ore than their old melody--all the music of his
happy home--the deep murmur of the sea below the convent cliff--the
sighing of the winds in the cypress and olive trees--and sweeter and
dearer than all, the voices of his wife and children. _They_ seemed to
be softly calling his pious soul to leave the trouble and weariness of
earth for the blessedness and rest of God. And his soul obeyed the
call,--for, when the bells ceased their ringing, and the boatmen rowed
to land, they found that the aged stranger was dead.

About six miles above Limerick are the Rapids of the Shannon, usually
called the Falls of Doonas. These can be part way descended in long,
narrow skiffs, constructed for the purpose, but the feat is a very
hazardous one. I went down, with a friend and two brave boatmen, but
though I enjoyed the adventure, I would not advise any one to follow my
example.

Not far from Limerick are the ruins of Mungret Priory, said to have
been founded by St. Patrick, and which once contained no less than one
thousand five hundred monks.

"As wise as the women of Mungret," is a saying among the Irish, which
had its rise, according to tradition, in this way:--

The monks of Cashel having heard great stories of the learning of those
of Mungret, resolved to send a deputation to them, to settle the point
as to which college possessed the finest scholars in the dead
languages. Now the monks of Mungret enjoyed a better reputation for
such learning than they deserved,--being rather more fond of good
living than hard study,--so they were mortally afraid of being beaten
in the contest, and losing their good name forever. But they hit upon
a very ingenious plan of escape from their embarrassment. They dressed
up a number of their best scholars--some as women and some as
peasants--and placed them along the road by which their rivals must
travel. As the deputation came on, they naturally asked the way to
Mungret, and put other questions to the persons they met, and to their
great astonishment, every question was answered in Greek or Latin. At
last, they came to a halt, held a consultation, and prudently resolved
to go back to Cashel, as they could not hope to win any honor in a
controversy with a priory of monks who had so filled all the country
around with learning, that even the women and workmen spoke the dead
languages fluently.

We saw a great deal of poverty, squalor, and idleness, in Limerick, but
also much honest indus