their natural dispositions, which is not
to be supposed. Let every man that fights his one, two, three, or
half-a-dozen duels, receive it as a maxim, that every one he adds to the
number is but an additional proof of his being ill-educated, and having
vitiated his manners by the contagion of bad company; who is it that can
reckon the most numerous rencontres? who but the bucks, bloods,
landjobbers, and little drunken country gentlemen? Ought not people of
fashion to blush at a practice which will very soon be the distinction
only of the most contemptible of the people? the point of honour will and
must remain for the decision of certain affronts, but it will rarely be
had recourse to in polite, sensible, and well-bred company. The practice
among real gentlemen in Ireland every day declining is a strong proof
that a knowledge of the world corrects the old manners, and consequently
its having ever been prevalent was owing to the causes to which I have
attributed it.

There is another point of manners somewhat connected with the present
subject, which partly induced me to place a motto at the head of this
section. It is the conduct of juries; the criminal law of Ireland is the
same as that of England, but in the execution it is so different as
scarcely to be known. I believe it is a fact, at least I have been
assured so, that no man was ever hanged in Ireland for killing another in
a duel: the security is such that nobody ever thought of removing out of
the way of justice, yet there have been deaths of that sort, which had no
more to do with honour than stabbing in the dark. I believe Ireland is
the only country in Europe, I am sure it is the only part of the British
dominions, where associations among men of fortune are necessary for
apprehending ravishers. It is scarcely credible how many young women
have even of late years been ravished, and carried off in order (as they
generally have fortunes) to gain to appearance a voluntary marriage.
These actions, it is true, are not committed by the class I am
considering at present; but they are tried by them, and acquitted. I
think there has been only one man executed for that crime, which is so
common as to occasion the associations I mentioned; it is to this supine
execution of the law that such enormities are owing. Another
circumstance which has the effect of screening all sorts of offenders, is
men of fortune protecting them, and making interest for their acquitta