twenty yards of my hiding-place, with the most
unspeakable alarm lest any one of them should catch a glimpse of me
nestling behind a cart of hay. I breathed freer when the last
servant's horse crossed the ridge; and then, creeping from my hole,
soon gained the stables adjoining the house, gave up my horse,
secured the well-stuffed valise out of sight, and repaired, according
to the original precious scheme, to the front door with my letter. I
stood for five minutes with the knob of the bell in my hand,
irresolute whether to go on with the adventure, or fairly to cut and
run from it. At length, when the fatal pull was given, I listened to
the sound, and felt myself what statesmen call "fully committed."
There was now nothing left but to screw up my courage, as I best
might, to meet the dangers and difficulties of the crisis.

There happened to be no one at home except the old lady, to whom my
introduction was addressed, so that the plan succeeded very well; I
forget now the details of the introduction, but I can never cease to
remember the unbounded cordiality of the reception, not only from this
excellent person, but from the master and mistress of the house, and
all their assembled friends, showing how totally I had miscalculated
the nature and extent of Irish hospitality. There were several elderly
persons, then in the autumn of life, and several were very young
folks, scarcely able to walk, who now count many "daughters and sons
of beauty." There was a pretty equal admixture of Irish and English,
amongst them several persons of rank; also one or two foreigners;
besides much native wit, worth, and beauty, of the highest order, and
all most delightfully set off by the graces and nameless enchantments
of refined manners, and tasteful as well as useful accomplishments. I
have rarely, if ever, seen in any part of the world so fascinating an
assemblage of all that would render a country party agreeable as was
here collected in one of the most out-of-the-way corners of Ireland.
My worthy captain's advice was now thrown to the winds; and indeed any
heart, aged twenty-two, must have been made of cast-iron to have
resisted the rides and walks, the picnic dinners, the dances, and the
music parties, and suppers, besides the infinitely varied round of
other amusements, grave and gay, which contributed to render, and will
for ever preserve, this nook of Ireland the true terrestrial paradise
of my early days.

How the deuce I eve