whom he kept for that period in the agonies of mortal suspense." "Did he kill him?" asked I. "Not he!" replied O'Connell; "he couldn't hit a haystack. If courage appertained to duelling, he certainly possessed it. But in every thing else, he was the most timid man alive. Once I stated in the Court of Exchequer, that I had, three days before, been in the room with a man in a fever, 120 miles off. The instant I said so, Egan shuffled away to the opposite side of the court, through pure fear of infection. Egan used to make a vast deal of money as counsel at elections." We spoke of that quæstio vreata, the authorship of Junius. "It is my decided opinion," said O'Connell, "that Edmund Burke was the author of the 'Letters of Junius.' There are many considerations which compel me to form that opinion. Burke was the only man who made that figure in the world that the author of Junius must have made, if engaged in public life; and the entire of Junius's letters evinces that close acquaintance with the springs of political machinery which no man could possess, unless actively engaged in politics. Again-Burke was fond of chemical similes; now, chemical similes are frequent in Junius. Again-Burke was an Irishman; now, Junius speaking of the government of Ireland, twice calls it 'the Castle;" a familiar phrase amongst Irish politicians, but one which an Englishman in those days never would have used. Again-Burke had this peculiarity in writing, that he often wrote many words without taking the pen from the paper. The very same peculiarity existed in the manuscripts of Junius, although they were written in a feigned hand. Again-it may be said that the style is not Burke's. In reply, I would say that Burke was master of many styles. His work on natural society, in imitation of Lord Bolingbroke, is as different in point of style from his work on the French Revolution, as both are from the Letters of Junius.' Again -Junius speaks of the king's insanity as a divine visitation; Burke said the very same thing in the House of Commons. Again-had any one of the other men, to whom the letters are with any show of probability ascribed, been really the author, such author would have had no reason for disowning the book or remaining incognito. Any one of them but Burke would have claimed the authorship as fame-and proud fame. But Burke had a very cogent reason for remaining incognito. In claiming Junius, he would have claimed his own condemnation and dishonour-for Burke died a pensioner. Burke, moreover, was the only pensioner who had the commanding talent displayed in the writings or Junius. Now, when I lay all these considerations together, and especially when I reflect that a cogent reason exists for Burke's silence as to his own authorship, I confess I think I have got a presumptive proof of the very strongest nature that Burke was the writer." O'Connell, who entertained the most unaffected reverence for the memory of the elder Earl of Charlemont, regarded with deep and anxious interest the political movements of his son. He felt pained and disappointed on reading that nobleman's reply to the address of the Repeal Association, in which his lordship expressed his disapproval of the Repeal Agitation. "Those Ulster Whigs have got about Lord Charlemont," said O'Connell. "I recognise their influence in this! His heart is with us if he were let alone." * December, 1840. CHAPTER XXIII. Return to Dublin-The Duke of Leinster's Volunteer Musket -The Repeal Agitation-Historical Memoir of Ireland commenced and postponed--Chartist and Orange ThreatsJudicial Reminiscences -Judge Boyd-Lord Norbury Judge Daly-Lord Clare-Seats on the Bench trucked for Union Votes. - On the 21st of December O'Connell re-appeared at the Repeal Association, after a six weeks' vacation among the Darrynane mountains, from the pure air of which he had derived fresh vigour for the performance of his arduous task. He spoke for three hours, and presided in the evening at a charity dinner, where his voice was also heard at considerable length in energetic advocacy of Repeal. During O'Connell's brief absence in the country, his son John, who had previously abstained from public agitation, came forward at the Corn Exchange. John soon became popular. He was laudably anxious to succeed. He brought with him, to the agitation of Repeal, the qualities of unwearied industry, and an extraordinary facility in financial calculation. His writings and speeches on international finance are admirable. Shortly after Mr. O'Connell's return to Dublin, a Committee of the Repeal Association was summoned, for the purpose of hearing a charge made by one of the members against Doctor Stephen Murphy. The accusation involved many paltry malpractices, utterly unworthy any person possessing the slightest claim to the character of a gentleman. O'Connell was chairman, and played off the accuser with amusing dexterity. Dr. Murphy was acquitted, amidst general acclamation; and O'Connell, in pronouncing the accuser exceedingly "incautious," significantly told him, he might consider himself extremely fortunate in escaping the application of any worse epithet; the charge having manifestly been got up to gratify personal malice. In every numerous political society, the currents and counter-currents of conflicting jealousies will necessarily often obstruct the public business. There are persons who feel a painful sense of insignificance when following quietly in the wake of a leader; and whose utmost efforts in behalf of the general cause are too unimportant to acquire for them that notoriety so dear to human vanity. To |