h sooner as he liked, if he had sold all the pictures. The only
money his master allowed him at starting was fourpence. When Bianconi
remonstrated at the smallness of the amount, Faroni answered, "While
you have goods you have money; make haste to sell your goods!"

During his apprenticeship, Bianconi learnt much of the country through
which he travelled. He was constantly making acquaintances with new
people, and visiting new places. At Waterford he did a good trade in
small prints. Besides the Scripture pieces, he sold portraits of the
Royal Family, as well as of Bonaparte and his most distinguished
generals. "Bony" was the dread of all magistrates, especially in
Ireland. At Passage, near Waterford, Bianconi was arrested for having
sold a leaden framed picture of the famous French Emperor. He was
thrown into a cold guard-room, and spent the night there without bed,
or fire, or food. Next morning he was discharged by the magistrate,
but cautioned that he must not sell any more of such pictures.

Many things struck Bianconi in making his first journeys through
Ireland. He was astonished at the dram-drinking of the men, and the
pipe-smoking of the women. The violent faction-fights which took place
at the fairs which he frequented, were of a kind which he had never
before observed among the pacific people of North Italy. These
faction-fights were the result, partly of dram-drinking, and partly of
the fighting mania which then prevailed in Ireland. There were also
numbers of crippled and deformed beggars in every town,--quarrelling
and fighting in the streets,--rows and drinkings at wakes,--gambling,
duelling, and riotous living amongst all classes of the people,--things
which could not but strike any ordinary observer at the time, but which
have now, for the most part, happily passed away.

At the end of eighteen months, Bianconi's apprenticeship was out; and
Faroni then offered to take him back to his father, in compliance with
the original understanding. But Bianconi had no wish to return to
Italy. Faroni then made over to him the money he had retained on his
account, and Bianconi set up business for himself. He was now about
eighteen years old; he was strong and healthy, and able to walk with a
heavy load on his back from twenty to thirty miles a day. He bought a
large case, filled it with coloured prints and other articles, and
started from Dublin on a tour through the south of Ireland. He
succeede