igious.

It would be difficult, for example, to produce a more signal instance of
energy, system, and perseverance than that exhibited in Ireland during
the struggle for Emancipation. Was there not flattery to the dust?
blarney to the eyes? heads broken? throats cut? houses burned? and
cattle houghed? And why? Was it for the mere pleasure of blarney--of
breaking heads (I won't dispute the last point, though, because I
scorn to give up the glory of the national character),--of cutting
throats--burning houses--or houghing cattle? No; but to secure
Emancipation. In attaining that object was exemplified that Irish method
of gaining a point.

"Yes," said Jemmy, "to the divil I pitch slavery! I will come home able
to rise yez from your poverty, or never show my face in the parish of
Ballysogarth agin."

When the lad's determination was mentioned to his mother and the family,
there was a loud and serious outcry against it: for no circumstance is
relished that ever takes away a member from an Irish hearth, no matter
what the nature of that circumstance may be.

"Och, thin, is it for that _bocaun_ (* soft, innocent person) of a boy
to set off wid himself, runnin' through the wide world afther larnin',
widout money or friends! Avourneen, put it out of yer head. No; struggle
on as the rest of us is doin', an' maybe yell come as well off at the
long run."

"Mother, dear," said the son, "I wouldn't wish to go agin what you'd
say; but I made a promise to myself to 'rise yez out of your poverty if
I can, an' my mind's made up on it; so don't cross me, or be the manes
of my havin' bad luck on my journey, in regard of me goin' aginst yer
will, when you know 'twould be the last thing I wish to do."

"Let the gossoon take his way, Vara. Who knows but it was the Almighty
put the thoughts of it into his head. Pasthorini says that there
will soon be a change, an' 'tis a good skame it 'ill be to have him
a _sogarth_ when the fat living will be walkin' back to their ould
owners."

"Oh, an' may the Man above grant _that_, I pray Jamini this day! for are
not we harrished out of our lives, scrapin' an' scramblin' for the black
thieves, what we ought to put on our backs, an' into our own mouths.
Well, they say it's not lucky to take money from a priest, because
it's the price o' sin, an' no more it can, seein' that they want it
themselves; but I'm sure it's _their_ (* The Protestant clergy) money
that ought to carry the bad luck to them,