CHAPTER IV.

Epistolary Bores-Troublesome Visitors-Troublesome Orators

-Place-hunters-Portrait-hunters-Autograph-hunters.

MR. FITZPATRICK, of Eccles Street, one of the Liberator's most intimate friends, said to me one day, "The number of queer letters that O'Connell receives, boring him upon the most ridiculously trivial subjects, would try any body's patience. A letter once arrived from New York, and as he was not aware that he had any correspondent in that city whose communication could be worth the postage, he deliberated whether he should not return the letter to the post-office unopened. He did, however open it, and found that it contained a minute description of a Queen Anne's farthing recently found by the writer; with a modest request that 'Ireland's Liberator' might negotiate the sale of the said farthing in London; where, as many intelligent persons had assured him, he might make his fortune by it.

"Another modest correspondent," continued Fitzpatrick, "was one Peter Waldron, also of New York, whose epistle ran thus ;-Sir, I have discovered an old paper, by which I find that my grandfather, Peter Waldron, left Dublin about the year 1730. You will very much oblige me by instituting an immediate inquiry who the said Peter Waldron was; whether he possessed any property in Dublin or else. where, and to what amount, and in case that he did, you will confer a particular favour on me by taking immediate steps to recover it, and if successful, forwarding the amount to me at New York.'"

At another time a Protestant clergyman wrote to apprise him that he and his family were all in prayer for his conversion to the Protestant religion; and that the writer was anxious to engage in controversy with so distinguished an antagonist. A similar epistle was addressed to him by a Methodist named Lackington. An American lady wrote to beg he would assist her in getting up a raffle. Some relation of hers, she said, had written a book in praise of Ireland; and this consideration would doubtless induce Ireland's most distinguished son to devote to her wishes the very short time requisite to insure the success of her project.

He complained that the letters with which he was persecuted, soliciting patronage, were innu

merable. "Every body writes to me about every thing," said he, "and the applicants for places, without a single exception, tell me that one word of mine will infallibly get them what they want. One

word! Oh, how sick I am of that' one word!

He expressed his indignation at some correspondents who offered him douceurs for his patronage. He threatened to prosecute one of them, and desired his servant to kick another out of the house (the latter having promised to call for an answer).

Some of his rural correspondents entertained odd ideas of his attributes. He said that from one of them he got a letter commencing with "Awful Sir !"

He sometimes announced in public, that he usually burned anonymous letters unread. "I just look," said he, "to see what signature the letter bearsand if I find none, I fling it into the fire."

He once told me, that out of the multitude of anonymous letters he had received for many years, there was only one that contained a suggestion of value. "That," he said, "was the contrast between the Irish and British elective franchises, and an excellent hint it was. I think I've worked it pretty well, too."

The bores of flesh and blood were worse than the paper bores. When engaged with some friend

come.

on important political business, he has often been interrupted by gossiping visitors, who seemed to consider his time their own property. The raptures of patriotic lady-admirers were extremely unwel"How I hate to have those women pelting in upon me!" was his exclamation on the exit of a very talkative specimen of this class. Gentlemen savans were no better; one of them broke in upon him one day that his head was full of his next Repeal move, and indulged him with a learned dissertation upon an ancient Egyptian festival, and an elaborate description of the entire ceremonial. It needs scarcely be said that the applicants for place who beset him in person were legion.

Amongst the odd requests addressed to him, was that of a Catholic priest, who stated that as from family misfortunes he could not support himself and his two sisters, he hoped Mr. O'Connell would allow them to make Darrynane their home until more prosperous times. The Liberator's well-known benevolence, the applicant added, induced him thus to seek the asylum of his roof. Mr. O'Connell said he had not the honour of his acquaintance-to which the applicant replied by reminding him they had been introduced to each other some months before on the deck of a steamer.

A species of annoyance to which O'Connell used

to submit with sullen resignation, was the trashy eloquence of his less gifted confederates in the Agitation. At a certain southern banquet he was overwhelmed with the chairman's interminable ha

rangues. He bitterly complained of the infliction the next day to a lady who told me the anecdote. "Mr. gave me quite too much of it," said he; "he apparently forgot that too much black pudding would choke a dog."

Of another loquacious chairman he said to me, "That poor B * * * has a sad facility of making the most balderdashical speeches I ever heard.”

Speaking of a member of the legislature far above those "small deer" in point of intellect, he said, "W-- would speak better if he did not speak so well but he has a most unhappy superabundance of very excellent English, that quite with him."

runs away

Some of the habitués of the Repeal Association who knew O'Connell's feelings on such matters, have whispered to me during the speech of a long-winded orator, "Watch Dan, now! observe how bored he is—there he sits with his hat pulled down over his eyes, patiently waiting until this gentleman finishes."

One day when he had been annoyed by a troublesome and loquacious person whom he endured