to impart the heart-felt regard I feel for that country. Permit me to propose the health of Captain Malony, and to wish that the happiness and prosperity of Ireland may have progressive increase." If I had been struck blind, I could not have been more surprised by darkness, than my ear was by these sounds. I had never contemplated such a circumstance as being thus noticed, and called upon to display my powers of speech. Surprise for a moment seemed to annihilate my faculties. In the rapidity of thought, how I blamed myself for not foreseeing this event, and having a few flowers of oratory planted in my memory to meet the occasion! Yet I must say somewhat. Indeed, to gain time, I had muttered a sentence about Ireland only requiring the capital of England to make her truly what our president had wished; but the young Templar upset me by asking-" What, would you have all our capital ?" and pushing out his mouth to a formidable extent towards me, by way of negative. "Hear Captain Malony!" said the croupier, in an accent that induced me to put him down for a Scotchman, which I had suspected before. This absolutely forced me to begin; so, filling my glass, I rose, and bowing with respect, which I deeply felt, I said :— "Mr. President, and gentlemen! I am deeply penetrated with gratitude by the honour you have done me in drinking my health; and more particularly so, by the flattering manner in which you have eulogized my native land. Permit me to return, from the bottom of my heart, sincere thanks to you all, and to drink the health of each and every one; wishing long continued glory to Old England, and that the rose, the thistle, and the shamrock may for ever be united, happy, and free.” This poor return was most kindly clapped, and I sat down, rejoiced that I had not made a dead stop in the middle of my speech, and seemed as though without an idea; which temporary suspension of memory and thought is often seen and felt, when superaction produces the same effect as repletion, and steals away the brains. If I had been cool and collected, what a fine flourishing speech I might have made! I could have commenced with an apology about my being unaccustomed to public speaking-informed the party how I had been taken by surprise at the most unexpected honour conferred on an individual so humble, by gentlemen so distinguished-regretted my not being prepared to thank them in language sufficiently energetic-begged them to receive the offering of my heart, instead of the overflowings of my tongue-entered largely into the political state of Ireland--accounted for the same-reprobated party spirit-condemned the proceedings of the Catholic Association-displayed my own liberality as an advocate for emancipation— quoted Adam Smith on the Wealth of Nationsenriched my speech with extracts from Paleyastonished them by my acquaintance with the poets-surprised them with illustrations from Virgil, Horace, and Homer, and confounded them by my zeal as a patriot;-ending, of course, with a long peroration, amplification, refutation, confutation, recapitulation, and all the other ations to eternalization; these and so forth being modestly expressed. O Lord! O Lord! what opportunities we miss in this life!" There is a tide," &c. Shakspeare, hem! In short, I spent a most delightfully exhilarating evening, which, till the last sand of time, I shall remember. My heart will always retain the odour of it- "Like the vase in which roses have once been distilled : You may break, you may ruin' the vase if you will, Need I say that I returned to No. 7, St. Martin'sle-Grand, praying that the public might discover something in my literary efforts to induce them to buy up the work with an avidity unprecedented in the purchase of any other production, to repay the liberality of our worthy president, who, while he benefits himself by the labours of others, has generosity enough thus to treat them? May he be, like Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London, without ever feeling what it is to want a powerful friend! My friend Malony here drops his journal, where I expected it to proceed with an account of all he saw in the great city; but the fact is, while he remained there, he was so closely employed in writing and revising his manuscript, that he had no opportunities of using his eyes on foreign objects. I conclude that he pocketed a handsome reward for his labour, and returned home with London presents to his dear Emma; for I find the following remarks on record : To-morrow I shall Yet I return home "I have taken my seat. leave this wonderful city. under considerable dejection. I had fondly hoped that the prize money due to the Deckan army would shortly be paid. This, if as expected, a subaltern's share should be one thousand pounds, with what I have already, would enable me to purchase a cottage, stock a small farm, and sit down in rural retirement with my own sweet girl, contented and happy. But, alas! after eight years' delay, there seems now no more chance than ever of speedily participating in the advantages of the large captures which we made, under circumstances of peculiar hardship and suffering. Is it not cruel to treat men thus, who risk their lives at a moment's notice for the interests of their country? Great blame must attach somewhere. His majesty's gracious bounty to the army is defeated. Many VOL. III. M |