ttances during the severe pressure
of the Famine in Skibbereen?' I answered in the affirmative; and
thereupon he said, 'I was your correspondent, I remitted the moneys to
you, they were the offerings of a number of the students of Trinity
College.'

"I need scarcely say that the incident created in me a feeling of esteem
and regard for Mr. Dowse, which has continued to the present moment.

"During the passing of the Land Bill through the House of Commons, in
the year 1870, I proposed several amendments, in consequence of which I
received a letter from Lord Dufferin, asking for an interview, which
subsequently took place at his house, and lasted more than three hours.
When about to leave, I said that I had a question to put to his
Lordship, which I hoped he would not refuse to answer; and having
received his assent, I said,--Lord Dufferin, are you the anonymous donor
of a subscription of L1000 to the Relief Committee at Skibbereen
twenty-three years ago? And with a smile, he simply replied 'I am.'

"I left with feelings of high admiration for the man."[313]

To conclude. Every reader, will, doubtless, form his own views upon the
facts given in this volume; upon the conduct of the people; the action
of the landlords; the measures of the Government; those views may be
widely different; but of the bright and copious fountains of living
charity, which gushed forth over the Christian world, during the Great
Irish Famine, history has but one record to make,--posterity can hold
but one opinion.

FOOTNOTES:

[303] The first Queen's letter produced L170,571 0s 10d.; the second
only L30,167 14s. 4d.

[304] Transactions of Society of Friends during the Famine in Ireland p.
49.

[305] _Ibid._ Appendix vii, p. 334

[306] The connection between Famine and Pestilence, and the Great
Apostacy. By Nagnatus, p. 49. P.D. Hardy, Dublin, 1847. Halliday
Pamphlets, Vol. 1990.

[307] The Achill Missionary Herald for August, 1846, p. 88.

[308] The Famine, a rod. By the Rev. Hugh M'Neill, p. 23.

[309] The Famine, a rod, pp. 25, 26. The capitals and italics are Mr.
M'Neill's.

[310] Letter quoted in "Forster's Life of Dickens," written in the
Autumn of 1846. Vol. II. p. 233.

[311] "Journals, Conversations, and Essays relating to Ireland." by
Nassau William Senior. Vol. II., Second Edition, p. 60.

[312] "Memorandums made in Ireland in the Autumn of 1852." By John
Forbes, M.D., F.R.S., Hon. D.C.L. Oxon., Physician to Her Majes