“I think,” said I, "that you would be somewhat out of your element, assisting a novelist in his compositions."

"Not in the least," he answered. "I was once going to write a novel myself.”

"Indeed!—and what was your story to have been ?"

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Why, as to the story, I had not that fully determined on. But my hero was to have been a natural son of George III., by Hannah Lightfoot, his Quaker mistress. The youth was to have been early taken from his mother; and I meant to make him a student at Douay, and thence to bring him, through various adventures, to the West Indies. He was to be a soldier of fortune—to take a part in the American war-and to come back finally to England, imbued with republican principles.”

I do not remember whether this adventurous hero was, on his return to England, to have been confronted with his royal father.

The mention of republican principles led the talk to politics generally. O'Connell said that his experiment on Imperial "Justice to Ireland" should only continue another year. Should it fail-as he fully expected that it would—he was resolved to devote the rest of his life to the question of Repeal.

O'Connell's enemies have repeatedly called him a "trading politician." Had this charge been true, it is incredible that he should not, at some unguarded moment of social intercourse, have allowed the imputed double-dealing to betray itself. But, although it was his habit to converse freely and confidentially with his familiar associates, he never uttered in private a sentiment adverse to the political doctrines of which he was in public the apostle. He could easily have made his own terms at any time with the English government; and yet, although far from insensible to the advantages of station and wealth, he steadily rejected all overtures of place for himself.

A zealous, but ill-judging friend, had held out, as a glorious termination to his political career, a seat in the House of Lords of England, and the title of "Viscount O'Connell."

“I'll take nothing for myself," said the Liberator, as long as Ireland wants me."

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In 1838, on the morning when he received from government the offer to be appointed lord chief baron, he walked over to the window, saying,

"This is very kind—very kind, indeed!—but I haven't the least notion of taking the offer. Ireland could not spare me now: not but that, if she could, I don't at all deny that the office would have great

attractions for me. Let me see, now-there would not be more than about eighty days' duty in the year; I would take a country-house near Dublin, and walk into town; and during the intervals of judicial labour, I'd go to Darrynane. I should be idle in the early part of April, just when the jack-hares leave the most splendid trails upon the mountains. In fact, I should enjoy the office exceedingly on every account, if I could but accept it consistently with the interests of Ireland-BUT I CANNOT."

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 elsewhere, 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.'"

A

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. 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