what he too clearly expounded to bear that epithet, agreeably to the clear and well-informed judgment of my friend; who often fecretly lamented to me his neighbour's dangerous principles, and almoft prophefied his contingent fate, from what we both judged to be the dawning political state of the kingdom. 1.Cummins would frequently introduce these observations : "The people of this kingdom are beginning to open their

eyes to perceive their natural rights; and, if I mistake o not, this very militia-business will ripen them for affert ing those rights. It is fraught with fomething that will fhewus who is who.it tarjosiges,

The late curate of Kildare, deceased: a gentleman of a very amiable : character as a clergyman; and one of found political principles. He lived ar in the town. * 2)

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An apothecary, then living next door, but fince transported as a rebel.

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From fuch circumftances as all thefe. I could not doubt of the mischief in embryo; and made no scruple to mention my fufpicions to gentlemen of undoubted loyalty. But they rallied me with much humour on what they ironically called my political difcernment. Still I would not give up either my apprehenfions or curiofity. I affociated with the peafantry more and more; and even went with them three or four times to mafs. I also converfed much with the priests, both on religious and political topics; and, to do thofe gentle. men justice, I do believe they were at that time, one and all, loyally disposed, and only painfully apprehenfive of our country fuffering through internal enemies and otherwife, by reafon of the war juft then commenced between Great Britain and France. The recent cruelties inflicted on many of their fraternity, and the infults offered to their worship and ecclefiaftical economy, in the country last mentioned, were fresh in their minds; and they juftly confidered that themselves would be amongst the first objects of French democratic fury, in case of an invasion; and that to this meafure fome rebel politicians of the day had not the smallest objection. How unaccountably fentiments will alter; or, at leaft, are supposed fo to do! I think I could not well be mistaken in those gentlemen; for, fuch was their confidence in me, though I never once made any verbal profeffion of my attachment to Popery, but often the direct contrary, that fome of them spoke of me in my abfence as a half-convert to their church; and Mr. DORAN, parish priest of Kildangan, put fome Popish books into my hands to confirm me in the faith-Poor man! He could have no idea that I was then actually laying the foundation of a work entitled "The "WHORE OF BABYLON detected from her characteristic AL "Marks in the Book of Revelations with large and importanti "Illuftrations from Roman Catholic Commentators, spartis "cularly Signior Paftorini, whofe arguments to provey that, by the whore spoken of, is fignified Rome in her Heathen

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❝ State," are completely confuted, with much affiftance from himself." This work, I intend, fhall be printed next Summer, by Mr. JONES, No. 91, Bride-fireet, DUBlin But to return-you cannot forget the well-known fact, that fo mistrustful of their priests were the common people of the county of Kildare, and fome of the adjoining counties, that they actually' fhut up fome of the chapels, amongst which were thofe of Portarlington, and Carrick hard by ; alfo Monafterevan and Kildangan; and would fuffer no priest to officiate therein, till he gave them his folemn oath, that be did not furnifh any parochial lift, or part of a lift, to any officer or other perfon concerned in penning down the names of perfons fuppofed liable or qualified to ferve in the intended militia. Leon

I believe it was about the month of May or June this year, fome act was paffed in favour of the Roman Catholics. On this occafion you may remember, Mr. O'REILLY, of Kildangan, got a bonfire made by the neighbouring peasantry, and gave them fome barrels of porter to drink his majesty's health. I have been fince told, that the number which attended on this occafion, was remarkably fmall, and I remember to have heard fome women in Harristown, curfe thofe who did fo, for their beggarly fpirit," as they termed it. Their propenfity in favour of the infurgents in the County of Wexford, was too palpable; nay, too plainly expreffed, efpecially when called forth by any effufion of loyalty to be at all mifunderstood.

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About a fortnight before midfummer-eve, I was requested by fome female ruftics of Harristown, to compofe for their ufe an English fong, to the tune of their old Irish bonfire fong," Hugga mor fain a," &c. &c. against the approching feftivaly when it was to be fung at the Harristown bonfire in the ufual manner I complied with their requeft; but numbers objected to one line, vizes mor

God profper our King and his amiable Queen."la

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"Why Maifter James" faid they "if we fing that, we will be all kilt alive and reunated upon the fpot; and fo "we will." I laboured to reconcile them to it, by calling their attention to the next line.

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"Health and peace to his fubjects that dance on the green, It was in vain; nor could all the rhetoric of my fair townswomen prevail upon me to make the fmalleft alteration.

At length Midfummer-eve being arrived and the bonfire made, the fong was partly fung: but as foon as ever the offenfive line was uttered, a hideous yell of contempt burst from the mouths of I believe fifty perfons, fome of whom waved their hands towards me, faying "Maifther James! Ah! Maifther James! the doctor fays you wont do! Never was I much more fhocked than at this undeniable proof of a principle of rebellion having taken place in the hearts of thofe whom I dearly loved, long, gratefully and most defervedly loved, above all the peafantry that ever existed. I trust their eyes are now clearly opened to their trueft interefts. May they read this narrative, and fully fympathize with the feelings of the writer, who ftill loves them, and who would fuffer much (confiftently with his duty to his God and his country) to ferve them!

Every attempt, on my part, to find out any leading fomentor of this mifchievous principle, was utterly abortive. However, I believe fome newspapers went a good way into the bufinefs; for I never knew the people in your neighbourhood any thing like fo attached to thefe vehicles of information and political fentiment.

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Of the Rebellion in the adjoining counties of Wexford and Kilkenny.

Soon after my arrival in this town I got into an employment which engaged my attention fo clofely, that I could

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