majesty's visit to Ireland, she sailed to Holyhead, whence, on
the 5th of September, she proceeded to Balmoral, to enjoy her Scottish
Highland retreat. While at Balmoral an incident occurred illustrative of
the character of the royal family. A fire broke out near the palace.
Her majesty rendered prompt assistance, directing the efforts used
to extinguish the fire, while Prince Albert and the Prince of Wales
personally worked with ardour and assiduity to accomplish that object.

On the 14th of October the royal family arrived at Windsor Castle for a
prolonged residence.

Thus the United Kingdom, in its capitals, great harbours, and even
remote hills and glens, continued to witness the domestic happiness,
private virtues, queenly goodness and dignity, and public usefulness and
activity of their noble queen and her family. It might in truth be said
that every heart in the British Isles felt the aspiration "God save the
queen."

STATE OF IRELAND.

The condition of the sister kingdom was still one of faction, feud,
and fiery religious and political agitation. Emigration to the British
colonies, and the United States of America continued, and by this means
the land was relieved of such a portion of its pauper population as
lowered the poor-rates and gave relief to the occupiers. Increased
attention began to be paid by the landlords to the cultivation of the
soil, and commerce appeared somewhat to revive. The expectations of
improvement in Ireland, which were entertained in England, were
too sanguine. When these hopes of seeing Ireland more peaceable and
prosperous were much cherished, tidings continually arrived of deeds of
violence and blood, connected with the law of landlord and tenant. To
this fruitful source of crime in Ireland, much of the evil state
of things there was attributable. The landlords were exacting, and
cherished no kindly feeling for the peasantry, especially where
political and religious differences existed between the landlords and
the priests. The people, on the other hand, shared with their spiritual
advisers in a rancorous religious and political hostility to the
landlords, whom they regarded as the descendants of invaders and
plunderers. It was a common impression among the peasantry, that the
rightful owners of the forfeited Irish estates were the descendants of
those who had been dispossessed. Prophesies, attributed to various Irish
saints, were in circulation among the people, promising