d persuading them to desert to France
to join the honest Irish, as they were called. One of these traitors
once accosted him and proposed the matter to him, offering handfuls of
gold if he could induce any of his comrades to go over. Meredith
appeared to consent, but secretly gave information to his colonel; the
fellow was seized, and certain traitorous papers found upon him; he was
hanged before Newgate, and died exulting in his treason. His name was
Michael Nowlan. That ever son of mine should have been intimate with the
Papist Irish, and have learnt their language!'

'But he thinks of other things now,' said my mother.

'Other languages, you mean,' said my father. 'It is strange that he has
conceived such a zest for the study of languages; no sooner did he come
home than he persuaded me to send him to that old priest to learn French
and Italian, and, if I remember right, you abetted him; but, as I said
before, it is in the nature of women invariably to take the part of the
second-born. Well, there is no harm in learning French and Italian,
perhaps much good in his case, as they may drive the other tongue out of
his head. Irish! why, he might go to the university but for that; but
how would he look when, on being examined with respect to his
attainments, it was discovered that he understood Irish? How did you
learn it? they would ask him; how did you become acquainted with the
language of Papists and rebels? The boy would be sent away in disgrace.'

'Be under no apprehension, I have no doubt that he has long since
forgotten it.'

'I am glad to hear it,' said my father; 'for, between ourselves, I love
the poor child; ay, quite as well as my first-born. I trust they will do
well, and that God will be their shield and guide; I have no doubt He
will, for I have read something in the Bible to that effect. What is
that text about the young ravens being fed?'

'I know a better than that,' said my mother; 'one of David's own words,
"I have been young and now am grown old, yet never have I seen the
righteous man forsaken, or his seed begging their bread."'

I have heard talk of the pleasures of idleness, yet it is my own firm
belief that no one ever yet took pleasure in it. Mere idleness is the
most disagreeable state of existence, and both mind and body are
continually making efforts to escape from it. It has been said that
idleness is the parent of mischief, which is very true; but mischief
itself is merel