usiness and heard a sermon at
St. Patrick's.

The first Dublin newspaper was published in this century, by Robert
Thornton, bookseller, at the sign of the Leather Bottle, in
Skinner's-row, A.D. 1685. It consisted of a single leaf of small folio
size, printed on both sides, and written in the form of a letter, each
number being dated, and commencing with the word "sir." The fashionable
church was St. Michael's in High-street. It is described, in 1630, as
"in good reparacion; and although most of the parishioners were
recusants, it was commonly full of Protestants, who resorted thither
every Sunday to hear divine service and sermon." This church had been
erected originally for Catholic worship. Meanwhile the priests were
obliged to say Mass wherever they could best conceal themselves; and in
the reign of James I. their services were solemnized in certain back
rooms in the houses of Nicholas Quietrot, Carye, and the Widow O'Hagan,
in High-street.[533] Amongst the fashionables who lived in this locality
we find the Countess of Roscommon, Sir P. Wemys, Sir Thady Duff, and
Mark Quin, the Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1667. Here, too, was established
the first Dublin post-house, for which the nation appears to have been
indebted indirectly to Shane O'Neill, of whose proceedings her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth was anxious to be cognizant with as little delay as
possible. In 1656, it having been found that the horses of the military,
to whom postal communications had been confided previously, were "much
wearied, and his Highness' affayres much prejudiced for want of a
post-office to carry publique letters," Evan Vaughan was employed to
arrange postal communications, and was made Deputy Postmaster. Major
Swift was the Postmaster at Holyhead, and he was allowed L100 a-year for
the maintenance of four boatmen, added to the packet boats, at the rate
of _8d_. per diem and 18s. per month for wages. Post-houses were
established in the principal towns in Ireland about the year 1670, by
means of which, for 8_d_. or 12_d_., letters could be conveyed, twice a
week, to the "remotest parts of Ireland," and which afforded "the
conveniency of keeping good correspondence."

The Dublin Philosophical Society held their first meetings on Cork-hill,
at the close of this century, and it is evident that there were many men
in that age who had more than ordinary zeal for scientific research. Dr.
Mullen has left a detailed account of the difficulties under whic