hinery for working a valuable lead mine which, by "pure
accident," my fortunate ancestor had just discovered there.

It was not only lead, but copper ore was found there, and at last
silver; so that in the course of three generations the trumpeter's
descendants became amongst the very richest of the land; and when my
father succeeded to the estate, he owned almost the entire country
between Newrath Bridge and Arklow. There were seventeen townlands in
our possession, and five mines in full work. In one of these, gold was
found, and several fine crystals of topaz and beryl,--a few specimens
of which are yet to be seen in the Irish Academy. It has been often
remarked that men of ability rarely or never transmit their gifts to the
generation succeeding them. Nature would seem to set her face against
monopolies, and at least, so far as intellect is concerned, to be a
genuine "Free-Trader." There is another and very similar fact, however,
which has not attracted so much notice. It is this: that not only the
dispositions and tastes of successive generations change and alternate,
but that their luck follows the same law, and that after a good run of
fortune for maybe a century or two, there is certain to come a turn;
and thus it is that these ups and downs, which are only remarked in
the lives of individuals, are occurring in the wider ocean of general
humanity. The common incident that we so often hear of a man winning
an enormous sum and losing every farthing of it, down to the
very half-crown he began with, is just the type of many a family
history,--the only difference being that the event which in one case
occupied a night, in the other was spread over two, or maybe three,
hundred years.

When my father succeeded to the family property, Ireland was enjoying
her very palmiest days of prosperity. The spirit of her nationality,
without coming into actual collision with England, yet had begun
to assume an attitude of proud hostility,--a species of haughty
defiance,--the first effect of which was to develop and call forth all
the native ardor and daring of a bold and generous people. It was in the
celebrated year '82; and, doubtless, there are some yet living who
can recall to memory the glorious enthusiasm of the "Volunteers." The
character of the political excitement was eminently suited to the nature
of the people. The themes were precisely those which lay fastest hold of
enthusiastic temperaments. Liberty and Independence