ruffianly attack upon O'Connell, who, however, contrived in the end to have the best of the skirmish.

What a picture of legislative wisdom is afforded by this curious scene! It suggests humiliating ideas of our boasted human intellect, that an assemblage to whom is committed a trust of the highest national importance, should thus degrade itself by vulgar brawls; which, as one of the members observed, are only fit for the meridian of the ale-house. Whenever the passions of foolish and intemperate partisans thus degraded parliamentary debate, O'Connell was always ready to administer a spirited rebuke. The pigmy host of Maidstones, Cannings, Tennents, et id genus omne, shrank into insignificance before him—an insignificance which was only rendered the more manifest by the boisterous efforts of the noisy crew to overwhelm him with factious clamour.

Sir Robert Peel is said to have expressed his high appreciation of O'Connell's parliamentary abilities. While the Reform Bill was under discussion, the speeches of its friends and foes were one day can vassed at Lady Beauchamp's. On O'Connell's name being mentioned, some critic fastidiously said, "Oh, a broguing Irish fellow! who would listen to him? I always walk out of the House when he opens his lips!" "Come, Peel," said old Lord Westmoreland,

"let me hear your opinion." "My opinion candidly is," replied Sir Robert," that if I wanted an efficient and eloquent advocate, I would readily give up all the other orators of whom we have been talking, provided I had with me this same broguing Irish fellow.""

(O'Connell's eloquence, both in and out of Parliament, was principally characterised by

strength that harmonised well with the athletic personal appearance of the orator. He seldom sought ornament, and when he did he was not always successful. Sheil is said to have remarked of him, "That he flung a brood of sturdy ideas upon the world, without a rag to cover them." But on many occasions the fire of his thoughts found vent in extremely felicitous language. He excelled in clear and forcible argument, in ready and dexterous reply, and in bold and defiant denunciations of tyranny. His invective was frequently powerful: it sometimes, however, degenerated into common-place personal abuse. Like his great countryman, Curran, he was unequal. He could soar to the loftiest heights of parliamentary debate, or talk down to the level of the lowest democratic audience.

CHAPTER VII.

O'Connell's Prepossession in Favour of National DistinctnessHis Opinion of Lord Anglesey-Lord Anglesey's Opinion of him—The Repeal Association instituted-O'Connell on the famous Dispute between Grattan and Flood-Machinery of the Association-O'Connell in Committee-Purcell O'Gorman a Musician!-Incidents illustrative of O'Connell's Popularity -O'Connell's Opinion of Feargus O'Connor.

IN the autumn of 1839, O'Connell's mind was intently occupied upon the projected renewal of the Repeal Agitation. Day after day he discussed it with his private friends; and the institution of a confederacy for Repealing the Union was only postponed until a moment should arrive peculiarly propitious to such an experiment.

Whatever unguarded expressions may have escaped O'Connell, when battling with hostile Tories or treacherous Whigs, for the minor measures which then were termed "Justice to Ireland," there is not the least doubt that his prepossessions were entirely in favour of national distinctness; not only for Ireland, but for every country on which God had con

ferred the great features of a nation. This bias of his mind appeared in trifles as well as in matters of importance. When asked by a friend to frank a letter to "Aberdeen, North Britain,” he growlingly answered, "I'll frank it to Aberdeen, Scotland. The country has an ancient and honourable name of its own, and we'll call it by its own name and not by any nicknames."

Prior to the establishment of the Repeal Association, his old fellow-labourer in the Catholic Emancipation struggle, Purcell O'Gorman visited him at Merrion Square; and after they had talked of the effort to get "Justice to Ireland in a British Parliament" (respecting the ultimate fate of which effort, it is needless to say, they held opposite views), O'Connell said-"My next move now, will be the revival of the Repeal Agitation."

O'Gorman's reply contained some allusion to our ci-devant viceroy, Lord Anglesey.

"Poor Anglesey!" exclaimed O'Connell. "The unfortunate man was not wicked, but misguided."

"That is exactly what he says of you," returned O'Gorman. "One day I visited him he said to me, 'That unfortunate O'Connell means well, but he is misguided.'"

O'Connell laughed heartily. "Certainly," said he, "Lord Anglesey was wonderfully weak and un

informed. Only conceive his gravely assuring the British Government that I had little or no influence in Ireland!"

When he had finally made up his mind to raise the Repeal cry once more, he sent for his friend Mr. Ray, of the Corn Exchange, to communicate his purpose to him.

"I sent for you, Ray," said he, "to tell you I have done experimenting on the British Parliament. I shall now go for the Repeal."

"I am right glad of it," was Ray's hearty answer. "There is nothing else for Ireland.”

"How do you think the people will receive the Repeal Agitation ?"

"With the utmost alacrity," said Ray; " they are eager for it. They know that it is the only hope they have."

He still postponed the renewal of the Repeal Agitation until the Easter recess of 1840. He had, indeed, published two or three letters advocating the Repeal; but he did not establish his new Association until Lord Stanley had outraged the people of Ireland, by bringing into Parliament his Bill to diminish still further their already too restricted elective franchise.

On the 15th of April, 1840, O'Connell said to me, "Daunt, will you come to the Corn Exchange?