f the bastions bearing their own arms.'

Let us only imagine what the corporation of Derry could do in local
improvements with this 12,000 l. a year, which is really their own
property, or even with the 4,000 l. a-year squandered upon themselves
by the trustees! Some of these worthy London merchants, it seems, play
the _role_ of Irish landlords when travelling on the Continent, on
the strength of this Derry estate, or their _assistantship_ in its
management. 'I object,' says Mr. J.P. Hamilton, 'if I take a
little run in the summer vacation to Paris or Brussels, to meet a
greasy-looking gentleman from Whitechapel or the Minories, turned out
sleek and shining from Moses', and to be told by him that he has a
large property in _Hireland_, in a place called Derry, and that his
tenantry are an industrious, thriving set of fellows, quite remarkable
for their intelligence, but that it is all owing to his excellent
management of his property and his liberality.'

Mr. Hazlett presented a still funnier picture of the Irish
'visitations' of the members of the society, with their wives and
daughters every summer. Gentlemen in London regard it as a fine lark
to get elected to serve in the Irish Society, as that includes
a summer trip to Ireland free of expense, with the jolliest
entertainment. One gentleman, being asked by another whether he was
ever in Ireland, answered--'No, but I intend to get on the Irish
Society next year and then I'll have a trip. What kind of people are
they over there? Do they all speak Irish?'

'Oh, no; they are a very decent, civilised people.'

'Oh, I'm glad they don't speak Irish; for none of us do, of course;
but my daughter can speak French.'

'They had a great siege one time over there?'

'Oh, yes; the Derry people are proud of the siege.'

'Ah, yes, I see; happened in the reign of King John, I believe.'

But the heaviest charge laid at the door of the Irish Society is its
persistent refusal to grant proper tenures for building. By this, even
more than their reckless squandering of the revenues of a fine estate,
which is not their own, they have obstructed the improvement of the
city. They might possibly be compelled to refund the wasted property
of their ward, but they could never compensate for stunting and
crippling her as they have done. Fortunately, there is a standard by
which we are able to measure this iniquity with tolerable accuracy.
Dr. William Brown, of Derry, testified that it was